The Bulletin Edition 25

I have always believed that one of the most important qualities a teacher can model for their charges is a genuine love of learning; not just the performance of it, but the real thing. In assembly in the Prep this week we looked at the peoples of Indonesia. Here was the world’s fourth most populous nation, an archipelago of more than seventeen thousand islands stretching wider than the breadth of Europe, home to over two hundred and seventy million people speaking more than seven hundred languages and I confess that beyond a vague awareness of Bali and perhaps a distant memory of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, I knew precious little of either the place or its peoples before I started planning out this term’s assembly theme. I suspected, correctly as it turned out, that the boys in the Prep would know even less.

Despite the enormous geographical distance between these (British) islands and the island nation of Indonesia, and despite what might on the surface appear to be profound cultural difference, we found as we so often do when we look carefully enough, a great deal of common human ground. Somewhat distinctly however, the Indonesians have a national motto which translates as ‘Unity in Diversity’, and it is not merely a slogan on a coat of arms but a living, breathing principle woven into the fabric of daily life: in the way communities build homes together without payment or expectation, in the way five major world religions coexist within a single nation, in the way three hundred distinct ethnic groups share a flag, a currency and a future.

The boys sat quietly with that for a moment – as well they might – as the greatest single takeaway from our assembly turned out to be the idea that difference makes us stronger, not weaker. Indonesia, a country many of our boys could not have placed confidently on a map at the start of this week is, we discovered, a nation that could have been pulled apart by its extraordinary diversity but proactively chose instead it seems, to be defined by it, which feels like a very important lesson for us all.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

Here’s a round-up of our Instagram posts from this week – take a look below!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram for regular updates and snapshots of daily school life.

St Piran’s were the opposition for both the U10s and U11s this week, and there was plenty of competitive cricket on display across all fixtures. The U11As secured a strong home win, chasing down 163 to win by 11 runs. Aaryan put in an excellent all‑round performance, fielding sharply and bowling with good control to build pressure throughout the innings. The U11Bs and Cs both worked hard but were narrowly beaten in high‑scoring games, showing real determination and commitment until the final overs.

The sound of marching feet, roaring crowds and powerful speeches echoed through Hampton, as Kindergarten to Year 6 stepped back into the world of Ancient Rome for a spectacular Humanities Day centred on the theme of Bread and Circuses. Pupils certainly looked the part, arriving as an array of soldiers, senators, emperors and gods of antiquity.

Year 4 pupils enjoyed an action-packed few days at Grittleton House, embracing every opportunity for adventure, teamwork and exciting outdoor challenges.

Our Year 6 pupils were delighted to welcome Year 2 for their Transition Day at Prep, helping the children experience a taste of life in Year 3 ahead of September. Acting as friendly guides, the Year 6 boys showed the younger pupils around the Prep site, sharing their favourite parts of school life and answering questions about lessons, clubs and daily routines. Their kindness and enthusiasm helped the children feel excited and reassured about the transition ahead.

Our Year 5 mathematicians put their problem-solving skills to the test this week as they represented Hampton Prep at the highly anticipated Maths Wizard Challenge 2026 at Hampton School.

Year 3 set off on their very first residential trip to Sayers Croft with excitement levels sky-high. Bathed in sunshine and nestled in the beautiful Surrey Hills, Sayers Croft provided the perfect setting for three memorable days of adventure, learning and fun. For many of the boys, this was their first time away from home with classmates, making the experience all the more special.

It has been a lovely week here in Pre-Prep, beginning with our exciting and much-anticipated Roman-themed day. We were bowled over by the wonderful array of costumes arriving at school on Tuesday morning and would like to thank you all for your unstinting support in helping to make the day such a success.  Each class took part in an immersive workshop, enjoying a walking tour of Roman London in 410 AD. The children explored a bustling market selling the latest fashions, visited a temple, cheered on their favourite gladiators in the arena, and even visited a beautiful Roman house and bath on the banks of the River Thames. 

We began our busy week with our Roman Day and thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the workshop. Our favourite activity was using gold coins to buy food and jewellery at the market, and we loved experiencing what the Roman baths might have been like. In the classroom, we looked carefully at the pots used by the Romans had fun making our own using clay. We also made shields just like the Roman army may have used using card and collage materials. 

What a fantastic four day week we have had in Reception class this week! On Tuesday, we had a fantastic time celebrating Roman Humanities Day. In the morning, the children explored what life was like in Roman times, learning all about Roman soldiers, creating detailed drawings of their own Roman coins, and designing their very own Roman shields. In the afternoon, the children really immersed themselves in our Roman workshop. They especially enjoyed shopping in the Roman market using golden coins, watching exciting gladiator fights in the arena, relaxing in the Roman Bath Spa, and visiting the Roman Temple to make their own offerings. It was a fun and engaging day full of creativity and historical discovery. 

We had a super exciting start to the week with our Humanities Day! The children travelled back in time as gladiators, emperors, and Roman leaders to experience what life was like in Roman times. They visited a market, created Roman graffiti, and even had the opportunity to use Roman coins. The children thoroughly enjoyed all the activities, and it was wonderful to see them so engaged and enthusiastic throughout the day. 

In mathematics, the children have continued with their learning of fractions this week by learning to use a fraction of an amount to find the whole, and starting to make comparisons between fractions. They brought together their learning so far in this block to understand the concept of unit fractions and non-unit fractions. They began to generalise that a unit fraction is any fraction with a numerator of 1 and that a non-unit fraction is a fraction where the numerator is greater than 1.  Lots of hands-on activities helped develop the children’s understanding of this new concept.