From The Headmaster’s Study, 5 February 2021

At the end of another week of national lockdown, the latest edition of Hampton@Home amply demonstrates that boys and colleagues alike are remaining impressively purposeful and creative as our site closure period continues. I hope that H@H readers/viewers are deriving as much pleasure and entertainment from our weekly round-up of e-Hampton highlights as I am.

This time, we doff an admiring ‘chapeau’ to our Upper School linguists, who excelled in Tuesday’s regional French debating competition (linked in the e-newsletter). Two of them, Patrick and Nayaaz, have progressed to next week’s final and we wish them ‘bonne chance!’ There are so many benefits to be derived from language learning and our Sixth Form Francophiles might well be acting as inspiration for Second Year Hamptonians as they enjoy language taster sessions (see video clip) and select the languages they will study next year.

Current societal restrictions remain challenging for all of us, but they have also provided an opportunity – certainly in my case – to catch up on some overdue reading. Some members of the Common Room have been sharing extracts from their favourite novels to mark National Storytelling Week, so please check out their recommendations ahead of the upcoming half term break. This edition of our e-newsletter also showcases our musicians’ impressive improvisation skills, and features Miss Brown from the Geography Department showing how to make clouds in a bottle. There is also another physical test for Hamptonians and their families in the form of Mr Hooper’s ‘step in, step out’ challenge.

Our weekly Thursday Night In series is proving to be a welcome evening for many of you and next week’s show offers your whole household the chance to get involved Nacho Night. Hampton’s talented Head Chef, Paulie, will be demonstrating how to make perfect ‘posh’ nachos and this week’s H@H sets out the ingredients needed to participate in next Thursday’s ‘cook-along’. Hampton families are also encouraged to take part in an upcoming Form Charity fundraising initiative, as we share some online yoga sessions with you. Boys and families will be invited next Thursday morning to take some time out to stretch, breathe and focus on their wellbeing, while helping to raise money for this year’s Form Charities (Water Aid; FC Not Alone/CALM; ZSL London Zoo; and Shooting Star Children’s Hospices).

And in signing off this week, if seems fitting to pay tribute to the late Captain Sir Tom Moore, whose fortitude, optimism and boundless generosity of spirit set such a wonderful example to the nation. His words serve to remind our School community that these testing times shall pass: ‘My message to the nation right now is, tomorrow will be a good day. We will get through this and come out of it stronger, more united and ready to face any challenge together.’ The sentiments and spirit of an honorary Hamptonian, I think!

Have a restful and relaxing weekend – hopefully we may have another ‘snow day’ to enjoy!

With best wishes

Kevin Knibbs
Headmaster