Hampton Voices

Sixth Form is different from the lower years in that your relationship with teachers matures and you are given a lot more independence.  I’ve valued the balance between study and still having lots of opportunities to explore my other interests and passions.

Sixth Form has been my favourite time at Hampton, I’ve loved my drama and sporting opportunities and really enjoyed studying my favourite subjects.

My A Level subjects are Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, and Physics and I’m planning on studying Engineering at university. I’ve loved being at Hampton from the start, but Sixth Form has been my favourite time – smaller classes, focused topics and great teachers have all helped me progress academically.  I’ve also got so much out of the co-curricular side of Hampton life.

This year, I decided to get involved with the drama on offer and I was lucky enough to be given the lead male role in the Hampton and LEH joint school musical 42nd Street, which involved learning to tap dance – a skill I never imagined acquiring but which was brilliant to learn. Being part of the cast was unforgettable and I loved every minute.  On the sporting side, football was a big reason for joining Hampton and I have been in the B’s throughout my time at the School, staying with more or less the same team throughout. We have become great friends and this is definitely a highlight of my time here.

Music is an important part of my life too. A clarinettist, I am a member of the Symphony Orchestra, and taking part in the concerts held throughout the year in the Hammond Theatre is incredible. I’m also a singer with the male voice choir Voices of Lions and have had the incredible honour of performing at the Edinburgh Fringe – always a trip to look forward to!

It’s great to be able to use the Sixth Form Common Room – paninis and table football are an excellent way to unwind between lessons. Also, our dedicated study area, the Sixth Form Study Centre, has proven to be both a useful and enjoyable space to work in.

I am really going to miss Hampton but at the same time it has prepared me brilliantly for the next stage and I am excited to see where life goes next.

I went straight into teaching after university, completing my PGCE while at Hampton and have been here ever since. I was well aware of Hampton’s excellent reputation having grown up in London and my grandfather Victor attended from 1932-1939 when Hampton was still a grammar school, so there was very much a part of me which wanted to follow in his footsteps!

What struck me about Hampton when I arrived was its strong sense of community: from the porter greeting me as I walked in, to the kindness and support which my colleagues showed me, to the archivist’s willingness to find my grandfather’s school records.

When it comes to the education on offer, Hampton offers pupils freedom: freedom to be themselves, and to unlock parts of themselves which they didn’t know were there. This is down to not only the wealth of academic and co-curricular opportunities available, but also to the community in which these opportunities are seized: it is a community which fosters love of learning, ambition, responsibility and respect.

Teaching here is full on and lots of fun and I am impressed daily by the palpable love of learning among the boys
– a sea of raised hands is the norm at Hampton.

I love getting to know my pupils and seeing them progress over the years and I am privileged to work alongside such intelligent, ambitious and hardworking colleagues. I can see myself working here for a long, long time – just as many colleagues have before me!

Our son, Josh, is now in the Fourth Year at Hampton. At the age of 11, he was in the fortunate position of having various offers from different schools for secondary education. There were numerous things that made Hampton stand out, however. The first was the ethos of the School, which marries high academic standards with numerous co-curricular activities, giving an excellent rounded education. This was extremely important to Josh, who is a keen footballer, but also interested in a range of sports. The second was the approach of the headmaster, Kevin Knibbs, who always gave the impression that he was interested in the welfare of every child in the School. His personal approach with prospective parents and children spoke volumes.

We have always found that the success of a school mirrors the character of the headmaster, and that is certainly true of Hampton. Finally, during visits and the examination and interview process we felt that the School had a very caring and nurturing approach, coupled with a clear philosophy of supporting children from all backgrounds.

we felt that the School had a very caring and nurturing approach, coupled with a clear philosophy of supporting children from all backgrounds. We can honestly say that we would recommend Hampton to anyone.

Patrick Aryee is a renowned wildlife TV Presenter hosting popular nature shows on the BBC, Sky and most recently in the USA. After leaving Hampton with three A Levels, Patrick studied at Bristol University for a degree in Cancer Biology followed by a Master’s in Science Communication before deciding on a career in wildlife film-making.

What many people don’t realise is what the beginning of my journey looked like. My brother, sister and I were all raised by mum and single-parent finances were understandably tight to say the least. With this in mind, the only way I was able to attend Hampton was through a bursary programme. I still had to pay the attendance fee but thankfully the total cost was reduced by just enough.”

Without that bursary, without that charitable donation, I wouldn’t be standing here as the person I am today.

Today, that person is someone who has gone free-diving with sperm whales, sat eye-to-eye with huge ferocious lions, walked a six-tonne bull elephant, and more comically, been sprayed in the face by a skunk!

I want to thank Hampton School for providing me with the opportunity to be the best version of myself.

Hampton was undoubtedly instrumental in seeing me through my formative years and it’s where I met some of my lifelong friends. What makes Hampton School special is that it supports you whatever your interests may be – for me this was not only my interest in science but also my love for drama and sport. The teachers are passionate about the subjects they teach, and they inspired me – I still keep in touch with a few of them.

It’s so much fun making wildlife and science documentaries. It can get stressful at times, but we get to witness so many amazing sights and ground-breaking research first hand. Sharing that with people at home is such a privilege and it’s exciting to think that my job goes on to inspire others.

I knew early on that I wanted to be a teacher and after university, I completed my teacher training at Hampton and have been here ever since.

Growing up in the local area, I was always aware of Hampton’s excellent reputation and it certainly lives up to this with such a wide range of incredible opportunities for pupils to explore and thrive. Whether this is academic, sport, or creative, the Hampton community nurtures and challenges you. Hamptonians develop into such interesting, well-rounded, and grounded young people when they leave and it is a pleasure to be in their company.

Teaching at the school is fun and stimulating – in part due to the curiosity and love of learning that the pupils have and also because of the privilege of working with such talented, dedicated, and hard-working colleagues. They are a massive part of the welcoming community at Hampton!

For me, one of the best parts about teaching Chemistry at Hampton is the number of experiments that I get to use in my lessons! I was never offered such practical and ‘hands-on’ opportunities when I was at school but they are invaluable in bringing a subject to life and I hope that my pupils enjoy the experiments as much as I love teaching them!