Easter Bonnet Parade and Egg Hunt Pre-Prep children treated staff and parents to a wonderful display of Easter bonnets as they paraded around the School grounds. The Easter Bunny was also in town, with a basket of tasty treats for the children. Master of Egg Hunts, and Head of Pre-Prep Mrs Imogen Murphy, congratulated the children on their colourful headwear: “Easter is an ‘eggciting’ time of year for many of our pupils, and an ‘eggcellent’ time was had by all!”
SPRING TERM 2019
THE HAMPTON PRE-PREP & PREP SCHOOL MAGAZINE
A word from
The Headmaster At this point in the academic year, it is useful to take stock of what we have all accomplished and look ahead to our goals and aspirations for the term ahead. Reading through these pages, it is inspiring to see the endeavours and achievements of pupils from across the Pre-Prep & Prep and it goes without saying how proud I am of them all. What has been particularly impressive has been how our pupils have thought about and actively contributed to this year’s assembly programme. During the winter, our themes were Philosophy and Industry. This term we have covered the theme of Fear followed by what Commitment means. Next term we will explore Empathy and Collaboration. It is fascinating to see how pupils and colleagues alike are able to bring something new to our understanding of each theme and I am very grateful for the insights that they offer. School assembly is where some of the lasting lessons of life can be learnt, and I am so glad about that!
Tim Smith Headmaster
Our Assemblies This term’s assemblies centred on the themes of Fear and Commitment. As well as looking at some of the scientific reasons behind fear, many personal terrors were faced and overcome during assemblies this term. Mrs Jenny James bravely sang in front of the Prep and Mr Tim Smith and Mr Nick Darmon confronted a python head on and lived to tell the tale. Committing to a cause was the theme explored in the second half of term. Our guest speaker was BBC Apprentice 2018
semi-finalist, Miss Sabrina Stocker, who talked about the challenges of running a successful company. Our Year 6 pupils also spoke about their future goals and targets, as they prepare to move onto their next school. There was a wonderful surprise in assembly this term, when the Rugby World Cup was brought into School, showing the boys the ultimate prize for sporting commitment.
The Head of Pre-Prep As another busy term concludes, the children have been enjoying the sunshine with the cold, dark days well and truly behind us. Opportunities to take learning outdoors are always a pleasure and this term we have seen Kindergarten pupils enjoying Three Little Pigs house building, Reception learning about road safety awareness, a 3D ‘shape hunt’ by Year 1, and our Year 2 pupils creating their own space rocket. Highlights of this term have also included a wonderful array of World Book Day costumes and the very enjoyable Easter bonnet parade and egg hunt in the front garden. Happy Easter to you all!
Imogen Murphy Head of Pre-Prep
FAIR The annual Science Fair is an opportunity for boys to demonstrate what they have learnt in their Science lessons and this year, boys from the Prep excelled themselves. Parents and staff were invited to the James Hall to see a range of displays and practical experiments, including erupting volcanoes, water filtration systems, mini tesla coils, and a 3D model of an atom. The best six projects were exhibited at Hampton School Science Fair. Congratulations to all involved!
TRIPS & VISITS
Year 3 Residential Trip to Hooke Court
On our way to Hooke Court, we stopped off at Monkey World where we saw woolly monkeys, chimpanzees, gibbons, capuchins and orang-utans and had lunch among the guinea fowl, who kept trying to take our food! We then travelled to Maiden Castle, where our tour guide showed us a Roman temple and how to attack the hillfort by running up ditches. On arriving at Hooke Court, we made mini mosaics which was really fun. After breakfast the next day, our first activity was cooking Roman food, which included pottage, sweet breads and botulus (Roman sausages). We pretended to be Roman soldiers on a march to the commands of ‘sin, dex’ (left, right).
Then came the most exciting part of the day – making jewellery and weaving in the Longhouse. I crafted a ring using metal wire and created a multi-coloured weave pattern. We also made oil lamps. In the evening, Mrs Tinkler dressed up as a Roman soldier in full battle gear and we played Roman games. On the last day, we learnt how to write names in Roman and then we made onagers. You are probably wondering what an onager is, but look no further – it is a catapult! We used our onagers to fire ping-pong balls at Mr Andrae! Reporters: Navraj Dhillon and Archie Skinner
Florence Nightingale Museum Visit Year 2 pupils visited the Florence Nightingale Museum to learn about the world’s most famous nurse. Florence told the class all about her life, and we saw her pet tortoise and pet owl which were both very cute. We had lunch at St Thomas’ Hospital and played lots of games! When we went back to the museum, Florence told us about the Crimean War, and there were activities including guessing the herb by smelling and tasting it - I got two right! We had a lot of fun. Reporter: Aashish Gill
Trip to Hampton Library Reception enjoyed a visit to Hampton Library where they learnt how a library works. The children were excited to discover that they could borrow picture books as well as non-fiction, audio books and DVDs. The young visitors discovered the children’s section and selected a book to bring back to School. They also learnt how to take books out by scanning their library card. The visit culminated with a story called Otto the Book Bear read to the pupils by the librarian.
Year 4 Trip to the Golden Hinde Sturdy sea legs were required for a visit to the replica of the first English ship to circumnavigate the globe. Although the original vessel is long since gone, the boys were instantly transported back to the late 16th century once they stepped on board the Golden Hinde. Pupils reenacted the conversations that would have taken place between Queen Elizabeth and Sir Francis Drake, as well as enjoying a tour of the ship to discover what life was like for the crew. The young sailors manned the cannons and planned the route across the Atlantic. All enjoyed a fabulous day of historical learning!
Year 5 Reading Museum Visit Dressed as Victorians we were all ready for a day of historical fun! Entering a classroom with wooden desks, benches, a blackboard and slates, Year 5 pupils went back in time to a Victorian school on their visit to Reading Museum. Some of us volunteered to be girls and put on our pinafores! We started our school day by doing a sum using the Victorian money system, which was followed by some handwriting with an ink-well and fountain pen. Oscar had to wear the dunce hat because he spilt ink on his desk, and we all had to sing “Dunce, dunce, double D, you don’t know your A, B, C.” Then Cormac got the cane (don’t worry, it wasn’t real!) After lunch, we performed some of the jobs that Victorian children would have had to carry out at the time, including chimney sweeping, laundry and serving the Lord and Lady of the Manor as footmen. Reporter: Monty James
TRIPS & VISITS Year 5 Trip to the Natural History Museum After looking at the interesting animal exhibits and all sorts of wildlife, we explored the planets, and experienced an earthquake simulation! The main aim of the day however was to learn about our new Science topic of evolution and adaptation. We looked at fossils and through problem solving worked out which animal was best suited to different terrains. In a practical exercise, we pretended to be birds, discovering how they evolved through feeding habits. The trip covered some very interesting topics, and we learnt a lot. Reporters: William McKillop and Marcus Solomon
The trip to Holly Lodge in Richmond Park was all about how to keep ourselves safe. Members of the emergency services came up with a range of scenarios and we were scored on how we dealt with each situation. The day taught us about strangerdanger, school route planning, first aid and how to keep safe when travelling on public transport.
Year 6 Junior Citizenship
It was very interesting and we learnt a lot about how to be good citizens, protecting ourselves in the wider world, and being kind to others. Reporter: Ben Beesley
Meet the Teacher
We threw some quick-fire questions at Head of English, Mrs Julie Campbell. Have you always been a teacher? No. From the sublime – a glorious but unsustainable couple of years in an elephant orphanage in Kenya – to the ridiculous – a ‘Campbell meets Wall Street’ attempt to make it big in international banking. Not my cup of tea! Who inspired you to go in to teaching? My father: a well-meaning but ever-soslightly whacky physics guru. What made you choose to work at Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep? The legendary Jane Chalk. She called me when the Head of English post was being advertised. I’ve never looked back. What is the best thing about your job? The boys. Language. Words. Books. And trying to ensure they all gel in the happiest way possible. And of course, my colleagues.
What words of wisdom would you pass on to your younger self? Be brave, be adventurous – most things are within your grasp. Who in the public eye inspires you? Dr Jane Goodall, for her inspirational ‘follow your dreams’ attitude, and her ability to inspire hope and encourage people to work together for a better world. What is an inspiring quote you live by? “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Sir Winston Churchill What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? Cooking, reading, accompanying my daughters to their various horse events: not necessarily in that order!
House Updates YORK
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unity is strength discs: 13
TUDOR
Junior Travel Ambassadors The newly rebranded Junior Travel Ambassadors (JTA) have had yet another busy term, as they continue their mission to lower harmful emissions on our roads. Large banners now adorn the gates of the Prep site, encouraging a policy of parking and striding to school, beneficial to both the environment and pupils’ health.
strive for success discs: 13
WINDSOR
be the best you can be discs: 12
LANCASTER anything is possible discs: 4
ART A. Pop Art (Year 5) B. Alistair Hill (Year 6) C & F. Christopher Bathurst and Monty Hunt (Year 6) D. Vasily Uskov (Year 4) E. Dogs (Year 3) G. Dennis Hayes (Year 3) H. Josh Rahardjo (Year 3) I. Danny Prichard (Year 4) J. Eric Rainey (Year 3) K. William Meehan (Year 3)
PREP ART
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A. Asher Holmes (Year 2) B. Aliens (Kindergarten) C. Planets Display (Kindergarten) D. Arthur Band (Year 2) E. China Pattern Plates (Year 2) F. Bobble Hats (Year 1) G. Penguins (Reception)
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Year 3 Projects (left to right): George Halberstadt, William Dumbrell, Navraj Dhillon, Ian Chen, Thomas Mortimer and James Nunn
THE L.I.O.N. AWARD Leadership, Independence & Opportunities to Nurture A celebration of the development of our pupils into young adults. Introduced in 2016, the L.I.O.N. Award develops and stretches boys in Year 3 to Year 5 by encouraging them to take risks, explore new opportunities, and have a positive effect on the community around them. The individual aspects of the award: Independent Project, Residential, Skilled Activity, Creativity Portfolio and Community Service, empower pupils to combine teamwork with individuality.
The boys self-evaluate, and are also appraised by their peers and teachers, learning important lessons for future endeavours. This year, time-management has also become an important element of the award. Here are some great examples of what the Prep pupils are doing as part their L.I.O.N. Award:
Rocco Fre ed Commun man and Xavier M ity Service cGuire • Sellin metal stra g re ws to rais e funds fo usable Conservat r the Marin ion Socie e ty. •
• Community Theo Barrett ing Home for alk • W ice Serv 61 • raised £97. as tm Chris es. ro He r fo lp for He
nity Service Rory Cooper • Commu ling to school • Cycling Challenge Cyc saved to charity. and donating the money •
Rory Walker and Jo Timba • Commun seph ity Service • Mud Runs • raised £1 ,300 for charity.
NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP Three Hampton Prep teams competed in the National Quiz Club Championship regional qualifiers. My team, consisting of Raphael Taylor, Alfie Keller, Fred Owen and myself, got off to a great start and were the first team to hit 1,000 points! The quiz was very exciting; there were some very challenging general knowledge questions.
For example, do you know which country in the South Pacific is made up of over 2,000 islands? We did... Micronesia! It was a nail-biting finale with only 30 seconds to answer each question on our digital interactive answer pads. We were delighted to win and our team is now through to the semi-finals of the Championship! Reporter: Harry Ellis
ENGLISH
World Book Day inspired a range of colourful costumes across the School. The book The Day the Crayons Quit provided our theme this year and was performed in assembly by a colourful crayon pack of staff. Lessons also centred around the book, with Year 6 pupils arriving at their English lesson to find that their chairs had gone on strike in protest at how badly they felt the boys had treated them! Luckily, the boys’ persuasive tongue-in-cheek writing lured their chairs back. There were plenty of other literary characters in School including Secret Agent Alex Ryder, Harry Potter and Gangsta Granny. At Pre-Prep, Year 2 read some of their favourite books to Kindergarten pupils, while at both sites the Travelling Book Fair arrived, encouraging everyone to pick a new title.
A Beginner’s Guide to the Periodic Table by Gill Arbuthnott
Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Ghosts by Kate and Kevin Tsang
“Absolutely Brilliant!” – Year 4 pupil. Each of the elements is linked to either a story, zany science analogy or fascinating fact, making it a great introduction to the Periodic Table.
“This was SO funny, my mum and I laughed for ages! I really want to read another Sam Wu book!” - Year 3 pupil. Sam begins a madcap mission to prove to the school bully, and all of his friends, that he is a fearless space adventurer.
Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones Shortlisted for The Branford Boase Award, this is a fiendishly pacy mystery story for 9+ readers. Set in the smoggy underworld of Victorian London and dripping with atmosphere, Wild Boy will appeal to fans of Sherlock Holmes, gothic horror and all things murderous and mysterious.
The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic by Cressida Cowell In the last edition of ROAR! we reviewed the first book in this series and we now have the sequel in the library. Wish and Xar must work together once more to save the Wildwoods from the curse of the Witches. A brilliant fantasy adventure and an absolute delight.
Reading Café Taking new books for a test ride. Throughout the term, Year 3 and Year 4 pupils have had the opportunity to sample a new range of books while enjoying a cookie and a juice in the James Hall ‘Café’. Executive Chef, Head of English Mrs Julie Campbell, who dreamt up the concoction of books, said: “The Reading Café is an exciting way for the boys to enjoy small morsels of books which expose them to texts and genres that they might not otherwise come across.”
Our aspiring playwrights marked Shakespeare Week by delving into the dramatic world of Macbeth. Year 6 pupils enjoyed writing soliloquies, creating vibrant collages and designing newspapers trumpeting the murder of King Duncan. Year 3 to Year 5 explored the character and themes of the Scottish play, while also making creative use of Shakespearean language.
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” Robert Frost The House Poetry competition is an opportunity for pupils to develop articulation, body language and the art of captivating an audience when reciting poetry. The qualifying round involved all Prep pupils performing their chosen poem, with the best progressing to the House Poetry Grand Final. Hampton School’s Head of Drama Mrs Jo James and Head of First Year Mr Tom Hill were on hand to make the difficult judging decisions. The poetry was diverse and entertaining, with topics ranging from knees to chocolate cake. Strong performances from all involved impressed pupils, staff and parents. Head Boy Ben Rowe, representing Windsor House, was the overall winner. Tudor House’s Rocco Freedman was a well-deserved runner-up.
SPORT
House Cross Country Year 1 and Year 2 pupils joined the Prep for the annual House Cross Country competition in Carlisle Park on a sunny February afternoon. All the runners worked hard for their Houses, as well as showing support for each other, with four Year 5 boys demonstrating excellent leadership in running with the Pre-Prep pupils. Everybody earned points for their Houses, with only four points between first and third place. Windsor House were the overall winners, with Lancaster House close runners-up.
Epsom College Prep Schools’ Cross Country Race In this exceptionally high standard event, Year 5 pupil Marcus Solomon ran out as victor of the U10 and U11 race, in a field of nearly 200 pupils from across the area. Congratulations also go to Year 6 pupil Thomas Deedman who finished in the top 20. Well done to both boys.
House Rugby
Rugby Festivals
The friendly rivalry between peers brought about a fantastic mix of superb sportsmanship and hard-hitting tackles at this year’s House Rugby competition. With the championships in full flow, and with all to play for going into the Summer Term, York House came out on top in this round, with Lancaster House coming in a close second.
Rugby A teams from Year 3 to Year 6 all played well in the Surrey Junior Rugby Festivals with the U11 boys winning all but one of their games. The U11A team also played in the Rosslyn Park Sevens tournament coming second in their group after winning three games, drawing one and losing one. Head of Sport, Mr Nick Darmon, congratulated all those involved for their sportsmanship and hard work.
Boys at the Prep were awestruck when the Rugby World Cup was brought into assembly this term by Hampton Prep dad Mr Tom Hill, Chief Commercial Officer at World Rugby. Mr Hill spoke to the boys about the history of the Webb Ellis trophy, which was named after schoolboy William Webb Ellis, who according to legend, invented rugby by picking up the ball during a game of football.
Mr Hill also gave the pupils lots of interesting facts about this year’s Rugby World Cup which is being hosted by Japan. The trophy will now be taken on a world tour before arriving in Japan, for the start of the tournament in September.
MUSIC & DRAMA
VOICE IN A MILLION CONCERT
Members of the choir joined 5,000 schoolchildren from across the UK for the tenth Voice in a Million concert. The organisation raises awareness of children in care and the importance of adoption and fostering, both in the UK and worldwide. The children’s choir sang and danced to a programme including Believer by Imagine Dragons, Diamonds by Rihanna and Stronger by Kelly Clarkson. The choir topped the evening off with a finale of This is Me from The Greatest Showman.
Strings Day at Epsom College Five of our most experienced Strings players enjoyed a trip to Epsom College to join an orchestra of 150 other musicians. We learnt five new pieces from across the musical genres in just one day! We played Spring by Vivaldi, William Tell Overture by Rossini, Finlandia by Sibelius, Carmen by Bizet, and New York, New York by Kander and Ebb. During a break, we were treated to some captivating music by Grade 8 String players from Epsom College. After tea, our parents flooded into the auditorium to hear our concert. It was an amazing afternoon and a unique experience for everyone involved. Reporter: Leil D’Souza
Macbeth A cast of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils delighted an audience of family and friends with their production of the Shakespearean tragedy. Macbeth (Ben Rowe) and his ambitious wife (Luigi De Lellis Brockwell) come up with a devious plot to murder King Duncan (Harry Swain) in order for Macbeth to take the crown. However, they pay a high price for their wrongdoing and are eventually driven mad by guilt. From the devious and cackling witches who lead Macbeth into a world of treachery, death and revenge, to the angry and revenge-seeking princes, the play was captivating from start to finish. The audience was entertained by the funny assassins who helped Macbeth carry out his dirty work, as well as the wonderful musical numbers performed by all of the cast. It was a great production that reflected the talents and hard work of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils – and of course their teachers. Everyone was gripped until the grisly end! Reporter: Charlie Childs
Goodbye Mrs Tidy Mrs Lisa Tidy is moving on after 13 years of loyal and dedicated service at the Pre-Prep as a Teaching Assistant in Kindergarten. Her role has been pivotal in helping many children to settle in at Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep.
She has also been a familiar face at both Early Drop and Late Stay for many years, welcoming children at the beginning of their School day and taking care of them until home time. Mrs Tidy and her husband are relocating to Dorset and we wish them both every happiness.
Blast from the Past
Simon Amor, Great Britain and England Sevens Head Coach, was a pupil at both Hampton Prep and Hampton School. He spoke to us about his amazing career: How did you get into rugby? I was first introduced to rugby at the age of 8 or 9 at the Prep, which was then called Denmead. A great teacher exposes you to the love and opportunities of the game, and I was very lucky to have teachers like that. There was no professional rugby pathway at that time, so it never crossed my mind to become a professional rugby player. I just loved the game. What are your best memories of your time at the Prep School? I was fortunate to go to both Hampton Prep and Hampton School. They provided brilliant environments for learning. Wednesday afternoon fixtures were always exciting I remember we played some at Staines Rugby Club. I also loved performing in School plays. I recall that in Oliver! I was one of the orphans. What words of wisdom would you pass on to your 11-year-old self? Effort is key – giving your all and giving your best allows you to fully achieve what you are capable of. What does leadership mean to you? Guiding and supporting others to be the best they can be. Helping them to fulfil their potential both on and off the pitch.
Are there any other sports you enjoy playing? Name any! Football, cricket, athletics, rugby league, gymnastics – I would encourage young people to explore as many sports as possible. Team sports teach you to work with other people, and understand their strengths and weaknesses – camaraderie is key. What do you believe the future of rugby looks like? Player welfare is important to a healthy rugby future. It is also exciting to see that rugby is growing in new countries, as well as seeing developments in the women’s game. In your opinion is it true that practice makes perfect? No, practice makes permanence. It is important how you practice, for example, if you practice good technique you’ll perform good technique in matches. What would be your team talk to a Hampton Prep team? Give your all whether you make mistakes or not. Putting others and the team before yourself will in turn better your performance and your chance of winning. However, winning is secondary to the development of the individual.
What is the best thing about your job? I am lucky enough to be able to wake up every morning excited about the day ahead. Travelling the world broadens your perspectives and seeing different cultures is a wonderful opportunity. Being jet lagged quite a lot of the time is not much fun though!
Magazine Editor: Theo Andrae
“Winning is secondary to the development of the individual” Gloucester Road, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2UQ Tel: 020 8979 1844 Email: admissions@hamptonprep.org.uk Twitter: @Hampton_Prep www.hamptonprep.org.uk