JOINERS’ FAQS 2020
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS In week 5 of our Joiners’ Programme we asked if you had any questions that you would like answered before you join us in September. We have tried to answer these in this booklet but if there is anything else that you would like to ask, please let the Admissions team know and they will be happy to help you.
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GENERAL QUESTIONS Will School be open in September? We hope so! Everything remains subject to Government and Public Health England guidance, but with lockdown restrictions easing it is looking increasingly likely and we are ready and looking forward to welcoming all Hamptonians back to the School site in September.
How many boys are joining the Third Year in September and how big will the classes be? We are looking forward to welcoming 55 new boys to our Third Year in September and there will be a total of nine Forms with 22 or 23 boys in each Form. You will be put in sets for Maths and your first choice Modern Language. Class sizes get smaller as you progress through the School. A typical German GCSE class may have 10 boys and in the Sixth Form, there are generally 12 boys in the class for Science subjects, ten for languages and five for Latin just to give you some examples.
Will the School coaches be running and will there be social distancing? We hope to be operating our normal coach service in September and will keep your parents posted over the summer. Any precautionary measures in place on public transport at the time (such as wearing face masks), will most likely also apply on our School coaches.
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There may also still be some social distancing in School but it will depend on Government guidelines and we will let you know before you join us in September what these will be. Our Fourth Year and Lower Sixth boys are currently back in School in groups (bubbles) and we have a new one-way system operating in our corridors, hand sanitizer at every entry and exit point, staggered lunch breaks and plenty of notices reminding boys to socially distance! Even with these new rules, the boys are thoroughly enjoying being back in School with their friends and teachers.
Hampton is such a big school; how many rooms are there? We're not sure that anyone has counted the exact number but we can tell you that there are more than 100 classrooms. Hampton will feel very big when you first join but you will soon find your way around. We equip all our new boys with maps of the School when they first join to help you navigate the corridors and there are always older boys or staff around to point you in the right direction if you get lost.
Is there something different about Hampton compared to other schools? Hamptonians aim for their personal best while supporting those around them with kindness. This is the Hampton way... and this is what is distinctive and different about our School. As the Headmaster will tell you in September, we believe that if you subscribe to this ethos you will have an amazing and successful time during your five years with us and a lot of fun along the way!
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JOINING HAMPTON & SETTLING IN Will the summer picnic take place and, if not, is there an alternative? We are very disappointed that we will not be able to hold the Summer Picnic as planned this year due to Government social distancing regulations. However, with lockdown restrictions easing we are hoping that we may be able to hold a similar event later in the summer and the HSPA are actively investigating ways of bringing families together before September. We will keep you posted!
Will the Third Year teambuilding day still go ahead and will there be residential trips next year? Our Teambuilding Day is great fun and we are confident that it will still go ahead albeit with perhaps some different activities to those initially planned. We are keeping in regular contact with the company that organises the day to ensure that all necessary health and safety measures and social distancing restrictions are met. Hampton also offers a wonderful programme of trips for boys in all year groups so whatever the next few months bring, you can rest assured you will have some once-in-a lifetime experiences during your time as a Hamptonian. Understandably, planning for trips which are due to take place next term is particularly challenging at the moment and we may not know if we are able to run them until we are back in September but we will keep your parents informed.
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What happens when boys break a School rule and is this different in the first few weeks? Staff are very understanding that for all of you, you are entering a new environment, and you might occasionally get things wrong (being late for a lesson for instance, because you couldn’t find your way there, or not having exactly the right equipment or book for a lesson). For the first couple of weeks, reminders and warnings would be expected instead of sanctions for these minor misdemeanours – although we should add that bad behaviour will be treated in the way you would expect us to. Rest assured, that in the first couple of days your Tutor will go over the School rules with you, so that you understand what is expected of you. Our staff are all very kind and although it might be a while ago(!), they were all new at secondary school once too – so will be very understanding!
Will I in be in the same Form Group as my friend? We try to put boys who would like to be with each other in the same Form but allocating boys to Forms is a very tricky process so it is not always possible. If you are not in the same Form as your friend please don’t worry, you will be able to see each other at break and lunchtime and will soon make plenty of new friends too.
Will I have a Mentor who is an older boy when I join in September? You certainly will! All Third Year Forms will have two mentors assigned to them. Mentors are pupils in the Upper Sixth and they all had to apply for the role and go through a selection process. Many of them made the decision to do this based on their own, personal experiences of how helpful their Mentors were when they were in the Lower School themselves! The Mentors provide invaluable support, especially in the early weeks of the year. You will see them at both morning and afternoon registration and in some Form Tutor periods. Your Mentors will also join you on Teambuilding Day which provides a fantastic opportunity for you to get to know them.
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CO-CURRICULAR LIFE What co-curricular activities are there and will they still take place in September? There are so many co-curricular clubs and societies at Hampton that the biggest problem is trying to decide which ones to try first! The clubs take place during the hour and 20-minute lunch break and are a great way to make new friends. Whether you love sport, music, drama, art, debating, robotics, chess, writing, science or something entirely different with over 50 clubs on offer there is definitely something for everyone. We always encourage boys to try something new as well as go to clubs they know they will enjoy – you never know you may discover hidden talents that you never knew you had and a new life time passion! Our staff are keen to restart our busy, action-packed programme as soon as possible from September and your Form Tutor will keep you posted on which clubs will be running and when.
What musical instruments can you learn at Hampton? Music is really popular at Hampton! Around 40% of Hamptonians take individual lessons on a whole host of instruments; Piano, Jazz piano, Organ, Singing (all genres), Drums, Percussion, Guitar (acoustic, electric and bass), Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone (all types), Flute, Bassoon, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Tuba and other brass instruments such as the euphonium. In fact, we try and accommodate all instruments so please do send Mr Roland an email if you would like to learn an instrument that is not included in our list!
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How much sport can I do in a week and will it still take place? All Hamptonians have one PE session and a Games afternoon each week. In the Autumn and Spring terms you can choose to play Football or Rugby or Row during Games and in the Summer term you will either continue to row (as this is a year round sport) or you can choose between Athletics, Cricket and Tennis.
Will there still be competitive sport in September? As with lots of things at the moment, we are required to follow official Government guidance and for sport, we must also follow the guidance issued by the relevant national governing bodies. Although we’re not sure which sports boys will be able to play in September, or in what format, there will definitely be some form of physical activity. Hamptonians who are currently in School are playing Cricket and Tennis and some training in Rugby and Football is currently allowed. Our Boat Club is also reopening shortly. If we are not able to play inter-school fixtures we may run inter-Form competitions. We will be in touch with you before you join us in September to let you know more, although as with everything else at the moment, we all need to be prepared for last minute changes.
Is there after School training for Sports teams? Almost all sports training sessions take place during the lunch break. Sometimes, if you are in an A or B team, there may be a small amount of training after School but this tends to be for boys in the older year groups.
How many Football & Rugby teams are there in Third Year? There are usually two or three Third Year Rugby teams with A and B teams playing regular competitive fixtures most Saturdays and the C team playing fixtures on a more ad hoc basis. The number of Football teams varies each year but there are usually four or five. The A, B and C teams play fixtures most Saturdays with occasional fixtures during the week and the D team will play fixtures (on average) every other Saturday. Fixtures for the E team are more ad hoc, usually one Saturday per term and one Thursday per term. There is also a ‘social league’ for those boys not in the A – E teams and matches are played during their Games afternoon on a Thursday.
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Hampton School, Hanworth Road, Hampton TW12 3HD Tel: 020 8979 5526 Email: admissions@hamptonschool.org.uk Twitter: @HamptonSchool
www.hamptonschool.org.uk