HAMPTON HANDBOOK 2020
CONTENTS Arrangements for the start of the autumn term................................04 Induction Events.....................................................................................06 The Hampton School Day.....................................................................08 Communication..................................................................................... .10 Meetings................................................................................................. .13 Wellbeing................................................................................................ .14 Financial Information............................................................................ .15 Biometrics.............................................................................................. .15 Digital Learning..................................................................................... .15 Sport........................................................................................................ .16 Music....................................................................................................... .16 School Uniform.......................................................................................17 Key Dates.................................................................................................21 Parents’ Associations............................................................................22 FAQS.........................................................................................................24
WELCOME TO HAMPTON We are delighted that your son is joining our joyful, vibrant and remarkably talented School community. Everyone is encouraged to follow their own path at Hampton, within a nurturing and inspiring environment. Standards are extremely high and result from Hamptonians’ enthusiastic, well-balanced involvement in the huge range of academic and co-curricular opportunities on offer. But most importantly of all, we expect our boys to be personally ambitious while supporting those around them with kindness. This is the Hampton way and it is distinctive. Our boys’ characteristic togetherness and generosity of spirit, allied with their grounded nature and sense of fun, all contribute to an aspirational culture in which everyone can flourish and thrive. The maxim ‘once a Hamptonian, always a Hamptonian’ is especially important here and our boys have lifelong membership of a very special club indeed. What an exciting future they have ahead of them at Hampton and beyond!
Kevin Knibbs MA (Oxon) Headmaster
WE L C OM E I 01
FOREWORD Naturally, we very much hope that our School site will be open to pupils, parents and staff when your son joins us in September, albeit with the possibility that some Government-required societal restrictions might continue to apply in educational settings. From the outset of the Covid-19 public health threat, the School has adhered to Government and Public Health England guidance, while also reviewing information and advice from the relevant professional educational bodies. This considered approach has served us well and we shall continue to take suitably risk-assessed decisions in a calm, measured and proportionate way, based on the official guidance as we move forward. As always, the health, safety and welfare of all members of
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the Hampton community remain paramount in our planning and decision-making. At time of writing, there remain some unanswered questions around when and how schools will re-open and we shall continue to communicate with you throughout the summer as the situation for September becomes clearer. We shall, of course, ensure that you are kept fully informed about any necessary changes to our induction arrangements and learning/teaching programme.
GUIDED HOME LEARNING If the School site cannot fully re-open in September, we shall continue to offer our extensive programme of guided home learning and pastoral support that has proved so successful since March. Our e-Hampton programme strikes a healthy balance between engaging academic study, pastoral care and co-curricular activities ensuring that Hamptonians not only make impressive academic progress, but also have time to nourish themselves physically, mentally and spiritually. Academic provision at e-Hampton is delivered via a combination of independent learning tasks and ‘live’ contact time with teacher and classmates using video conferencing software. This hybrid approach provides flexibility around completion of tasks for teachers and boys, while at the same time incorporating elements of classroom interaction which are the keystone of the learning and teaching that happens at Hampton every day. The use of MS Teams in conjunction with our Pupil Portal (Firefly) ensures a continued programme of challenging and innovative learning with a high degree of personalised support. Our boys’ digital dialogue and rapport with our dedicated, subject specialist teachers, enables them all to flourish. Boys and staff alike have embraced new ways of learning and teaching in typically positive, good humoured fashion and we are delighted with how successful our guided home learning has been. Pupils in all Year Groups have
continued to make academic and all-round progress appropriate to their stage of School life and everyone, including parents - who are playing a vital role juggling work, family and school supervision - has risen to the challenge with remarkable commitment and enthusiasm. The success of e-Hampton has highlighted the very special togetherness of the Hampton community and the strength of our ethos. As the Headmaster always emphasises to new boys when they join, we want them to aim for personal best while supporting those around them with kindness and this culture of mutual support has been evident in abundance during this extraordinary era for our School and wider society. Families joining Hampton can rest assured that our fundamental aim, during any period of Government-required site closure due to the pandemic, is to provide excellent home learning and pastoral care for all Hamptonians.
GUI DE D H OM E L E A RN I N G I 03
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE START OF THE AUTUMN TERM Parents and boys will be notified in advance of any required changes to the arrangements for the start of term as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
New boys start School on Wednesday 2 September (please note there will be no School coaches on this day).
NEW BOYS’ DAY (FIRST & THIRD YEAR) All new boys come into School for an induction morning on Wednesday 2 September. The morning is specially designed to help boys settle in and get to know each other before the rest of the School returns the following day. The boys will spend the morning with their Form Tutors and their Sixth Form Mentors before having lunch in the Dining Hall and attending an introduction to Sport at Hampton session in the afternoon if they wish. There are two Sixth Form Mentors attached to each Form. These are Upper Sixth boys who have been specially selected to work with the First Year and Third Year Forms. Their role is to offer help, support and advice and to act as a link between the boys and their Form Tutor.
FIRST YEAR BOYS Boys joining the First Year should arrive at Reception in School uniform between 8.30am and 9.00am. Please refer to the
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table opposite for information about what your son should bring with him. Your son may be collected after lunch at 1.00pm. If your son would like to stay for the introduction to Sport at Hampton session in the afternoon, this will finish at 3.00pm and you should arrange for your son to be collected at that time. Please remember that there will be no School coaches on this day.
THIRD YEAR BOYS Boys joining the Third Year should arrive at Reception in School uniform at 8.30am. Information regarding what they should bring with them is provided in the table opposite. Your son may be collected after lunch at 1.00pm. If your son would like to stay for the introduction to Sport at Hampton session in the afternoon, this will finish at 3.00pm and you should arrange for your son to be collected at that time. Please remember that there are no School coaches on this day.
Year Group
Arrival Time
What to Wear
What to Bring
Sports kit requirement for the introduction to Sport at Hampton session
First Year
8.30am 9.00am
School Uniform
School bag and pencil case with usual pens pencils & ruler
Hampton School PE kit
Third Year
8:30am
School Uniform
School bag and pencil case with usual pens, pencils & ruler.
Hampton School PE kit
*for information on footwear please refer to the 3G permitted footwear list on page 20.
A RRA N GE M E N TS I 05
“I FELT NERVOUS BEFORE GOING ON THE ACTIVITY TRIP, BECAUSE IT WAS MY FIRST TRIP WITH HAMPTON AND A RESIDENTIAL BUT I’M SO PLEASED I WENT – IT WAS SUPER-FUN AND REALLY MADE ME FEEL PART OF THE SCHOOL.” - FIRST YEAR PUPIL
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F OR WA RD I 08
INDUCTION EVENTS Parents and boys will be notified in advance of any changes to induction events as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
FIRST YEAR ACTIVITY TRIP During the first few weeks of term, all new First Year boys go to Avon Tyrrell Activity Centre in the New Forest for an overnight stay. During their time away, the boys will tackle a variety of problem-solving tasks including high and low ropes courses, orienteering, raft-building and sensory trails. The sole purpose of the trip is for the boys to make new friends and have fun. The trip also provides the boys with an excellent opportunity to get to know their Sixth Form Mentors and Form Tutor.
THIRD YEAR TEAM BUILDING DAY In the second week of term, a day is set aside for all Third Year boys to participate in a Team Building Day run by an outside organisation. The boys tackle a variety of problem-solving tasks with healthy competition between Forms. Most importantly, the emphasis is on working together, having fun and getting to know each other. Great care is taken to integrate
those who join the Third Year at 13+ with the boys already in the School. Forms are reconfigured to ensure that each contains a mix of newcomers and existing boys; our activity day helps to build new friendships.
CO-CURRICULAR FAIR A Co-curricular Fair is held at the beginning of the autumn term to provide boys with the opportunity to find out more about the wide and varied range of activities on offer and to short list those they would like to try. We are extremely proud of the energy and variety of clubs and societies at Hampton which are essential elements of the balanced, all-round education which Hamptonians enjoy. Our co-curricular programme provides a great way to meet like-minded boys and the activities are integral to the School day; all boys are actively encouraged to get involved. Boys will be given a full list of all the activities on offer at the Fair and information will also available on the School website and the School Portal (Firefly).
I N DUC TI ON E V E N TS I 07
THE HAMPTON SCHOOL DAY The School is open from 7.30am and boys may use the classrooms, Library (from 8.15am) and music rooms, or have breakfast in the Dining Hall (from 8.00am).
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TIMETABLE 8.45am
Registration
8.55am
Period 1
9.35am
Period 2
10.15am
Period 3 (School/(School / Form Assembly on Mondays and/or Thursdays)
10.55am
Break
11.15am
Period 4
11.55am
Period 5
12.35pm - 1.50pm
Lunch*
1.50pm
Registration
2.00pm
Period 6
2.40pm
Period 7
3.20pm
Period 8
4.00pm
School ends
TIMINGS
LUNCH
Morning registration is at 8.45am and the first lesson begins at 8.55am. There are five lessons each morning, with a 20-minute break after the first three. The extended lunch break allows plenty of time for our cocurricular programme to be accommodated during the School day. This programme provides a great way to make new friends and boys joining the School are encouraged to try a minimum of three activities a week.
As an all-boys school, we do not underestimate the importance of lunch! Lunch is freshly prepared daily by our Catering team and boys have a choice from a variety of hot, cold and vegetarian dishes and filled baguettes. The School is committed to maintaining a healthy eating policy and all meals are fresh and nutritionally balanced. If your son has any special dietary requirements please let us know when completing the medical and allergy forms.
Boys meet their Form Tutor again at afternoon registration and there are a further three lessons in the afternoon. The School day ends at 4.00pm and the School coaches leave promptly at 4.15pm, which allows plenty of time for boys to organise themselves and walk to LEH if their coach departs from there. The Library is open until 5.30pm for supervised private study and Sixth Form pupils may also continue to work in the Sixth Form Study Centre until 5.30pm.
TH E S C H OOL DAY I 09
COMMUNICATION We value our communication with parents highly and encourage you to keep in touch with us throughout your son’s time at Hampton. Email is the main form of communication and you will receive emails which are relevant to you throughout the year. If you have any concerns about your son please let us know by emailing your son’s Form Tutor who should be your first point of contact or by telephone on 020 8979 5526. You will receive your son’s Form Tutor’s contact details when your son is allocated a Form. Contact details for the Heads of Year are provided below:
JOINT HEADS OF FIRST YEAR
Mrs J Peattie J.Peattie@hamptonschool.org.uk Mr T Hill T.Hill@hamptonschool.org.uk JOINT HEADS OF THIRD YEAR
OTHER USEFUL CONTACT NUMBERS
Mr T Rigby T.Rigby@hamptonschool.org.uk
School Reception 020 8979 5526
Miss V Smith V.Smith@hamptonschool.org.uk
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Admissions 020 8979 9273 Bursary 020 8979 0476 Music department 020 8783 4200
SOURCES OF INFORMATION Hampton is a very busy school and there are many ways to keep up to date with School life. WEBSITE The School website www.hamptonschool. org.uk is updated daily and is the principal source of news and information about the School (including School trips, sports fixtures and co-curricular information). TWITTER Our very active Twitter feeds report on the news, as it happens, on all aspects of School life and is a great way to keep up-todate. We would encourage you to follow the main feed @HamptonSchool along with a range of departmental accounts. INSTAGRAM The School Instagram account @HamptonSchoolUK is geared towards the boys in particular and is a popular source of updates and School information. SCHOOL CALENDAR The online School Calendar is available on the School website (under ‘What’s on’). Details about Music events may be found on the School website (under Academic, Music, What’s on). Dates are also sent home each term. YEAR GROUP BLOGS Year Group Blogs for the First, Second and Third Year are published weekly on the School website: www.hamptonschool.org. uk/whats-on/blogs/ PARENT PORTAL
on the Parent Portal. This includes your son’s timetable, attendance record, School reports and grade cards as well as copies of letters and emails to parents and other key information such as parents’ evening details, lunch menus and School trips. Further information and login details will be sent to you at the beginning of the autumn term. SCHOOL INTRANET (FIREFLY) On the first day of term, your son will be given details on how to access the School Intranet (Firefly). This will enable him to view the School’s learning and teaching resources. Some homework is also set via Firefly and your son will receive further information about this in September. NEWS FROM HAMPTON Our termly newsletter, News from Hampton, provides a round-up of some of the top stories of the term. A hard copy will be sent home with your son and electronic copies are available on the School website along with a range of other School magazines and publications. COME AND SEE US! We are very keen for parents to be involved in School life and encourage you to attend the many concerts, drama productions and other events that form part of our annual School programme. Please also come and support our sports teams at School matches and our rowers on the river; we would be delighted to welcome you.
Quick and easy access to specific information relating to your son’s Year Group is available
C OM M UN I C ATI ON I 11
TEACHERS DISPLAY EXPERT SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE WHICH THEY USE TO INSPIRE AND GUIDE PUPILS. - INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE
1 2 I P U P IL , TE ACHE R AND PA REN T M EETIN GS
PARENT-TEACHER AND PASTORAL MEETINGS FIRST YEAR A Pastoral Forum is held for parents in October and provides an opportunity to meet your son’s Form Tutor (a five-minute appointment) to discuss how he is settling in. The evening also includes a presentation from the Heads of Year on life in the First Year and is an excellent opportunity to meet other parents. A Parents’ Evening is held in March providing you with an opportunity to discuss your son’s academic progress with his subject teachers.
THIRD YEAR All boys joining the Third Year will meet individually with their Form Tutors during the first half-term to check how they are settling in and to discuss any concerns or questions they may have.
Parents new to Hampton are also invited to attend one of two informal coffee mornings, which are a relaxed way to meet other new parents together with some of the Third Year pastoral team. The coffee mornings also offer an invaluable opportunity for parents to ask any further questions they may have about life at our School. A Pastoral Forum is held in September providing parents with the opportunity to meet their son’s Form Tutors, Heads of Year and other key staff to discuss how he is settling in. The evening also provides parents with an opportunity to socialise with other Third Year parents. A Parents’ Evening is held in February with subject teachers to discuss your son’s academic progress.
Third Year lunches are also held during the second half-term providing small groups of Third Year boys with the opportunity to discuss their experience of joining Hampton candidly and openly with the Assistant Head, Heads of Year and Assistant Heads of Year. These lunches also provide boys with the opportunity to suggest any improvements they feel could be made to our induction programme.
PUPIL, TE A C H E R A N D PA RE N T M E E TI N GS I 13
WELLBEING We attach the highest importance to pastoral care and we understand that boys thrive when they feel safe, understood and appreciated as individuals. The transition from the primary and prep sector to senior school is always a big step and can be a challenge or source of anxiety for some boys. We appreciate that, this year, there may be additional concerns as many boys will not have been in school since the end of March and those joining us are likely to have experienced variations in their learning and teaching during the summer term. To ensure that we are able to fully support all the boys as they begin their careers as Hamptonians, we have taken the decision to have two Heads of Year in the First Year. This is a model that has worked very well in the Third Year for a number of years, providing an increased pastoral capacity and strengthening our ability to support our pupils both pastorally and in their academic and co-curricular lives at the School. We are confident that adopting a similar model in the First Year will enable us deliver an enhanced transition experience for our younger boys. Our onsite School Nurses and Counsellors will also be pleased to help parents and boys with any specific worries or anxieties. We hope that boys will feel able to approach Mentors, their Form Tutors, Heads of Year and their subject teachers if there is a problem they would like to discuss. However, if they would rather speak to someone in a more ‘neutral’ capacity, we would encourage them to speak with one of our dedicated School Counsellors. Boys can book appointments with the School Counsellors with or
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without their Form Tutor’s and/or parents’ knowledge. This could be for a one-off appointment or for an extended series of sessions, to discuss any matter, no matter how trivial it might seem. Further information about our pastoral system including full details of pastoral contacts, Learning Support, the School Nurses and Counselling Services can be found in the Pastoral Handbook which is given to all new boys at the beginning of term together with a copy of The Hampton School Survival Guide, written in part by recent new boys. A copy of the Pastoral Handbook is available on the School website (under Pastoral Care, Pastoral Ethos). If you have any concerns at all about your son, please do not hesitate to contact his Form Tutors in the first instance.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION regarding payment of fees, or any other financial matter, please contact the Bursary on 020 8979 0476 or email bursary@hamptonschool.org.uk
DIGITAL LEARNING Hampton is renowned as a forward-thinking school and embraces the opportunities that technological innovations present alongside traditional teaching methods.
SITE SECURITY The School uses an automated biometric recognition system to allow pupils access to the School site and to the Dining Hall for lunch. Under UK Data Protection Law we are required to ask your son for his consent to take and use information from his finger (a biometric scan) to enable us to use the recognition system. The scan is converted into a binary mathematical representation which is held securely on the School’s servers on site and is not used for any other purpose. A consent form to allow us to take a scan of your son’s finger on New Boys’ Day is included with the Joiners’ Forms on the Admissions Portal. Please email data@hamptonschool.org.uk if you have any concerns or require further information.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Details regarding payment of School fees and other financial information may be found in Bursarial Matters on the Admissions Portal. Should you have any queries
All boys joining the School are provided with an iPad as part of their standard school equipment ensuring that they have access to the same resources whether at School or at home. Use of this technology provides extended learning opportunities both within and outside the classroom, greater collaboration and interaction between pupils and teachers and a structured approach to independent learning and research. Hamptonians have made excellent use of their iPads in our very successful Guided Home Learning programme during the current Government-required School site closure. Your son’s iPad will be similarly helpful to him should the continued national response to the Covid-19 pandemic make a site closure period necessary during his First Year at Hampton. The School takes e-Safety very seriously and works hard to help boys be happy, healthy and safe online. Online safety and digital wellbeing are included within the PSHE curriculum and we work with several different e-Safety providers, including Digital Awareness UK, to ensure that lessons are up-to-date, accurate and relevant. e-Safety sessions are also run for parents.
A DDI TI ON A L I N F ORM ATI ON I 15
SPORT One of the great strengths of Hampton’s sporting programme is that boys are free to make their own choice and are not obliged to play a particular sport. In addition to weekly PE lessons, in the autumn and spring terms, boys may choose to play Football or Rugby and in the summer term they may choose between Athletics, Cricket and Tennis. Boys are free to change their choice of sport during the year, although we strongly encourage them to give their first-choice sport at least a half-term before opting to switch. Rowing is a year-round sport and is an option for boys from the summer term in the Second Year onwards. Numerous other sports – Badminton, Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Rock-climbing, Table Tennis, Volleyball – run lunchtime clubs. The School excels at sport and competes at the highest level in national competitions. Our main focus is, however, on participation and multiple teams are fielded in all Year Groups to ensure that all Hamptonians have the opportunity to represent the School in competition.
MUSIC LESSONS Hampton has a long-standing tradition of musical excellence and many boys learn instruments and play in the School’s orchestras, bands and chamber ensembles, or sing in one of the choirs. Further information about music at Hampton is provided on the Admissions Portal. Please complete the music lesson application form if you would like your son to have individual instrumental or vocal music tuition. Individual lessons are available on the full range of instruments from a team of firstclass professional musicians.
“SENIOR PUPILS CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH MATURITY AND ARE EXCELLENT ROLE MODELS FOR YOUNGER PUPILS, OFTEN ACTING AS ACADEMIC AND PASTORAL MENTORS.” - INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE
1 6 I A D DI T I O NAL I NF O R MAT I ON
SCHOOL UNIFORM The School sets a high value on personal appearance and we expect our boys to be smart and to observe the School Dress Code at all times between setting off from home in the morning and returning there in the evening. Full details regarding the School Dress Code are contained in the Pastoral Handbook which boys will receive at the beginning of term. A copy of the handbook is also available on the School website (under Pastoral Care, Pastoral Ethos).
FIRST TO FIFTH YEARS The uniform is a black blazer with integral School badge, charcoal grey formal trousers, plain white shirt and School tie. Pullovers, if worn, must be V-neck and black. Shoes must be non-branded, plain black leather (not suede, boots or trainers) with black or dark grey socks. Hair should be no shorter than a Grade 3, not dyed and not an extreme style.
THE SCHOOL SHOP The School tie and blazer are obtainable only from the School Shop, as is the official School Sports kit. The School Shop is situated within the School grounds and is open most weekdays during the School Summer holiday (6 July to 14 August) for uniform fittings, by appointment only. If you are unable to visit during these dates please contact the School Shop as soon as possible.
Your son should attend the uniform fitting and, in line with current Government guidelines on social-distancing, should be accompanied by one adult only. Appointments may be booked online and a link to the online booking system will be emailed to you. Alternatively, please telephone or email the School Shop using the contact details below: School Shop Office: 020 8687 6842 Email: spsschoolshops@yahoo.com. If you wish to book an appointment by email please include the following information: • ‘Hampton Appointments’ in the email subject line • Your two preferred dates, stating morning or afternoon • A contact telephone number • Your son’s name and whether he will be joining the First or Third Year • Any other specific requirements If you have any questions or if you wish to speak to a School Shop representative please telephone the School Shop Office on 020 8687 6842 or email spsschoolshops@yahoo.com.
S C H OOL UN I F ORM I 17
FULL UNIFORM LIST First to Fifth Year
• School blazer with badge
• School tie • Dark grey trousers
• Dark grey or black socks • Plain black shoes • White long-sleeved shirt
Optional items
• Black long-sleeved V-neck pullover
White short-sleeved shirt (summer only) Navy or black jacket, raincoat or anorak Navy or black scarf and gloves Black and gold striped School scarf Black and gold drawstring gym/boot bag • Black and gold drawstring gym/boot bag
Also available
Backpacks and sports holdalls Mouthguards, shin guards and water bottles Thermal base layers, tops and shorts Rugby studs and keys, body armour and headgear
All items of clothing should be clearly marked with your son’s name. Order forms for personalised nametapes and labels are available from the School Shop.
08 1 2 0I ISU CN HIF O OL ORM UNI L IFST ORM
PE & Sports Kit List First to Fifth Year
HAMPTON
• White/gold PE shirt
• White School PE shorts
• School tracksuit (front)
• School tracksuit (back)
• White sports socks
• White non-marking indoor trainers
• School tracksuit (bottoms)
Football and Rugby
• Black School sports shorts (Football) • Reversible School sports jersey
• School sports socks
• Studded boots (please note “bladed” boots are not permitted) • Football - shin guards are compulsory • Rugby - mouthguards are compulsory
Optional sports kit
• Black School sports shorts (Rugby)
Cricket whites (trousers, shirt, pullover/slipover) for those in squad Black/gold PE shirt for Badminton, Black/gold PE shirt for Table Tennis Black/gold PE shirt for Volleyball
S P OR TS K I T I 19
Other Sports Rowing
Boys choosing Rowing as their Sports option will require a School tracksuit and ‘rowing bundle’ (further details will be given to rowers by the Director of Rowing). Rowing is an option from the summer term of the Second Year onwards.
Cricket
The School provides most protective equipment but a cricket box and jock strap or equivalent are essential. All boys MUST wear a helmet when batting or when standing up to the stumps while wicketkeeping. It is strongly recommended that boys wear cricket spikes for matches. Optional for summer term for those in Cricket squads: Cricket ‘whites’ (trousers, shirt, pullover/slipover).
HAMPTON SCHOOL 3G - PERMITTED FOOTWEAR
Triangular cleats
Moulded studs
Blades
Aluminium rugby safety studs
Circular screw-in studs
Astro-turf and running trainers are NOT permitted for practices or matches
Astro-turf trainers and running trainers are NOT permitted for practice or matches
Safety in sport: please note that it is compulsory for boys to wear shin pads for Football and mouthguards for Rugby.
2 0 I S P O R TS KI T
KEY DATES Please note that not all key dates for the next academic year have been confirmed. Updates on main events including trips, parents’ meetings, drama productions and concerts will be published throughout the year via the online School Calendar (available on the School website) and via parent communications. Please do check regularly for the latest information.
SPRING TERM New Pupils & Lower Sixth Day
Wednesday 2 September 2020
Term starts
Thursday 3 September 2020
Half Term
Monday 19 October – Friday 30 October 2020
End of Term
Friday 11 December 2020
SPRING TERM Term starts
Thursday 7 January 2021
Half Term
Monday 15 February – Friday 19 February 2021
End of Term
Wednesday 24 March 2021
SUMMER TERM Term starts
Wednesday 14 April 2021
Half Term
Monday 31 May – Friday 4 June 2021
End of Term
Friday 2 July 2021
TE RM DATE S I 21
PARENTS: HOW TO GET INVOLVED As part of the Hampton community, you are joining a thriving group of people linked to the School and we encourage you to get actively involved! Our annual programme of social and fundraising events provides a wonderful opportunity to meet, socialise and get to know other members of the Hampton community while at the same time supporting the School. 2 2 I PA R E NT S: HO W T O GE T IN VOLVED
Concerts, drama productions, talks, quiz nights, NT Live performances and a huge array of other activities are held throughout the year and your support is also always welcome on the touchline or towpath on a Saturday morning! For those interested in specific areas, such as Music and Rowing, there are parent groups that you can get involved with which are a great way of meeting people while also supporting the School.
HAMPTON SCHOOL PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION The HSPA provides a link between parents and the School, and organises various social events throughout the year, serving the dual purpose of strengthening social links between parents and raising funds for extra, nonessential items for the boys while they are at Hampton. All parents automatically become members of the HSPA when their son joins the School. The HSPA Committee meets once a term and is supported by up to two class reps from each Form throughout the School providing a strong network of communication among parents. For further information about the HSPA or if you are interested in becoming a Form Rep – a great way to get to know the parents of other boys in your son’s Form – please visit the School website or email hspa@hamptonschool.org.uk.
FORM GROUPS (PARENT CONTACT DETAILS)
like to sign-up please complete the HSPA Contact Form on the Admissions Portal.
HAMPTON & HOLLES BOAT CLUB ASSOCIATION (HHBCA) The HHBCA supports and encourages rowing at both Hampton and LEH through organising fund-raising and social events including quiz nights, a summer BBQ and Annual Dinner. The Association is also renowned for supplying wonderful bacon rolls, homemade cakes and other refreshments at the various head races and regattas and is a valuable network for parents in the long hours spent on the riverbank or lakeside. New members are always welcome and further details are available to parents when their son joins the Boat Club.
THE HAMPTON SCHOOL MUSIC SOCIETY (HSMS) Hampton has a thriving Music Society which supports and enhances the School’s welldeserved and long-standing reputation for musical excellence. The Society provides help to the Music Department at concerts and financial support for music related projects. Membership is open to all and is not exclusively for parents of boys who study and perform music at the School. Further details and a membership application form are available on the Admissions Portal and we encourage you to email the Society to find out more chair@hsmscommittee.com.
To help us introduce you to other new parents as your son begins his life as a Hamptonian and to enable direct parent to parent contact we would like your permission to pass on your contact details to the HSPA. The HSPA will use this information to prepare Form and Year Group Contact Lists which they will share with the parents of other boys in your son’s Form and/or Year Group. The Lists provide an easy way to contact other parents and keep in touch. If you would
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What do I do if my son is ill? Please telephone the School Reception (020 8979 5526) or email absence@ hamptonschool.org.uk, ideally before 9.00am, on each day of illness, to let the School know that your son will be absent. If your son will miss an individual music lesson, please also telephone the Music department (020 8783 4200). Where will my son keep his belongings? Each boy will be allocated a locker in his Form Room for the safe storage of his possessions. The School will supply a combination padlock for his use throughout his time at the School. Please do not allow your son to bring any items of value into the School unnecessarily. Can my son bring in his mobile phone? Yes, but it must be switched off or on the ‘silent’ setting and must not be used during School hours unless a teacher gives explicit permission during a taught lesson. What does my son do if he loses something? Please make sure that everything is clearly marked with your son’s name. Lost Property is situated in the car park between the Sports Hall and the Pavilion and is open during break times on Monday and Friday. The teacher in charge of Lost Property will be confirmed at the beginning of the autumn term. If something valuable is lost (e.g. a watch or glasses), your son should go to the School Reception and let his Form Tutors know at the earliest opportunity. Messages about any valuable items that are found are usually displayed on the electronic screens which are located around the School. 2 4 I FA Q S
How much homework will my son have? Boys in the First Year usually have two subjects each evening, Monday to Thursday, and three subjects over the weekend. They are expected to spend 20 minutes on each homework. Boys in the Third Year will typically have three or four subjects for homework each evening and are expected to spend 30 minutes on each homework. Please ensure that your son has a quiet environment to do his homework. How will I know which homework my son is getting? Your son will receive a homework timetable in September and you will be sent a copy by email. First Year boys are asked to record their homework in their homework diary, which you should sign every week. Homework for Third Year boys is posted on the Pupil Portal (Firefly). Boys usually receive one piece of homework per week in most subjects and two in some. Can my son do his homework during the lunch break? We would much rather the boys were outside, or involved in clubs and activities at lunchtime. They work hard enough during lessons, so the opportunity to relax and to let off steam is really important. In exceptional circumstances (e.g. if a boy has an evening commitment that means they won’t be able to do homework on a particular night), he may ask permission from the Head of Year for a lunchtime Library Pass, to do his homework at lunchtime in the Library.
What time do the coaches leave? The School coaches leave promptly at 4.15pm. Make sure that your son checks whether his coach leaves from Hampton or LEH! If your son misses his coach, he should go to the School Reception and telephone home. How will I know how my son is progressing academically? In addition to Parents’ Evenings and the opportunity to meet your son’s Form Tutor at the Pastoral Forum during the autumn term, you will receive Grade Cards and School Reports via the Parent Portal. Full Parents’ Evenings when you will have the opportunity to meet your son’s subject teachers are held in February for Third Year parents and at the beginning of March for First Year parents. If we have any concerns, we will contact you. If you have any concerns, please email your son’s Form Tutor copying the Head of Year. How much time will my son spend with his Form Tutor? Boys see their Form Tutors for ten minutes every morning and afternoon at registration, and for one lesson (40 minutes) each week, during which time your son will follow the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) syllabus. What do I do if my son needs to be absent in term time? Requests for absence, other than for medical reasons, must be made to the Heads of Year (copying the Form Tutors) well in advance. School holidays are generous and the dates are published 12 months in advance to enable parents to arrange family holidays. Parents are strongly discouraged from arranging holidays outside the School holidays.
What do I do if my son has to miss an individual music lesson for another School event? (e.g. a School trip) When arranging individual music lessons, the Music department takes note of all School trips listed in the School Calendar. There are usually sufficient School weeks for the School to deliver a full course of 30 lessons in a year despite an occasional missed lesson. Boys are asked to let the Music department know as soon as possible if their lesson clashes with another event. What books will my son need? Textbooks, exercise books and a homework planner are supplied by the School. What other equipment will my son need? During their first half term, boys will be issued with a calculator that is suitable for all calculations up to GCSE, both within Mathematics lessons and, as appropriate, in other subjects. The Mathematics department is keen that all boys have the same calculator as this ensures that teaching how to use a calculator can be focused, so please do not purchase a calculator for use in School. Boys should also have a pair of compasses, a protractor, a 30cm ruler, a small pair of scissors, Pritt Stick glue, coloured pencils and a pencil sharpener as well as pens, pencils and a rubber. Will there be many after School practices and clubs? Generally, not. Many of our boys travel on the School coaches which leave at 4.15pm. We therefore have a long lunch break, which allows clubs, activities and training to take place during the School day. There are a few after School training sessions, drama rehearsals or orchestra practices, but these are not too numerous, and by invitation only – if there are problems with attendance, the teacher running the activity will be happy to discuss options.
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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