News from Hampton Autumn 2023

NEWS FROM

HAMPTON TH E N EWSLET T ER F O R HAM PTO N S CHO O L

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

The vibrant Hampton and LEH Senior School Musical wowed a packed Hammond Theatre across five performances.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE • ART AWARD • AVON TYRRELL • BORNEO ADVENTURE • EVENSONG • GYMNASTICS GOLD • PUBLIC EXAMINATION RESULTS • SPONSORED ROW

The 2023 production of Little Shop of Horrors was a feast for the senses.

The 1970s kooky musical comedy saw standout performances from everyone involved including principal actors, the toe-tapping dance troupe, and the wonderful 35-strong ensemble. Plaudits also go to the musicians, puppeteers, and the backstage technical crew who were integral to the outstanding success of the show.

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AU TU MN 2023

What a dream team! Everyone’s commitment and energy has been infectious from the outset.

Congratulations to all!

Mrs Alice Jones, Director of Drama

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A LEVEL RESULTS

Around half the year group, 95 pupils, recorded a clean sweep of the top grades (A/A*) and 90% of results were at A*, A or B. This impressive set of grades ensured places for Hamptonians at many of the world’s top academic institutions, on a wide range of prestigious degree courses.

The Headmaster, Kevin Knibbs, offered his congratulations:

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Our Class of 2023 deserves the highest praise.We’re delighted that their talent, endeavour and character have been rewarded with such impressive grades and thoroughly-deserved places at leading universities.

Well done, boys!

GCSE RESULTS Highly impressive 2023 GCSE results reaffirmed Hampton’s place among the UK’s most academically high-achieving schools, with well over half of the year group (62%) recording a clean sweep of 9-7 grades (A*/A). A remarkable 22 Hamptonians were awarded ten or more grade 9s and 54 pupils celebrated straight 9-8 grades.

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Our 2023 Leavers celebrated superb A Level results.

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NO LIMITS

LESSONS DAY

The autumn term saw the introduction of No Limits Lessons Day, designed to encourage pupils and teachers to explore learning in new and exciting ways.

Innovative approaches to lessons included map-reading skills on the School fields in Geography; studying genetics through marshmallow meiosis in Biology; and re-enacting the Battle of Hastings in History.

GREEN FLAG AWARD

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

The national Eco-Schools programme has awarded Hampton a Green Flag award in recognition of its work on improving sustainability.

Hampton’s young debaters enjoyed success at the Reigate Grammar School MUN conference. Topics discussed included weapons of mass destruction and the conflict in Ukraine.

The School’s pupil-led Environmental Society was warmly praised for helping to phase out the site-wide use of plastic water bottles.

Hamptonians were praised for their debating skills, with Noah Kelly and Rishi Vijayan winning Highly Commended Delegate awards at the conference.

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AVON TYRRELL ADVENTURE First Year Hamptonians spent an action-packed two days in the New Forest, getting to know their new classmates.

Highlights of the trip included high ropes, orienteering, night walks, archery and trebuchets. Aided by Sixth Form mentors, pupils enjoyed working together to construct their own rafts before setting sail on the Avon Tyrrell lake, with varying degrees of buoyancy!

THIRD YEAR TEAM BUILDING Team Building Day saw Third Years tackle a range of fun challenges and activities designed to help them learn about effective communication, problem-solving, and working together while having lots of fun and meeting their new classmates. Congratulations to Form 3G who clocked up the most points to clinch the 2023 trophy.

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TALK!

Talk! speakers this term offered analysis of the UK’s political climate, as the country prepares for a General Election.

Highlighting key factors that determine voter behaviour, Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, drew on comparisons with polling data from previous elections to illustrate the current mood of the country.

Harry Cole, Political Editor of The Sun newspaper, answered questions from a packed Hammond Theatre on the importance of political leadership and the role of the media in elections.

ART AWARD Hampton Art Scholar Leonardo Falcone was named a winner in the 2023 Royal Society of Biology (RSB) BioArtAttack competition.

Third Year Leonardo took top prize in the 12-14 age category for his art piece entitled The Axolotl, which celebrates one of the most unusual creatures on earth.

The axolotl is a breed of salamander which originates from lakes and canals in Mexico City.

COMBINED CADET FORCE Hampton CCF cadets took part in the 2023 Lord Mayor’s Show, which took place on Remembrance Day.

Following a two-minute silence to honour the fallen, the contingent made up of cadets from Hampton School, LEH and Hampton High, followed the marching bands as they processed along the three-mile route in front of thousands of onlookers.

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MOROCCO

Sixth Form Geographers headed to Morocco to study the country’s diverse landscape and rich culture.

The group of 22 Hamptonians travelled to the High Atlas Mountains to hike up to the crest of Tizi Mzik Pass. Visiting the Sahara Desert, they stayed overnight in a Bedouin camp and explored the arid landscape by camel.

BARCELONA

A trip to Barcelona offered Fifth Year and Lower Sixth linguists valuable language practice and the chance to explore the art, history and culture of this vibrant Spanish city.

As well as attending a local language school to improve their oral and written Spanish, Hamptonians took in the sights, marvelling at the famous architecture of artist Antoni Gaudí.

WATERSPORTS TRIP Second Year Hamptonians headed to Rockley Point in Poole Harbour for the annual watersports trip to Dorset.

An adrenalin-packed weekend on the water included sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding. The autumn water temperature was a little chilly but despite the occasional drenching, everyone gained their sea legs.

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ITALY CHOIR TRIP

Hampton School choristers toured Italy during the summer visiting an impressive range of venues.

Performing a mixed repertoire of Renaissance and contemporary liturgical music, the 90-strong choir sang in the magnificent Battistero di San Giovanni in Florence, and San Paolino Church in the heart of Lucca.

BORNEO ADVENTURE

A group of 24 Hampton and LEH Sixth Formers enjoyed a three-week adventure in Borneo.

The trip of a lifetime included trekking through the jungle in Tampat Do Aman; river expeditions; climbing Mount Kinabalu; and snorkelling around Usukan Island. The intrepid adventurers also spent time at a primary school helping to build a new car park before visiting the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sepilok, a conservation charity with which Hampton has close links.

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CHORAL EVENSONG

Hampton’s choristers sang Evensong in the historic setting of The Queen’s College Chapel at the University of Oxford.

NEW PUPILS’ CONCERT

Over 30 members of the Chamber Choir, from across the year groups, sang a varied programme of liturgical music during the service.

The annual New Pupils’ Concert showcased the impressive talents of 40 Hamptonians.

From Bizet to Scott Joplin and Vivaldi to Ed Sheeran, our young musicians performed on a range of instruments including the drums, double bass, electric guitar and piano.

MACBETH

Lower School dramatists took to the Hammond Theatre stage in the Junior Theatre Company’s inaugural production.

Portraying the intricate plot and intrigue of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the young actors perfectly illustrated the ominous prophecy of the mysterious witches foreshadowing the tragic downfall of the Scottish king.

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CHRISTMAS CONCERTS Hampton’s musicians and choristers heralded the festive season with three joyful Christmas Concerts.

Over 340 pupils from across the year groups took to the Hammond Theatre stage to showcase the outstanding talent in our ensembles and choirs. Highlights included two impressive solo performances by Upper Sixth musicians Charlie Bishop and Tomás Escobar, superbly accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra.

The First Year choir brought some Christmas cheer to the evening with their energetic delivery of Shoulda Been a North Pole Elf, which even included a spot of choreography!

MUSIC FESTIVAL

Hamptonians excelled at this year’s Kingston Music Festival.

Among our clarinettists, Third Year Josh Gibbins won the Elementary Class; Lower Sixth Former Benedict Foley Cook the intermediate Woodwind Class; and Fourth Year Samuel Hughes the Advanced Woodwind Class and the Jennifer White Cup. The Poulenc Trio (Ishaan Das, Tomás Escobar, Rohan Crowe) took the trophy in the Ensemble Any Age Class, while the String Quartet (Declan Goh, Harry Spence, Gabriel Porter, Jian Graffe) won the Addison Deny Rosebowl for the best ensemble of the festival.

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NATIONAL CUP RUN Hampton’s U15A rugby squad are in the final eight of the Rugby Football Union National Cup competition after impressive wins against Berkhamsted School, Halliford School, King’s College School Wimbledon and Dulwich College.

FOOTBALL Footballers have enjoyed a busy term with 250 fixtures across the year groups.

ATHLETICS Sixth Form decathlete Kieran BouwmeesterReid took first place in the U20 Kent Combined Events Championships.

The Hamptonian has also been selected to represent Middlesex in the shot put at the English Schools’ Track and Field Championships.

Furthermore, he will compete in the England Athletics Senior & U20 Indoor Combined Event Championships in early 2024.

Well done to the U15A team who remain in the Independent Schools Football Association Cup. Our U16A squad won the inaugural Independent Schools Trophy in a tournament held at Arsenal FC’s celebrated Hale End Academy, which involved six of the country’s top footballing schools.

AUTUMN 2023 NEWS FROM HAMPTON

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It’s hard to describe the overwhelming joy of winning three Golds at the European Championships. To see all our hard work and hours of training pay off in the best way possible was just amazing.

THREE GB GOLDS Gymnast Rex Booth achieved a clean sweep of Gold medals at the 2023 European Acrobatics Championships in Bulgaria.

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The Upper Sixth Hamptonian competes in the Junior Men’s category as part of an acrobatic team of four.

The quartet was crowned Junior European Champions after the gymnasts excelled across all three of their routines, winning an unprecedented three Gold medals.

Rex and his fellow teammates are now aiming for Gold at the World Games in 2025.

ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE

RUGBY FESTIVAL Senior rugby players were on strong form at this year’s St Joseph’s Rugby Festival.

An undefeated first day saw Hampton top the table after wins against Trinity School, Croydon, Whitchurch High School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield.

The winning streak wasn’t to continue into the second day but Hampton ended on a high with a successful performance against Trinity.

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SPONSORED ROW Rowers raised over £80,000 for the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Pupils and parents from the Hampton and LEH School Boat Clubs completed an 80-mile sponsored row on the River Thames to raise funds for the local children’s charity.

Four Hampton Eights, three LEH Eights, a mixed Quad, and two parent Eights tackled every weather condition, aching limbs and 28 locks as they covered the distance from Radley College Boat Club to Hampton.

They were ably supported by an army of parent volunteers offering encouragement and sustenance along the way.

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The incredible amount raised is nothing short of fantastic and it will help us continue to provide a vital lifeline in supporting families who are facing the unimaginable.

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Karen Sugarman, Executive Vice President of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

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