Principal's Blog:

'Students at large!'

Followers of this website will be picking up a change in the approach to news gathering at Hampton Academy. Encouraged by Mr. Scruby, our Director of Communication, we have a posse of student reporters, photographers and digital technicians sleuthing about the site making sure our school community and its wider audience are aware of the exciting range of activities going on. The first big project is a tour of the building site and contractors´ compound, which will be featured shortly. Do look out for it!
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Obviously such a major programme brings its own challenges to the running of the institution, and I do apologise for the inconvenience caused by the recent lack of telephones. The lines have now been re-routed so that they no longer run through the building site, and we hope and expect that this will be the end of this particular problem. Then there was the small matter of the flood following the torrential rain last Friday, necessitating a waterborne rescue mission to retrieve Mrs. Titchener´s leaving gift from the library...but all´s well that ends well and I´m happy to report that our beautiful library suffered no collateral damage.
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The boys played their hearts out at Hampton & Richmond´s ground  on Wednesday even though victory just went to Richmond Park Academy (4-3!) The game was played in a tremendous sporting spirit and two of our boys, Harry Chapman and captain Max McLeod, were offered places in the Hampton & Richmond Football Academy on the back of their sterling performances.

Our Year 7 and 8 footballing girls also deserve huge praise for their achievement in getting to the final in what for most of them is their first season at Hampton Academy. Results will of course be published on the home page and in detail on our Sports Blog, accessible on the right hand of your screens or by clicking here.

The last two weeks have seen a flurry of campaigning activity with students electing their college and school councils; and then the whole school community voting for the two students who as of today will sit on the Hampton Academy Council alongside the Chief Executive of the LST and Managing Director of Kunskapsskolan UK, which will be excellent experience for them.

After a close fought contest the successful candidates were Shefali Pandhi of Year 9 and Thomas Chapman of Year 8. Both these students have already made major contributions to the representation of their school in citizenship, sport and ambassador activities, and we are confident that they will play a valuable role on the Student and Academy Councils this year.

In the event Chloe Beaumont of Year 9 took the runner up position — a very pleasing outcome for one of our newest students — whilst Alex Gidley also did herself and her school credit. And many thanks to the families of both girls who came along to support their daughters.

This is a good moment to pay tribute to the Rotary Club of Teddington and the Hamptons who are always such great supporters of their local schools; the Hampton Academy Mega-Events Campaign were thrilled recently when local liaison Mike Bayes called in at their cake sale and made a generous donation. Thank you Mr. Bayes from Sean, Paris, Keenan, Jaydan and the rest!

So much has happened since I started writing this on Tuesday...you´d never think it was dreary old November. And today saw the formal opening of our four week consultation on the proposal to open a sixth form at Hampton Academy from September 2012. This is a truly exciting prospect and I do hope readers of this blog will contribute their views either in writing or by email to info@hamptonacademy.org.uk

Sue Demont