Best Schools - Hampton School pupils have been crowned the 2019 English Schools’ Football Association U18 Schools’

The Hampton 1st XI won the prestigious ESFA trophy with a hard-fought victory over Repton School in the U18 Final played at Shrewsbury Town FC.

This is the first time that Hampton have won this competition and the historic victory was greeted with delight by the 700 supporters made up of pupils, staff, parents and alumni, who made the 170-mile journey to Montgomery Waters Meadow.

1st XI Captain, George Maxwell, who has been awarded a sports scholarship to study in the USA next year, said it was a wonderful day for the whole Hampton community: “It was probably the best day of my School life to date and one that I will never forget.”

John Martin, ESFA Chairman, said “On behalf of the English Schools’ FA I would like to congratulate Hampton on becoming ESFA U18 Schools’ Cup Champions 2019. In what was a true showcase of elite footballing talent, Hampton reigned victorious after enduring both extra time and penalties. We would like to thank the School for bringing along 700 plus spectators to Shrewsbury, helping to create a truly wonderful atmosphere throughout the entirety of the match. Well done to all those involved.”

Myth-busting: "Independent schools are only for the wealthy elite"

In a series of "myth-busting" blogs the Independent Schools Council (ISC) detail some common misconceptions surrounding independent schools. Harry Arnison, a pupil at The Grammar School at Leeds, helps to debunk the idea that "independent schools are only for the wealthy elite".

For reasons which I assume are born out of the stereotypes surrounding ‘posh people’, an ‘us and them’ mentality exists within the state school sector. In reality the mould I expected everyone to fit into didn’t exist. The cost of independent education takes a school like GSAL off the table for the average state school student who has just finished GCSEs. The provision of bursaries is vital in enabling more young people like me to access all that the sector has to offer. My school - for I now see it very much as MY school - spends over £1m a year providing bursaries, supporting 140 students like me. This enables academically capable students from all over the city to attend the school irrespective of their financial circumstances.

When I look at what I have achieved I’m excited by the idea that more students from all walks of life could reap the rewards of such a prestigious institution.