A Message from Mrs Knox

The final few weeks of the Summer term are always just wonderful and this week did not disappoint! The silver DofE expedition went off without a hitch early in the week with pupils walking 40 kms from Ditchling Beacon to Arundel over the course of 3 days. The weather was kind and all pupils had a fabulous time (despite a few groups taking an uphill detour) adding a few miles to their route. All a learning experience! This was swiftly followed by the mesmerising production of “A Monster Calls” by Years 8 and 9. The audience was utterly captivated as we smiled, laughed, frowned and finally cried. Huge congratulations to all. Finally, some wonderful personal performances during our 3 Sports Days where the children jumped, skipped, ran, threw and hopped through the events. A highlight, of course, was the parent jubilee obstacle course at the Pre-prep Sports Day. The conclusion will be the Sports Dinner tonight where we congratulate our outstanding sportsmen and women. Have a lovely weekend. 

Mrs Knox

Pre-prep and Prep School Sports Day

Pre-prep kicked off our School Sports Day celebrations on Thursday morning. Year 2 opened the event with their ball throw on the astroturf, where they achieved some very impressive distances! This was followed by the Standing Jump for Nursery and Reception and Long Jump for Years 1 and 2. Each pupil then competed in an obstacle race. With increasing degrees of skill and difficulty, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils demonstrated variations of skipping through a hoop, balancing a bean bag or tennis ball on a racquet, hopping on spots and walking along a rope, before finishing with a sprint. Nursery pupils transformed themselves into butterflies for their race, putting on wings, an antennae headband and collecting three flowers before reaching the finish line. Not only were medals given to those who reached the line first but also to our contenders who showed excellent execution of the skills involved. 

Some of our parent audience then took part in a Jubilee themed obstacle race of their own. Mrs Knox pulled eight names out of a hat - some of whom hadn't realised they were in fact in there! We saw two rounds of parents pull on long gloves, put on a glamorous hat, pick up a handbag and marmalade sandwich, before collecting a corgi to walk to the finish line. Well done parents for taking part with such good humour and enthusiasm! A special mention must go to Mr Brandman, for his wonderful regal wave! It was then back to business, and the pupils finished off our Pre-prep Sports Day with the 50m sprint races.

On Thursday afternoon, it was Prep School's turn! A huge well done to the children for showing great awareness and responsibility for what time they needed to be where, as they competed in four track and field events each. The ball throw, high jump and long jump saw some fantastic distances and heights accomplished, and with track events ranging from a 75m sprint to 600m, pupils pushed themselves to their limits mentally, physically and emotionally.  

An enormous well done to all the pupils who participated across both Sports Days. Whilst each event will contain joy and euphoria for the winning participant there will also be disappointment experienced for another, however, it is every pupil participating and trying their best that enables the competition to even happen in the first place. The children should feel proud of the fortitude and effort that they showed during their events. As always, it was particularly heartwarming to see the sportsmanship between the children, congratulating each other on their successes. My particular highlight was seeing Elliott, who came second in the high jump, award Eddie, who took first place, his medal!

Huge thanks to all the parents and grandparents for coming to watch, your cheering and encouragement makes such an event the best that it can be. Thanks, also, to Clemmie, Joey and Ben W for their artwork which was featured on the respective Pre-prep and Prep School programmes. 

Please click here for Pre-prep Sports Day photos

Please click here for Prep School Sports Day photos

 

Mrs Green

Silver DofE

On a sunny Monday we travelled to Ditchling Beacon in the South Downs to begin a 3-day walking expedition. Assessed by Mr Wyllie and myself, completing this 40+ km venture is one of the four requirements of the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Silver Award. It was hot! The 6 groups, mainly Year 10s but also four Y11s (Aoife, Celine, Zoe and Hannah) walked west towards the first campsite at Small Dole. Those groups who failed to turn off the South Downs Way when they were supposed to ended up climbing to the highest point near 'Devil's Dyke', but at least they enjoyed an extra view! We survived the first night despite the occasional attention of local geese, seagulls, and a cross (albeit tethered) goat, and set off for Washington Camp on the second (also hot) day. This site had a natural plunge pool which was much enjoyed by the first groups to arrive, as well as space to play cricket, American football, sing & play the guitar, and cook marshmallows! Luke I turned out to be something of a master chef, cooking for several others.

The final day's walk began in persistent rain which at least negated any risk of sunburn! Imogen's group were particularly impressed by an e-bike rider who mentioned 'it can't be that bad' as they laboured uphill. This concluded at Wepham (near Arundel). An honorary mention goes to Alex S and Alex W for their overall leadership but EVERYONE worked hard, few if any, of them having walked three significant back-to-back walks before. Many thanks also to Matron for her huge medical assistance, and Miss Anand, Mrs Punter and Mrs Lwambo for their overnight and checkpointing support. It was all worth the wait after a 3 year hiatus.

Mr Lodge

Aside from Prep & Pre-prep Sports Days, the Year 4 Assembly, Pre-prep Dance Show rehearsals and a range of House competitions that are drawing to a close (all of which you'll be able to read about elsewhere in this Bulletin), classroom learning has continued in a wonderfully varied way this week. Year 5 have been studying Judaism this term and comparing it to other religions. This week they explored what is meant by “kosher” and researched kosher foods. They also learnt that there are rules about the way food is prepared and that dairy and meat can not be eaten together.

Year 1 took learning outside this week and went around the school to survey how many of each colour car we had on site. The children tallied the cars they saw onto a chart, then returned to the classroom and added this information onto a bar graph. They really enjoyed investigating and recording their findings - especially going out with clipboards!

In Prep School, we were treated to two talks from Year 6s on Thursday morning. Poppy F and Isla W shared their love of drama, including an impromptu piece of improvised theatre. We can’t wait to see ‘The Bourbon and the Candyman’ in West end theatres soon!  Theo then spoke about his love of Sheffield United. We all learnt that they are the oldest team in the world, and that their badge and nickname - 'the blades' - was inspired by the cutlery factories in the city.

Values Certificates:

Effort: Ruby W, Holly B, Henry O'B. Rocket M & Ben W

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Ali S for being such a good sport on Sports Day and for running every race with a huge smile on his face!

Reception: Maddie C for extra effort in reading and trying really hard in class dications.

Year 1: George F for consistent effort and enthusiasm in English and Maths.

Clemmie R for showing kindness to the younger children in the department.

Year 2: Violet W for showing super kindness towards others at Sports Day

Mr Wright

A huge congratulations go to the Year 10 and 11 Duke of Edinburgh contingent who set off last Monday for their three day expedition in the South Downs with various injuries and ailments but yet saw their resilience carry them all through. A great effort which speaks volumes about their commitment and mental strength, well done to all of you. Today sees the Senior Sports Day take place with House points at stake across the disciplines and the scores already closely matched going into the event after the efforts of those in the Pre-Prep and Prep event yesterday. An enjoyable afternoon awaits no doubt.

Commendations this week have been awarded to Audrey W (Year 10) Tabitha S-B, Edie H (Year 8) and Violetta P (Year 9) for their outstanding effort in Geography, to Oscar D-K, Josh E, Johnny M, Pippa S and Violetta P (Year 9) for their excellent medieval document prep, to Tabitha S-B, Matilda R, Daisy N, Emma F and Maggie B (Year 8) for their outstanding paper boats produced in Science and, finally, to Alex B (Year 7) for being proactive about his learning, taking upon himself to seek support and commit to improving his skills in English. Well done to you all!

Mr Wilson

Last Saturday we held our annual Summer Concert, with approx 90 pupils taking part from years 3 to 11 and a wonderful audience of about 300 family and friends. 

The concert was held in the top car park with the beautiful backdrop of the school providing a wonderful acoustic reflector as well as a lovely aesthetic. 

The whole evening was a joyful celebration of the music we make in the school, with pupils singing on the roof, rock bands, choirs, big band, solos, duets and the lovely Parents choir making a guest appearance. It was wonderful also to welcome some ex-pupils who came back and sang two of Mr Macdonald's songs that had composed for one of his many Prep School productions. The concert was both a great farewell from the Music Department to Mr Mac and also a fabulous evening of musical entertainment. And it only rained once!

Huge well done to all the pupils who took part and a massive thank you to all the staff who helped set up, played, prepared and directed the kids on the day.  

Mr Rye

Over the course of this week, the finals for the Prep School chess competitions were played. Congratulations to Layla S who won the Beginners competition, but a special mention must go to Eva W who pushed her all the way in a very tight match that went right down to the wire! The Advanced competition was won by Arthur H, from Buzzard, who beat Dante R-D in a very competitive final. However, Peregrine ended up winning the competition overall because they supplied three out of the four finalists! 

This is the penultimate week of the House of the Year competition. The race to decide which House will finish 1st and 3rd is very tight again! Buzzard currently has a narrow lead over Hawk. Kestrel has scored more House points than Peregrine this term, so there is still time for them to move into third! There are still results from the Prep School Table Tennis, Senior Chess and the Photography competitions to be announced there so are a large number of House points up for grabs! This is on top of all of the House points that will be earned by the pupils through the rewards like stars and commendations. The final few days of this year’s competition will be dramatic for sure! 

You can press this link (House Leaderboards) to see the current totals in more detail. 

Mr Gritton

What Parents Need to Know about Esports

British Esports describes ‘esports’ as “competitive gaming, human-v-human, usually with a spectator element to it”. In recent years, the esports industry has grown significantly – and is expected to reach an overall worth of $1.2 billion, with around 30 million monthly viewers, by the end of 2022. This rapid evolution has presented even more opportunities … but, of course, opportunities usually come with a risk. Here, we’ve highlighted some of the potential hazards within the esports industry and suggested ways to help young people stay safe so they can make the most of this exciting space.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game purchases, inappropriate content and possible exploitation.

Click on the link to help you find out more about " What Parents Need to Know about Esports".

Mr Boden

Rounders: U14/15 A v. St. Edmund's

On Tuesday afternoon the U14 A team played St. Edmund's in their first rounders match of the year. There was much excitement as we headed lined up to bat in the first innings after losing the toss. It was a shaky start with our first three batters getting caught out but after settling the girls found their rhythm and the gaps in the field to aim for. St. Edmund's fielding was very strong, and they were able to keep our scoring low but when the team came out to field, they matched this brilliant fielding from St. Edmund's and both teams went into the second innings on 5 1/2 rounders.

Before starting to bat we had a team talk and discussed when to take risks, how to get the best out of their batting and to really focus on building space between the scores. We took a lot of well-timed risks to get half rounders and worked well as a team. St. Edmund's came into bat and Duke of Kent School switched their fielding up a gear, they were stopping most batters reaching second post and made quick accurate decisions. There were also some fantastic catches from Alex K, Esme P, Abi W and Helena K. The final score was 11 1/2 to 10. Huge well done to you all and what a brilliantly close and hard fought game!

Mrs Woolgar

Rounders: U14/15 B v. St Edmund's

On a sunny but breezy Tuesday afternoon, the U14/15 B team welcomed St. Edmund's for a Rounders match! The girls started fielding, with some consistent bowling from Alanna H, our fielder of the game, and Annabelle R, giving away very few half rounders due to no balls. Josie B was very alert in the field, taking a great catch and communicating well with the team. Fleur S also worked well on 2^nd post to limit half rounders scored. Pippa S and Ariane L, our Batter of the Game, worked well as a backstop/1^st post pairing. Going into the second innings the girls only needed 1 and a half to win so they just went out to enjoy and score as many as possible! Audrey W and Rose S did some big hits, sometimes surprising themselves! Hannah M hit some very well placed shots to score important half rounders and Eva L was very switched on whilst running, allowing her score when the ball was misfielded.

Miss Martin

Boys' Cricket: U14 A v. St. Edmund's

On Tuesday, the U14 A team played a T20 cricket match against St Edmund’s. St Edmund’s won the toss and decided to bat first. Duke of Kent School had a great opening bowling partnership from Rufus B and Toby T, lead to a slow start from the batting side. The batting team picked up the scoring rate in the middle overs and ended their innings on a score of 146.  In the second innings, Duke of Kent School got off to a slow start, but once Toby T got going it was a pleasure to watch, with some great timing to find the gaps and power shown to hit the boundaries. Toby T retired on 50 and George P played a solid innings as well, ending not out on a score of 34. Duke of Kent School ended the innings on a score of 120. Well played to everyone involved and well batted Toby T. 

Mr Orme

Boys' Cricket: U10/11 v. Handcross Park

This Wednesday, the U10/11 A boys' cricket team play a hard ball pairs match against Handcross Park. Duke of Kent School won the toss and decided to bowl first. In the first innings there was some good bowling on display, especially from Arthur H and Harry L, with some great wicket keeping from Ben W in his first match as a wicket keeper. In the second innings it was Duke of Kent School’s turn to bat and with a few good powerful shots from Elliot S the innings started well, but the team struggled to get going at times. Well played to everyone involved.

Mr Orme

Mixed Cricket: U9 v. Frensham Heights

On Thursday, the U9 Reds and Blues mixed cricket teams played in two separate paired cricket matches against Frensham Heights. In the Blues match, Duke of Kent School batted first. There was some good batting on display from all the team especially Mac Y and Freddie G helping the team to get a competitive score. In the second innings Duke of Kent School bowled very well to win the game, with Hope N bowling with some great accuracy to pick up a wicket. In the Reds match, Duke of Kent School batted first as well getting a good score on the board, with some good batting from Hubert S. Ruby W was the stand out for the bowlers in the second innings, helping the team to go on and win the match. Well played to everyone involved, with some great cricket on display in all three aspects of the game. 

Mr Orme, Mr Green and Miss Martin 

Yesterday and today parents, teachers and staff have come together to celebrate the sporting talents of those attending Duke of Kent School, which have been joyous, fun and competitive Sports Days. For some of the pupils that I have spoken with over the last couple of weeks, this may have been a greater personal triumph than for those who achieved their own medals or personal bests. 

In life, we are often required to challenge ourselves beyond what we think we are capable or comfortable with. It is in these circumstances that we are able to show ourselves that we are capable of amazing things.

Not everybody has the physical skills to be successful in sporting endeavours. Conversely, they may find the playing of sport, particularly competitively, an uncomfortable experience which triggers difficult emotional responses for them. The fact that they have conquered this discomfort to take part is great testament to their own personal resilience.

There are those that find performing on stage in public speaking, drama or musical performances incredibly anxiety inducing, whilst for some this is their greatest opportunity to shine. The same can be said for academic, artistic or social talents - these environments are challenging for those that don’t feel confident that they possess the skills to do well in these areas.

Ultimately, this is the time to consider leaning toward a growth mindset. Refusing to see mistakes as wrong or a sign of failure but rather as an opportunity to learn and improve. A reminder to give oneself credit for one’s own personal achievements and recognise the conquering of one’s own lapses in self confidence.

We are all individuals and as such our talents are diverse and uniquely ours. Not feeling we have a talent in a certain field shouldn’t be an excuse to avoid it but rather an opportunity to try it anyway. To experience that activity for the joy it may bring rather than only being interested in the rating or level we may reach.

‘Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except the birds that sang best.’  -  Henry Van Dyke

Mrs Douglas

As we head into July, and the summer holidays are in touching distance, plans are already well under way for next academic year.  We now have our Immunisations dates for your diary for 2022-2023:

• Friday 30th September, years Reception through to year 6 inclusive will be offered nasal flu immunisations (information on how to complete E consent forms will be sent early on in the autumn term).  On the same day, year 8 will be having the first of their two HPV Immunisations (consent portal now open - see email sent Monday 27th June).

• Thursday 18th May 2023 will see year 8 have their second HPV immunisation along with year 9 who are also due their second HPV (year 9 pupil consent forms for their first jab this spring covers both doses, so no need for more consent form filling!).

• Finally, Friday 23rd June 2023 will see year 9 have their final school immunisations: Diphtheria Tetanus & Polio, and Meningitis A,C,W & Y - more information nearer the time.

You will note there are currently no plans to give further Covid Immunisations at School, however this of course is subject to change depending on what happens with the pandemic as we hit winter and watch for any new variants of concern.

At School we are working our way through a busy calendar of end of School year events.  Years 8 and 9 gave a very emotive performance in their production this week, which may have been challenging for those who have been recently bereaved.  We would recommend "Cruse" bereavement support for anyone who is suffering a painful loss and is in need of support (www.cruse.org.uk).  A final reminder from the medical room to please ensure your child has taken travel nausea medication and antihistamine at home before school should they need it for their day out, to prevent sickness or hayfever from spoiling all the fun!

Have a lovely weekend - see you on Monday - smiles ready for the school photo!

The School Nurses

PADoK News

Duke of Kent School Singers

The Duke of Kent School Singers have spent this term working on a Coldplay song and on Saturday evening we performed "Fix You" at the Summer Concert.  Thank you Mr Rye for giving up your time to teach and lead our choir.  This week we met for a carefree session and enjoyed singing together.  Next Thursday will be our last session for this academic year.  Why don't you think about joining in September, everyone is welcome. Thank you, Mr Rye and Mrs Burr.

PADoK Book Club

Do you like to enjoy a glass of wine or two with friends and laughing about great life stories?!  Then you should come to the PADoK book club to do just that! We are meeting on 6th July at 8pm at the Hurtwood Inn Pub in Peaslake to catch up and talk about our summer term PADoK book, Again, Rachel.  It’s a No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller by Marian Keyes – it’s a fun, easy read that makes you feel as if you are part of Rachel's life and we would love to see lots of you to chat about the book and then of course, catch up more with other Duke of Kent School parents.  Hope to see you there. 

PADoK Walk

On Friday a group met for our walk around Pitch Hill.  We put the world to rights while enjoying the fresh air and exercise.  Next walk will be on Friday 8th July, 08.30, Car Park 3 Hurtwood Control, Pitch Hill.  All welcome.

Mrs Phillips

Senior School Optional Hoodie

The Senior School hoodies have been redesigned by members of the School Council and the finished product can be seen above.  They have done a fantastic job at putting this design together and now finally getting to see the finished product.

This new hoodie is available from Stevenson's on their website: https://www.stevensons.co.uk/.  There is also the option to have your child's initials printed onto the front of the hoodie for a slight additional cost, something we would advise to avoid mixing up tops with other pupils. This hoodie is not an essential item of School uniform, so there is no expectation for pupils to have it.

If you wish to see the sample, please pop into the Main Office to see me and have a look at the new hoodie.

Mrs Woolgar

School Social Media

At Duke of Kent School we have three social media platforms; Instagram (dukeofkentschool), Twitter (@DoKSchool) and Facebook (Duke of Kent School). All of our social media accounts are public.

We recommend following all three accounts to receive push notifications with news, updates, educational articles, interactions with other schools, communities and public figures.

        

Mrs Woolgar