School Menu for Next Week

Jazz Night

Tickets are still available for our Jazz Night on 5th May.

These evenings are always wonderful events - we turn the PA Hall into a jazz club for the evening, and the music is once again provided by acclaimed saxophonist Frank Walden and his quartet. 

Frank is an international musician; during his career he has been part of Amy Winehouse's band, Tom Jones' band and Jools Holland band, to name a few! He regularly performs at venues such as Ronnie Scotts and The 606 Club and he always brings a band full of equally excellent musicians. His guest singer this time  is Louise Messenger - an amazing singer who has performed all over the world. Do have a look at her website - www.louisemessenger.com or pop over to Insta - https://instagram.com/louisesingsjazz?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

It will be a fantastic evening I guarantee!

This year we will also have a few of our own musicians performing, past and present, which is a lovely opportunity for them to play with the professionals and excellent experience for them.

The evening is BYOB and tickets are priced at £15 each and will be added to the end of term bill. Email bookings@dokschool.org to reserve your place. 

Mr Rye

New GCSE Exam Page

To improve access to information and resources regarding the GCSE exams we have added a GCSE Exam page to the parent section of the school website. 

In this section parents can find information relating to the GCSE exams such as checklist for students to know what they need to bring with them to each of their exams, some guidance on how to prepare for the exam period, as well as a whole information booklet that provides tips, advice and support to help students during this stressful time. 

Important information regarding the exams will still be communicated via email, however this website areas will act as a hub where documentation, exam policies and up to date timetables can be accessed. 

As always if you have any questions or queries relating to GCSE exams please just email awyllie@dokschool.org. 

Follow the link below to the new page, you will need to login with the parent log in details:

https://www.dukeofkentschool.org.uk/page/?title=GCSE+Information&pid=157&action=saved

Mr Wyllie

Ski Trip 2.0

We are back from the most fantastic week in Austria with 33 wonderful skiers! It was incredible to see the progress of the pupils throughout the 5 days with everyone managing to explore the mountain taking on blue, red and even black slopes! Each day, the pupils had 5 hours of skiing with their instructor and they were able to eat at a variety of restaurants within different areas of the ski resort. We had plenty of sun and even a huge amount of snow in the final two days, this meant that everyone could experience the variety of conditions that the mountain has to offer! Alongside the fantastic (and full on!) days on the slopes, the pupils also enjoyed a range of evening activities. The hotel had a huge variety of facilities including football, volleyball, basketball, table tennis and much much more meaning everyone was entertained at all times!! The food was delicious and it was important to refuel after tiring days on the slopes.

On our second night, the teachers organised a quiz and the teams enjoyed working together to test their knowledge in a range of subject areas including sport, general knowledge and capital cities, the Year 10s came out victorious on this occasion! Another highlight was the evening at the swimming pool, not only did it have multiple pools, indoor and outdoor, but there were also three impressive (and somewhat terrifying!) water slides that were a big hit with the group! Towards the end of the trip, we also enjoyed some bowling in Salzburg, without barriers it meant that the scores were fairly low, but plenty of fun was had by everyone, including the teachers who had a very close game with our IBT rep coming out on top by just 1 point! Overall, it was a brilliant week packed full of fun and laughter and some epic skiing too. 

Click here to see all the photos

Miss Vickers

I have very much enjoyed seeing the pupils return this week in their bright, cheery yellow uniforms, signalling the beginning of the Spring Term. Across Prep & Pre-prep, we have welcomed 8 new pupils across 5 classes, and I must congratulate all of them for having made a super start to their time at Duke of Kent School, rapidly settling in amongst new faces and applying themselves enthusiastically to their learning. I wish them, and everyone, a productive and happy term ahead.

In Pre-prep classrooms this week, the children's artistic juices have been flowing, with eye-catching creations appearing in books, on walls and corridor displays. Year 1 have kicked off their 'rainforests' topic by painting spectacular toucans, experimenting with pastels to capture their vivid plumage. In Reception, the children had the chance to create creatures entirely of their own making, designing and drawing imaginary mini-beasts before they start to learn more about the real ones that populate our local environment. And in Year 2, the children have started their 'Great Fire of London' studies by making a street landscape from collaged paper, paying close attention to the architectural style of the period. 

New life is, of course, evident everywhere we look at this time of year, and Nursery had a super time planting seeds in the Forum Garden with the assistance of Kelly on the Grounds Team. They are very excited to see them grow! Year 3 have brought plants life inside, as part of their Science lessons, planting seedlings to see what impact leaves have on their ability to grow. Conversely, Year 4 took their Maths learning outside, so they could develop their understanding of perimeter with the help of our large open spaces and trundle wheels! Happy weekend, everyone!

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Angus T for displaying good listening and focus in class and improved fine motor skills.

Edie B for displaying kindness to others and for working hard in class. Super mark making 

Reception: Gregory O For settling in so well and making valuable contributions to our maths  lessons on shape.

Year 1: Harry S for his helpfulness in class, especially ub dance where he was very helpful to Lisa Lee.

Year 2: Willow B for amazing use of similes in English writing.

Mr Wright

What a joy it is to be returning to school in the (admittedly intermittent) sunshine! It really has been a delight seeing the pupils coming back in this week and hearing of all their adventures over the Easter break. The extra daylight hours has put a spring in the step of so many and it has been lovely to see good attendances at both breakfast club (7.30-8.00am, open to all with no pre booking required) and the range of activities taking place after school each day. I was even fortunate enough to see one pupil arriving through the front doors yesterday morning in his mountain biking helmet, excitedly anticipating the first session of the term, whilst today. I do hope they will all get the opportunity to take advantage of the activities after school and the chance to get outside that the changing of the seasons brings.

This morning (Friday) the Year 7 cohort headed off to Hampton Court Palace. With various workshops lined up, including dressing up in various guises and recreating the activities of the day, I have no doubt they will have a great time and a wonderful learning opportunity.

The following have now reached either 25, 50, or, in some cases, even 75 Merits this year and have therefore been invited to attend Celebration Snack Break on Friday morning where they will receive a stationary prize and a coveted lunch fastpass for them and a friend, allowing them to skip the queue at a time of their choosing.

As Year 7 are not in school today they will be rewarded on an alternative day but in Year 8 we have Jack M, Sam R, Rosie S whilst in Year 10 we are celebrating the achievements of Rufus B, Bobby F, Eva L, Daniel M, Esme P, Henry P, Lucian R, Pippa S, Abi W, Oli W and, in Year 11, Josh N and Fraser R. Congratulations to you all!

Mr Wilson

How Ancient Forests Can Save Us If We Let Them (Ages 15-16)

This talk will be held in-person in Burlington House as well as live-streamed on Zoom.  

Peter Wohlleben, author of Sunday Times bestseller, 'The Hidden Life of Trees', compares tree planting to battery farming and argues that trees will survive environmental disaster but suggests that we won’t be around to see that happen if we don’t make changes now. Wohlleben describes astonishing discoveries about how trees pass knowledge down to succeeding generations and their ability to survive climate change and is unsparing in his criticism of those who wield economic and political power — who plant trees exclusively for the sake of logging and virtue signaling — even as they ruthlessly exploit nature.

To book tickets for this free event taking place on Sunday 23rd April at 17:00 visit https://members.linnean.org/events/63e130957dc0e8000722811e/description

Once upon a Robot Competition (Ages 7-11)

Do you have the creativity to write a great robot story?

This is your chance you show off your imagination and take the readers on an adventure into the world of robotics and intelligent machines. This competition is looking for exciting, intriguing, and thoughtful short stories all about robots. Write your robot story in your preferred word processing software. Your robot tale needs to be about 800 words long and can be in any genre you like (e.g action, thriller, comedy, mystery). Make sure you include a beginning, middle and an end.

For more information and how to enter visit - https://www.ukras.org.uk/school-robot-competition/write. Deadline for Entries is 23rd April.

ISA Digital Arts Competition

The ISA Digital Art Competition is a chance for you to showcase you creative skills using digital technology. Works can be drawn digitally, or created using photo editing. There is no theme, so you are free to explore whatever subject interest you. Entries Close on 27th April 2023.

For more information visit - https://www.isaschools.org.uk/arts/art/digital-art-competition.html

Poetry of Science competition(Ages 5-16)

Can you write a terrific scientific poem? IF Oxford is seeking budding poets aged 5 – 16 years to become wondrous wordsmiths and enter the seventh annual Poetry of Science competition this spring. Your poem should be a maximum of 150 words and can be in any poetry style you like and doesn’t have to rhyme. How about trying one of these poem types:

• Limerick
• Haiku
• Acrostic poem
• Rap
• Sonnet

Your poem should have something to do with science and great ideas. It could be about:

• A scientific idea or discovery
• A science lesson or experiment
• A scientific issue that is important to you

Deadline for entries 1st May. 
For more information or to enter visit https://if-oxford.com/poetry-competition/  

Mr Wyllie

We have a lovely full calendar of events this Summer in the Performing Arts Department, featuring all three disciplines Dance, Drama and Music. Do have a look at the dates for your diary below and make a note of them. The first one is next Friday! A showcase concert for the soloist finals of the House Music competition. 

Friday 28th April - 7pm - House Music Finalists Concert

Friday 5th May - 8pm - Jazz Evening

Monday 15th May - 6.30pm - LAMDA Showcase for Years 7 + 8

Thursday 18th May - 6.30pm - LAMDA Showcase for Years 9, 10 + 11

Tuesday 6th June - 5pm - House Drama Finals

Friday 16th June - 6pm - Evening of Original Works

Friday 23rd June - 7pm - Summer Concert

Tuesday 26th June - 6.30pm - Leavers Concert

Wednesday 28th June - 7.30pm - Years 8 and 9 production - 'Skellig'

Thursday 29th June - 7.30pm - Years 8 and 9 production - 'Skellig'

Thursday 6th July 2.30pm - Pre-prep Dance Show

Mr Rye

Helping Children and Young People with Managing Device Stress and Anxiety

We can access new music and movies in seconds. We can get products delivered to our door the very next day. We can chat or play games with people on the other side of the planet. For all of the remarkable benefits the digital age has brought us, however, it’s also presented us with a whole new raft of pressures and anxieties that, in truth, we’re all still learning to cope with.

From continual notifications inflaming a fear of missing out to the risk of public embarrassment or slanging matches on social media, today’s children and young people have stresses to manage that previous generations simply never encountered. Our guide examines these uniquely modern worries, highlighting ways to reduce the anxiety that digital devices can bring.

In the guide, you'll find tips on reducing push notifications from apps, avoiding social media arguments, and spotting when a child’s been upset by something online.

Click on the link to find out more information about "Helping Children and Young People with Managing Device Stress and Anxiety".

Mr Boden

The Summer Term is always full of House Competitions. The students in the Prep School will play their first matches in the Beginner and Advanced Chess Competitions, while the Senior competition will start soon. The students will also be able to participate in House Photography and House Drama during this half term. Every student who enters one of these competitions will earn 3 House points for participating. That is not forgetting all the sports tournaments too! You can use this weblink to access the new House Google Site, where you can find the current leaderboards and a schedule of House Events for the Summer Term. 

The race to become House of the Year is entering the final stages and is tight as ever! With all the competitions and opportunities to earn stars and other rewards, each House has a huge opportunity to gain ground on its closest rival and jump above them in the standings. 

Mr Gritton

Welcome back to the Summer Term - full of new possibilities, fun opportunities and some possibly difficult challenges. For some, getting back to friends, routines and the excitement of learning new things will have made Tuesday an easier expectation; for some, it may have been really challenging and uncomfortable. Hopefully, everyone returning felt the benefit of belonging to such a welcoming and accepting school. The fact that everyone’s experience is different, is something to always hold in mind.

The end of last term was Neurodiversity Celebration Week; an opportunity to celebrate our different ways of thinking, processing and behaving. The term neurodiversity refers to the differences between how people think, process information, behave and communicate. Types of neurodivergence include ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette’s syndrome. For some of our pupils who have diagnoses, this fact can alter the way they may feel about themselves or how they feel others may view them. Self acceptance and the celebration of humans’ hugely diverse characteristics is therefore really important. 

We should be demonstrating non-judgement, acceptance and celebration of self, to ourselves and others by modelling this behaviour.

Some helpful videos you may want to access with your children to teach Pre Prep and Prep aged children about what neurodiversity means are: 

Video 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Y4P8fFOxk

Video 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHzIQxhtY6U

For older pupils the following guide from The Mental Health Foundation may help those accepting and coping with ADHD. https://www.borntobeadhd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Stories-That-Never-Stand-Still.pdf

The world would be a very bland place without the richness of diversity and difference and as parents we should ensure we are teaching our children to embrace and celebrate this.

Mrs Douglas

The summer term hasn't started too promisingly weather-wise, following on from a rather chilly Easter break.  However, we live in hope of some warmer, drier, sunnier days ahead!  With that in mind, please do ensure your child attends school with suitable sun protection in case needed (name sun hats, sun cream and water bottles). 

Pollen levels are already high (particularly tree pollen: birch, plane, willow, ash and little oak, as well as fungal spores: pleospora and aspergillus and penicillium according to the Met office), so we strongly recommend that pupils who have a history of hayfever, start to medicate with antihistamine at home before school each day please.  We've already administered a lot of antihistamine (we give cetirizine/"piriteze") to pupils in the medical room at school this week, so would value your help in improving the comfort of pupils, by getting ahead of the symptoms with medication before school.

Parents of pupils in Reception and Year 6 are reminded that Mrs Sarjant plans to perform height and weight measurements on Thursday 27th April in line with the National Childhood Measurement Programme.  Please can parents reiterate to their child that their measurements are private and personal to them and should not be discussed with peers, in order to prevent those with body confidence issues from becoming upset.  Please contact Mrs Sarjant if you have any queries.

Looking further ahead this, Year 8 and 9 pupils are going to have their second HPV Immunisation on Thursday 18th May (short sleeves to school that day please!).  Please contact Mrs Sarjant if you have any queries, or you feel your child needs to be seen early on due to needle phobia.

Finally, please can parents of pupils attending the Year 10 Geography trip to Swanage and the Rwanda trip in October continue to get their medical forms in.  Mrs Sarjant will contact Rwanda trip parents directly with an update in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, please be aware that we do not necessarily need to know exactly which anti-malarial medication your child will be taking just yet.  Please liaise with Mrs Sarjant nearer the trip to confirm which medication your child will take; however we would appreciate the rest of your medical form being completed and returned by the end of April as discussed at the trip meeting.  Many thanks.

Have a lovely weekend, whatever the weather!

The School Nurses

PADoK News

PADoK Summer Event is on Saturday 17^th June – it is going to be a great night with live music, food and fun so please save the date.  Details will come out shortly.

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursday 08.20 – 09.00am

Singing starts next week, Thursday 27^th April, so look forward to seeing you there. 

As always please do remember that there is never any pressure to perform, no set plan to unless we want to. Our focus is always on enjoying singing and getting the most out of our time together 

Huge thanks to all who come along and make the sessions so much fun. The group is a very fluid mix of past and present parents. Everyone is welcome to join at any time, and we have a WhatsApp group you can dip in and out of as you’d like to. 

We would absolutely love to have some male voices coming more regularly. If you’re out there even slightly thinking about it, please come along and give it a go!  

PADOK Core Control: Strengthen your body, Improve Your Health with our Physio-Led Stability Group.

Friday morning 08.30 at Ness Hall. This will start on Friday 28^th April.  We would love to see you from 08:30am to 09:00am.

Note: Runners still welcome! 

PADoK Walk – Friday 28^th April, 08.30 Car Park 3, Pitch Hill

Everyone welcome.

Mrs Phillips

Senior School Optional Hoodie

The Senior School hoodies have 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