School Menu for Next Week

Year 10 Physical Theatre Workshop

Last Thursday, our Year 10 Drama cohort participated in a wonderful Physical Theatre Workshop that left them inspired and excited about their up and coming GCSE devising exam. Led by Emilie Largier from the Physical Theatre company GymJam, the workshop immersed Year 10 in storytelling through movement. Throughout the day they explored a range of techniques including gesture and ensemble work to develop powerful narratives. They engaged in energising collaborative work which was a lovely introduction on how to use physical theatre when developing theatre. The workshop left the cohort with new-found skills and ignited an interest in Physical theatre that they will take forward into their own GCSE devised pieces of theatre. Thank you to Year 10 for embracing the workshop wholeheartedly! 

Sam Honey 

Year 3 trip to Butser Farm

The Celtic roundhouses didn’t look very much like homes, but they had a cosy fire and comfy seats with animal skins. The walls were made from wattle (woven hazel sticks) and daub (mud, hair and animal dung). They had been painted with chalk so that it looked nicer.  The roofs were made out of straw and were cone-shaped so that there was the right amount of oxygen to keep the fire alight.

We got to do an archaeological dig. We had to dig in different places in some sand to look for artefacts. We then sorted what we had found into metal, pottery or bones and shells and talked about how old they were and what they might have been used for.

The Roman villa was very fancy. It even had an upstairs. There was a bed with a straw mattress and blankets. The Romans used glass for their windows so it was a bit brighter than the roundhouses. There was an underfloor heating system called a hypocaust and the floor was decorated with patterned mosaics. The walls were brightly coloured with paintings on. 

After lunch, we did some chalk carving. Then we smoothed the side of a lump of chalk with a flint. We then rubbed on dandelions to make a yellow paint, scrunched up leaves to make green and charcoal to make black. Finally, we carved a picture or pattern into the chalk.

It was a sunny, fun and exciting day and we learnt lots about Roman Britain.

By Charlotte L, Douglas S and Elizabeth S

Year 1 trip to Wakehurst Place

On Thursday 4 May Year 1 went to Wakehurst Place to learn about the rainforest. We started by doing a workshop. The children discussed the layers of the forest, then investigated spices found in the forest, where they ground the spices and smelt what they smell like. They investigated pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, clover and cinnamon. They also looked at different fruits from the rainforest, such as coconut, pineapple, mango, banana, avocado, passion fruit and papaya, they looked at the different materials found in the rainforest such as bamboo, coconut and rubber, finally they looked at plants that would grow in the forest they studied cheese plant, Prayer plant, rubber plant and begonia. William and Jenson enjoyed grating the nutmeg. Maddie liked the ginger. Everyone enjoyed the vanilla. The children were very excited to learn you could make socks from bamboo.

Then the children were investigators and got to use a spray bottle to see what happens to water on waxy leaves. They discovered that the leaves had a drip tip to allow the water to drip off.

After lunch, we were plant explorers where we explored different parts of plant and looked for plants native to where we live. The children were given an information pack in an explorer backpack, they had to use their tools to identify 5 different trees.

Miss Walpole

Even in a shorter than normal week, the department has managed to cram in numerous matches, three trips, a pupil-led talk and - of course - our Coronation celebrations. Congratulations to all pupils who have represented the School this week, home or away, in competitive fixtures; the sight of cricket whites on Front Pitch signals summer must soon be on its way. I enjoyed accompanying Year 4 to Milestones Museum to learn more about the Victorians on Tuesday, and I know children in Years 3 and 1 found their respective trips to Butser Ancient Farm and Wakehurst Place just as historically fascinating. 

On the theme of history, pupils in Years 2 to 6 were treated to a talk from Alexander I and Arthur S on the Great Fire of London. The boys spoke with a calm confidence about what they had researched, and were impressively able to answer the audience's questions when put on the spot. I am sure the talk will have 'fired' Year 2's imaginations and knowledge further, as they continue to study how this important event was documented in Samuel Pepys' diary. Lastly, all pupils had the chance to celebrate being part of history in the making, as lessons centred around the Coronation theme today. Congratulations to Lottie F in Year 1 and Holly B in Year 6 whose "The Day I became King" poems won our competition. I am looking forward to seeing some of the portraits the children have drawn of King Charles III, too - watch this space in next weeks' Bulletin.

Values Certificates Awarded This Week:

Violet W

Reading Certificates Awarded This Week:

Silver Reading Award - Lois M

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Oliver a for his good manners, good listening and enthusiastic and helpful attitude.

Humphrey G for displaying focus and motivation in class and dance in particular. Good manners and reflective thought.

Reception: Ottilie H for focussed effort in phonics, amazing reading and always being helpful!  A true star!

Annabelle R for focussed effort in phonics, amazing reading and always being helpful!  A true star!

Year 1: William C for his amazing focus and determination whilst drawing his poison dart frog in art.

Year 2: Finn H for always giving his best and making valuable contributions in class 

Mr Wright

House Music Showcase

Last Friday saw the first concert of the term with our annual House Music Finalists showcase taking place in the PA Hall. This concert is a lovely chance for parents to witness the performances their children gave last term to the whole school and visiting music judge Isaac Stuart on House Music Finals day. 

It was a relaxed and intimate evening, with wonderful performances from all involved, and as a teacher it was lovely to watch the pupils relax a little as they performed, as they are freed from the pressure of playing to an entire school full of their friends, peers and other years! Congratulations to all who participated and of course a thank you to parents for coming along. A video of this evening will be available to see shortly.

Drama

It is the House Drama competition this term and more information about this will soon be released by Mrs Honey. Keep an eye on the emails and the House classroom. 

Our LAMDA pupils are working hard in preparation for their exams towards the end of this term, as well as getting ready for our two LAMDA showcases, which are on Monday 15th for Years 7 and 8 and Thursday 18th May for Years 9-11. These start at 6.60pm in the PA Hall and all are welcome to these two excellent dramatic evenings!

Pupil Success

Mr Rye

War Through Children's Eyes Creative Competition (Ages 7-17)

WAR THROUGH CHILDREN’S EYES is a creative competition open to all children resident in the UK and aged between 7 and 17. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the impact of wars and violent conflicts on the communities caught up in them, and particularly on the most vulnerable members of those communities: their children. There are several prizes for both the Art and Writing sections of this competition. For more information and to enter visit:

https://www.warthroughchildrenseyes.org.uk/

Deadline for entries is 15th May

ISA Band Competition

The Band Competition is a chance for bands, groups and ensembles from ISA Members' schools to show off their musical talents. All musical styles are welcome. The competition is open to key stages 1-5. Entires close on 24th May 2023. For more information visit:

https://www.isaschools.org.uk/arts/music/band-competition.html

Mr Wyllie

Girls' Cricket: U13 A v. Box Hill School

At last, a sunny Wednesday afternoon! Everyone was excited to spend an afternoon in the sunshine playing cricket, little did we know that a thriller of a match was about to unfold! The U12/13 A team had won their match last week and so were going into their match against Box Hill with some confidence, however, due to bank holiday Monday we hadn't had time to practice since last Wednesday. Captain Edie H elected for Duke of Kent School to bowl first. Box Hill came out strong with some fantastic striking but the U13 A fielded with confidence and without too many mistakes on the boundaries. They managed to get 6 wickets within the first 10 overs with some excellent catches being taken. Box Hill really got into their stride with their last two pairings hitting multiple 4s and 6s. The U13 A team kept their heads and bowled with consistency and accuracy to avoid giving away many wides and no balls. Box Hill scored 269 runs (starting on 100 for pairs cricket) so it was a tough score to beat. The U13 A team were steady throughout their innings and only lost 3 wickets in total. Our highest scoring batters were Emily N, Clara H-S and Alice B, all scoring multiple boundaries for the team. With just 4 overs left to play, the U13 A team needed 31 runs to win. Francesca R and Alice B calmly batted their overs and managed to score 15 runs in the final over to win it for the U13 A team with a score of 283 runs! What an epic game of cricket, well done to all the girls involved. 

Miss Vickers

Girls' Cricket: U12/13 B v. Box Hill School

On Wednesday the U12/13 B team played Box Hill School at home. It was the girls first time this season enjoying cricket as it should be, in the glorious sunshine! Lucy P (Captain) managed to win the toss, and we started the match fielding. The teams bowling was good, and they worked hard in the field to back one another up and communicate, something we spoke about before the match after their match last week. The team took four wickets including a superb catch from Annie B! Next the girls were into bat chasing 329 runs. Eva P R had an exceptional innings scoring three 6s and two 4's along with Issy N who scored five 4's. The team took well-timed risks and used a variety of different shots which led to a brilliant total of 406, a really brilliant win! Well done everyone what a great second match of the season.

Mrs Woolgar

Boys' Cricket: U10/11 v. Cottesmore

The U10/11 A team travelled to Cottesmore on a lovely day for some cricket, Duke of Kent School lost the toss and were put into bat. The team struggled throughout with some very good bowling from Cottesmore, Alfie H came in and hit a great shot for 6 runs as the highlight of the innings. The teams switched over with Duke of Kent School needing a really good bowling innings, and it started well with some good bowling from Harry L and Rommy B. Cottesmore batted with Duke of Kent School struggling to take wickets. Well played to everyone involved. 

Mr Orme 

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Wizz

Recently rising in popularity amongst children and young people, Wizz is a social networking app that allows users to chat live with people from around the world. In similar fashion to a dating app, it facilitates conversations with people that users would not ordinarily meet, but of course, making connections with individuals online brings its own self-evident potential safety issues. 

While Wizz makes use of face recognition technology to assess users’ ages and group them by age group, the software is far from perfect, and there is no guarantee that some individuals won’t attempt to exploit the app for sinister purposes. Our guide examines Wizz in detail, identifying pitfalls that parents and caregivers should be aware of.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks, such as catfishing, explicit content, and "sextortion," and examine how trusted adults can help young people avoid these possible threats.

Click on the link to find out more information about "What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Wizz".

Also, Internet Matters is a great website that can help you deal with online issues, give you advice for different age groups, and give you step-by-step guides for setting controls for different devices.

Mr Boden

This week has presented its own unique challenges for staff and pupils in respect to changes in plan and routine. Pupils will no doubt have enjoyed today’s festivities and the excitement of leaving school early on Tuesday. For some, these sudden changes in routine can be difficult to process and be a cause for anxiety.

I know from my interactions with pupils that the impending Summer exams are also creating concern for pupils, and it is important they are able to consider both how to recognise their own anxiety and how best to manage it. It is not always to avoid the thing that is making us anxious but to consider why it is creating that response.

Mental Health Awareness Week, which we will celebrate in school from the 15th-19th of May, is based on the theme of anxiety this year. Pupils will have the opportunity to listen to advice on managing their own anxiety as well as some techniques and activities to support them.

In the meantime, the following advice sheet offers some helpful tips in managing what is a normal, but sometimes difficult to manage, emotion. You may like to share with your children.

https://www.place2be.org.uk/media/j3mhztt1/place2be-tipsheet-coping-with-anxiety.pdf

Mrs Douglas

This week we have been notified of a case of Chicken Pox in Pre-prep.  For more information, please see the link below.  Pupils with Chicken Pox need to stay away from school or Nursery until all the spots have formed a scab. This is usually around 5 days after the spots first appeared. Please find more information below:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/

Please can Year 4 parents let Mrs Sarjant (csarjant@dokschool.org) know as soon as possible of any last minute health changes re: pupils attending the Isle of Wight Trip next week (new diagnoses, medications etc).  Any trip medications that can be delivered early for packing in the first aid bag, should be handed in at the front office on Tuesday morning.  Miss Vickers will lead first aid and medications for this trip and will be in touch with parents if any concerns arise.  Any pupils needing travel nausea medication for the outward journey on Wednesday should please take it at home before school to prevent any delays in departure.  We hope the pupils have a great adventure, and can't wait to hear all about it!

Please can Mrs Sarjant have the last remaining Rwanda and Swanage trip medical forms as soon as possible, so she can complete the necessary planning.  For pupils attending the Geography Swanage trip who are also attending the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Expedition in July, please be aware that Mrs Sarjant will work from the Swanage medical forms rather than ask for an additional set of paperwork.  Any pupils attending the Silver DofE Expedition who are not going to Swanage will be sent out a medical form imminently - please can these be completed and returned as soon as possible.

Have a wonderful Coronation weekend, whatever the weather!

The School Nurses

PADoK News

PADoK Summer Event - Saturday 17^th June 

PARTY IN THE PADoK featuring The Accidentals

· Summer party

· Festival feel

· Complimentary glass of Pimms

· Hog Roast with vegetarian option & a choice of salads

· Strawberries & cream

· Music to entertain you early in the evening

· Later dance the night away to The Accidentals

· Dress: Festival Feel, glitter a plenty please

· Prize for the best festival look. 

· Dancing shoes or wellies a must!

· Cashless bar 

· All for only £35 a ticket

Book you tickets at padok@dokschool.org with your child’s name and year group and any dietary requirements please.

Cancellation by 1^st June 2023

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursdays 08.20 – 09.00am

What a fantastic way to start the day, another great session of laughing and singing with Mr Rye in the PA Hall this morning. A furiously fast warm up, counting and singing in rounds, followed by getting down to the nitty gritty of our song, ‘Brave’ by Sara Bareilles. We had a lot of fun working on timing, phrasing and using volume to convey the emotion and strength of the lyrics. As one of our lovely singers said, it was thoroughly uplifting! Thank you all so much for coming, looking forward to next week already!

Everyone is welcome, join at any time, for a sing song and a good laugh. Without doubt there’s a singer inside of us all!

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

We have some exciting news to share with you! Our core control group is back and stronger than ever! We had some new joiners this week who were eager to get started to resolve back pain issues and some old-timers who are getting refreshed on the foundations of our core muscle group exercises.

We know how busy life can get, so we've made sure to keep things simple and efficient. We've limited the number of exercises we do to ensure that everyone can practice them at home with ease. That way, you can continue to strengthen your core even when you're not in class!

But don't worry, we haven't sacrificed any of the intensity or fun that makes our core control group so great! We've got a ton of exciting exercises planned for next week that will have your abs burning and your core feeling stronger than ever before!

So if you're looking to take your fitness to the next level, come join us at our core control group! We promise you won't regret it!

We would love to see you on a Friday morning 0830-0900 for a quick weekly input!

PADoK Walk

The next walk will be on Friday 12^th May, 08.30 Car Park 3, Pitch Hill.

We had a great walk on Friday, lots of dogs and a few parents!  It is a very friendly walk and a good way to meet parents from across the year groups. On Wednesday we had a smaller number, but lovely walk around Pitch Hill.

Everyone welcome.

PADoK Book Club

We are currently voting on a book title so details will come out of the chosen book soon.

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