The Senior School Summer Concert

On a balmy Friday evening the PA Hall was once again alive with the sound of music as our Senior musicians showcased some of their wonderful talents in our Summer Concert.

There were some lovely performances on display, with our two Senior Choirs, the Big Band and various school bands all providing superb entertainment. Alongside the bigger groups were some mesmerising solos and duets - as always the pupils supported each other superbly and it was delightful to witness how they enjoyed and celebrated each other's performances.

Our Prep Musicians will be performing next Thursday morning so no doubt this will also be a lovely event!

Mr Rye

UKMT

Congratulations to pupils in Years 7 and 8 who recently took part in the UKMT Junior Challenge.  Gold certificates were awarded to Ben O, Year 7 (highest score in the school and qualified for follow on round), Wilfred K (highest in Year 8), Edie H and Alex W. Nine pupils also received Silver certificates and seventeen a Bronze.  A fantastic set of results, well done everyone.

Mrs Coackley

The Year 10  Geography Field Trip

The Geography Field-trip was a huge success this year. The pupils were focused and determined right from the off as we entered the centre of Southampton and set about collecting data in an effort to answer our enquiry 'Is Southampton an environmentally sustainable city?'. Questionnaires were completed bravely, traffic counts recorded accurately and an environmental quality assessment was also completed. After a fruitful morning, we drove on to the New Forest for a picnic lunch in the sunshine. In the afternoon we walked from our hostel to Lulworth Cove. The pupils were full of energy and positivity, and an ice cream was enjoyed! We then had the time to amble further along the coastal path, or rather, up it I should say! A steep walk took us to Durdle Door, a wonderful example of a headland arch. The following day we travelled to Swanage on foot from Studland Bay, and were once again very lucky with the weather! We completed our data gathering in an attempt to answer the physical enquiry question: 'Are the coastal defence strategies in Swanage effective?'. After a hearty lunch of fish and chips, we travelled back to school. Your children were delightful and great company. It was a hugely enjoyable trip.

Mr Allen

Year 11 Leavers' Concert and Dinner

On Monday evening, our Year 11s and their parents, all dressed in their finery, headed up the drive for one of their last times. After family photos outside the school, everyone headed into the PA Hall for a farewell concert where Maddie, Oliver, Harley, Alex and Izzy serenaded us with music of the highest order. It was then out to the South Bank for drinks and canapés and then into a transformed Dining Room (thank you Mrs Hopwood) for a delicious meal (thank you, Mr Hanvey and team) and speeches.

The evening had a lovely balance of formality and ease which reflected the maturity and fun the Year 11s have shown throughout their time at Duke of Kent School. We wish the students all the best on their Paris trip next week and we will see them on Parents' Day to raise one more glass to a tremendous year group. 

Mr Southee

Click here to view the Photo Gallery

Years 8 and 9 Production of Skellig

On Wednesday and Thursday the Performing Arts Hall was transformed into a traverse theatre space representing a derelict garage, a family home, a bus, a school, a mysterious attic and a garden filled with the sounds of birdsong. From the moment the audience entered the space they were immersed into the world of Skellig, an Angel trapped on earth in a garage at the end of the garden. The play explored family, love, and redemption using the backdrop of a family’s fear of losing a child. 

The cast and crew were wonderful and performed with emotional honesty and a real commitment to tell the story truthfully. Their response when dealing with a sensitive and complex plot showed real maturity beyond their years. They produced a professional and impressive captivating performance. This was possible due to their enthusiasm in rehearsals and love of being creative, for which they should be very proud. One of the catch cries in the story is "extraordinary," and this adjective is especially applicable to the cast and crew, a true ensemble in every way. Thank you so much to Lisa Lee, Mrs Punter and Mr Rye for their wonderful creativity in helping make this production so multi layered and beautiful. 

Mrs Honey

Year 6 trip to Legoland

Year 6 pupils embarked on an exciting trip to Legoland, immersing themselves in both a forces and robotics workshop. They delved into the mechanics behind rollercoaster rides, witnessing the application of forces and robotics firsthand. Through engaging experiments, they grasped the concepts of gravity, acceleration, and friction.

The real thrill, however, came when they took to the rollercoasters themselves, feeling the forces at play during exhilarating twists and turns. This experience deepened their understanding of how forces and robotics shape the ride's dynamics. With newfound appreciation, they left Legoland with a blend of excitement and knowledge, inspired to explore the wonders of science and technology further.

Mr Boden

Year 5 trip to Blacklands Farm

On Tuesday we had an amazing experience at Blacklands farm. When we arrived we had a snack and set off for an incredible day. First we started with archery. Two instructors talked us through how to do it. After that we were split into two groups for the day. Both groups had a practice of how to shoot, then we played a few games to test our skills! When we got to the low ropes course we put our helmets on and walked through the course so we knew where to go. Then we got started battling with the obstacle course in our teams. It was very challenging but great fun! Our group played another game where everyone was in a team and you had to be silent and if someone fell off the whole team would have to restart. Which was very fun, we tried doing it three times but someone fell off each time then we started from further on and we managed to finish that. Our final activity for the day was the climbing wall. We took turns climbing the walls while the other people in our group would belay them The first wall was slanted a bit, but some of the handholds would spin which made it harder. The second climbing wall was just flat up but had no spinning hand holds. We think the second wall was harder because it was straight up and not slanted. After that it was time to head back to school!

Mr Gritton

Years 3 and 4 trip to The Gilbert White Field Studies Centre

On Tuesday, Years 3 and 4 went to The Gilbert White Field Studies Centre. We learnt all about Captain Scott's expedition to Antarctica and were able to look at, and even touch, some of the exhibits from the famous trip. It was a really fascinating morning filled with interesting activities. 

In the afternoon, we practised orienteering skills in the grounds of the house. We learnt how to use semaphore flags to signal messages, enjoyed a fun scavenger hunt and also learnt how to use a compass. Year 3 and 4 all really enjoyed the trip and learnt a lot. We would definitely like to go back!

Layla B and Oliver T

Year 3 Camp

Last Friday, Year 3 enjoyed their long-awaited camping event. The evening began with a woodland game and a scavenger hunt around the woods.  After tea, we sang songs around the campfire (admirably competing with the summer concert up the hill) while enjoying toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate. Then, armed with torches, we head off up Pitch Hill for a moonlit walk under a beautiful, clear and starry sky.  When we got back nobody seemed in the slightest bit ready for sleep so instead, we introduced our teddies to each other and read a story. Then, we brushed teeth and snuggled down in our sleeping bags for the night while listening to the nighttime chorus of owls and other nocturnal wildlife.  

Mrs Nicholson

Year 1 Assembly

On Thursday 29th June, Year 1 performed their first assembly. We began the assembly with Harry S playing his guitar and Sienna playing her cello, they both performed with amazing confidence. 

The class then went on to perform ‘The Gingerbread Man’ with Sienna playing a very energetic gingerbread man and Josh playing the sly fox. All of the children learnt their lines well and the play was a huge success. The children all spoke in a clear loud voice and sang very well. The parents rewarded the children with an amazing round of applause. I was so proud of every one of them, well done Year 1! 

Miss Walpole

The Prep School celebrated 'Outdoor Learning Day' last Friday, with classes heading out into the great outdoors for many of their lessons. Year 5 took their History learning onto the pitches, discovering a game called Pok Ta Pok, which was created and played by the Mayan civilisation they've been studying this term. Pre-prep were in the woods for their usual Forest School afternoon, practising forest bathing to absorb the peace of their surroundings, observe nature's beauty and develop mindfulness - and they were remarkably calm and disciplined at it too, in complete silence for almost 10 minutes! Year 6 were becoming more theatrical in their assembly preparations, which they took outside, in order to work on their volume; whether this was successful will be decided in next week's Final Assembly. In the coming year, we have exciting plans to further pupils' use of our phenomenal setting as a basis for their learning - more on this in September!

Congratulations to Year 1 on the most superb assembly, retelling the story of the Gingerbread Man with charm, humour and no little confidence. Just fabulous! This week brought not one but two assemblies, as we also heard from Katie Brill, who taught the Prep pupils how to stay safe around dogs. Helped by her lovely Nala, she underlined the dos and don'ts when approaching unfamiliar dogs, and signs to look out for to know to tell us how they might be feeling. We will run this assembly for Pre-prep children too next year. Lastly, a huge thank you to Mrs Froggatt, who gave all Prep and Pre-pre pupils a fascinating insight into the life of a paramedic and the inner workings of an ambulance. Inspiring stuff! 

Values Certificates:

Mille W, Ben Wr & Jasmine W for Effort

Rowan B for Kindness

Alexander I for Honesty 

Aloud and Proud:

Millie W and Seren G

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Humphrey G for a brilliant attitude to learning throughout the day.

 Lucas P for applying himself to work with focus, imagination and perseverance.

Reception: Gracie B for great independent writing, incorporating lots of ‘tricky words’ and good grammar too!

Year 1: Olivia P for her willingness to have a go at swimming and her lonely narration in our assembly.

Sienna D-P for her amazing performance of the Gingerbread Man in the Year One assembly

Year 2: Florence H for her dedication and focus during lessons and her creative and imaginative story writing.

Angus D for excellent focus and effort during lessons but specifically in his independent writing task this week.

Mr Wright

The finals for the Prep School chess competitions took place recently. Congratulations to George S, who won the Beginners competition, but a special mention must go to Alexander I, who pushed him in a tight match! Arthur H won the final for the Advanced competition, beating Henry O’B in a competitive game. However, Hawk won the competition overall because they supplied two of the four finalists! A big well done to all of the pupils who entered the Photography competitions. Every single photo was very impressive ( you can use a selection below), and everyone entered three House points for their efforts. The results from the latest House Quiz have also been decided, with Buzzard and Kestrel winning the Prep and Senior quizzes, respectively. They proved that they are fluent in emoji! 

With one week to go, the competition is very tight! Buzzard has managed to extend their lead over second place, which is now Kestrel! Hawk are not out of the fight yet as Kestrel has a narrow lead and Peregrine’s recent haul of Senior Commmednations gives them a good chance to jump into 3rd as well!  There are still results to be announced from the Prep School Table Tennis, Photography competitions, Sports Day and several other sports competitions so many House points are up for grabs! On top of all the House points, the pupils will earn rewards like stars and commendations. The final few days of this year’s competition will be as dramatic as ever! 

You can use the link to open the Google Site for Duke of Kent School House System to see upcoming events and the latest scores!

https://sites.google.com/dokschool.org/dokhousesystem/home

Mr Gritton

Rounders: U14/15 v. Belmont

On Tuesday afternoon, a group of Year 10 girls could barely contain their excitement for their first (and only!) rounders match of the year! We welcomed Belmont School U14/15 team and after a warm up and some practice, both teams were ready to go! Duke of Kent School got off to a great start in the field with catches left, right and centre from Alex K, Ella S and Fleur S! Considering how little rounders the girls have played this year, it was impressive to see their fielding tactics come straight into play! After 30 good balls, it was the U15 team turn to bat, with some great connections there were plenty of half and full rounders on show with Ava W and Esme P hitting some great shots into the spaces. Throughout the 2nd innings, the girls maintained their high tempo and concentration when fielding and batted with freedom. Frankie M on 2nd post linked very well with Annabelle R and Eva L who both had a spell at bowling and Abi W fielded brilliantly. It was a wonderful way to finish matches this year with a fantastic win. Most importantly, it was brilliant to see the girls having fun! A huge well done to everyone involved for a lovely afternoon of rounders.

Miss Vickers

Rounders: U13 v. Belmont

On Wednesday, the Year 8 girls headed into the sun for a game of rounders against Belmont. Having such a successful term of cricket, a few rule reminders were definitely needed for everyone! However, the girls settled in quickly, and Issy F chose to field first after winning the toss. Edie H's bowling was consistent throughout both innings, making it difficult for Belmont to hit the ball effectively. Belmont did have some strong batters, however Issy F and Alice B formed a brilliant partnership out in deep, accurately throwing the ball back to Tildy C at second post and Emily N at 4th post, to minimise their rounders. Alice B also made a couple of great catches to get their batters out. Rose S played an important role in picking up any hits that had strayed left, and Mercy M worked tirelessly at backstop, forming a great partnership with Edie H to reduce their score. Iona H and Eva PR, at 1st and 3rd post respectively were consistent in their catches to help reduce the runs further. 

In our first innings at batting, we were bold and took risks, which sometimes paid off, however Belmont were also very quick at passing the ball to 1st and 2nd post, which caught a number of our batters out. However, Alice B hit some clever balls using her backhand to score several rounders, and Rose S and Emily showed strength with some great hits out deep.  After the first innings, we were up 9 runs to Belmont's 6.

The second innings saw Belmont settle in more with their batting and hit more consistently, however with the introduction of Annie B and Lucy P at 1st and 3rd post respectively, their fresh eyes and legs helped us to stop some certain rounders and get three of their players out. They finished their batting with a total of 14 rounders, leaving us needing 6 to win. Thankfully, we got some quick rounders at the start of our innings to build on our total, as Belmont ended up getting us all out before the final ball! The game ended 18 - 14 to us, which reflected on the close game that it was, and it was lovely to finish the year's fixtures with an exciting but friendly match. 

Mrs Vermeulen

Rounders: U12 v. Belmont

On Wednesday the Year 7 girls had their first rounders match against Belmont School. It was a great afternoon with some great rounders being played. We were up to field first and the girls worked together well to prevent rounders being scored, often getting the ball to second base quickly. Belmont ended the first innings on 4 ½ rounder and it was our turn to bat. We started strong with a rounder being scored on our first batter! Batting was great and the girls were good at working together to score rounders and prevent them running each other out. We ended the innings on 8 rounders, so a strong lead! Time for the second innings and Belmont came out stronger and ended the innings on 11 rounders. Our time to bat and we were doing well consistently scoring rounders and half rounders. We ended the innings on 13 rounders and took the win! The girls had a great afternoon and really enjoyed their rounders match!

Miss Arnold

Girls' Cricket: U10/11 v. Cottesmore

On Wednesday afternoon, the U10/11 A team travelled to Cottesmore for their final cricket match of the year. The girls were excited to start the match with Lola C and Holly B out to bat first. They worked well as a pair and got into their batting with 3 boundaries, including the only six of the game, in their final over! Grace M and Norah H continued the high quality batting with lots of boundaries and some really good singles too. The batting continued to tick along nicely and the U10/11 A team ended on 183 runs (starting at 100 for pairs cricket). The girls were happy with the score but knew they would need to stay alert in the field and bowl with accuracy to give themselves a chance of winning the game. Cottesmore started slowly and the U10/11 A team took some early wickets. Jas W, Bea T-R and Halle S bowled particularly well with much improved bowling actions. Cottesmore got into their stride and at the end of 12 overs, the teams were very close with just 2 runs between them. Duke of Kent School fielded brilliantly with Ruby W stopping a boundary at a crucial moment in the game and managed to win the game by 15 runs! What a thriller of a game and a huge well done to all the girls involved! 

Miss Vickers

Boys' Senior School House Cricket

On Tuesday, the third and fourth playoff was played between Kestrel and Hawk. Kestrel were batting first and had a tough start with Hawk picking up an early wicket, Kestrel were then able to build a strong partnership between Moxon K and Josh W-D. This led to kestrel finishing their innings on a score of 112. It was Hawk's turn to bat, with a good opening partnership between Zac L and Matt A, Zac L ended up retiring on 35. Kestrel were able to get back into the game with some good bowling leading to it coming down to 4 runs to win or 1 wicket to win with 2 overs left. At this stage of the game Zac L had just come back in and hit a cracking shot for 4 runs to win his team the game in style. Well played to everyone involved and congratulations to Hawk on finishing third. 

Mr Orme 

Boys' Cricket: U12/13 v. Handcross Park

A wonderful show of resilience and determination was shown by the Duke of Kent School pupils in what was a very strong opposition in Handcross Park School. A steely grit and determination was shown to make great cover drives by Bob P, George S, Tom S and Jack M. Out in the field a big shout out goes to captain for the day, Ollie C, who not only offered constant encouragement to his teammates, but also took more than one good catch. Congratulations to our boys!

Mr Allen

Boys' Cricket: U10/11 v. Handcross Park

This Wednesday, the U10/11 A team played their final hard ball cricket match of the season. Handcross Park won the toss and decided to bat first, Handcross Park started well and continued to play good shots throughout the innings. Henry O was the stand out bowler for Duke of Kent School, with some really good consistent accuracy. It was Duke of Kent School's turn to bat and the innings started slow and gained momentum throughout, with a good partnership between Henry S and Hubert S, and then some good powerful hitting from Alfie H to finish off the inning. Well played to everyone involved and a good last match of the season. 

Mr Orme 

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about AI Virtual Friends

Artificial intelligence is probably the hot topic in technology circles right now, with questions being raised worldwide about how AI might conceivably affect the very future of the human race. In the short term, however – definitely as far as its impact on young people is concerned – the clearest risk is almost certainly the AI-powered ‘virtual friends’ which are springing up all over the internet.

There’s Replika and Kuki, for instance, while Snapchat has recently got in on the act with My AI – and search engines like Bing and Google have developed their own versions. Are these machine intelligences suitable online companions for young people? What are their limitations and weak spots? Our guide profiles the emergence of AI ‘virtual friends’.

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

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

Congratulations to all those who competed in the Sports Day and good luck to the Pre-prep who will be taking part next Tuesday. For some the uncertainty and change in routine when events are postponed, or there is a possibility they will be, can be difficult to bear.

For parents, pupils and not least our PE Department, having to make a decision at the very last minute can be quite unsettling. Not least because of the responsibility of considering the impact on others.

Many of us rely on plans and routines to regulate a sense of control in what is happening in our lives and sitting with uncertainty can be extremely unsettling - I know that for some of the pupils yesterday, this was hard. However, the realisation and acceptance that not everything is within our control (particularly the English weather), is so beneficial to building resilience.

When we aim to control so many of the elements of our lives, we are invariably disappointed - as life does not always go to plan - and so we have to learn not to worry about the elements of life outside of our control.

We can’t control the weather but we may be able to control how we allow the weather to affect us - remembering it is as changeable as our moods is a good starting point.

The Circles of Control is an exercise I have used often with pupils and it is designed to promote the focus on oneself; behaviour, words, actions and not to worry about what is outside of our circle of control; others’ actions/words, world events, the weather…..

It can be helpful in order to avoid overwhelming ourselves with a focus on things we can’t change. We can control very little except ourselves, we may have influence over some things like decisions to be made by others, but there is an awful lot we have no control over at all. Once we can accept that, the reality of the uncertainties in life can be easier to bear.

Those wanting to know more about this psychoeducative resource, please click here https://mentalhealthcenterkids.com/blogs/articles/what-is-the-circle-of-control

Mrs Douglas

Please can we remind parents that pupils are not allowed to carry medication on their person at school unless with prior authorisation from the medical room team (pupils with a prescribed inhaler or adrenaline pen should always carry these).  Prep or Senior School pupils in need of pain relief for any reason are very welcome to attend the Medical Room at break time where we have a plentiful supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen; so there is no need to send in your own supply. Pre-prep staff can notify the School nurses if a Pre-prep child may need access to calpol etc.

As usual when we had towards the end of a busy term, levels of pupil illness are on the increase as fatigue sets in.  We have a few pupils with fevers and cold like symptoms, and also some cases of vomiting and/or diarrhoea.  Pupils should not attend school if their temperature is 37.8 or higher.  Similarly, pupils who have had vomiting or diarrhoea symptoms should stay at home for 48 hours after the last episode.

Looking ahead to the future, from tomorrow, the annual medical form for the academic year 2023/2024 will be available for parents to access on the Parent Portal (go to "Interactive" and "Electronic Forms").  I do not require a form for all pupils, however, if the following applies, then it would be really valuable to have a medical update for the new school year in September:

• Your child is new to Duke of Kent School in September (essential)
• Your child is in Pre-prep and you have not completed an update since they joined Duke of Kent School
• Your child has a significant medical condition including asthma, allergies, epilepsy, diabetes etc
• Your child has not attended a residential trip this year

Similarly, any health events/medical updates regarding your child during the summer would be much appreciated, to keep us in the loop at school.  Please email Mrs Sarjant csarjant@dokschool.org - she will check emails periodically throughout the summer holidays in order to keep medical records current.  Thank you for your help with this.

Have a lovely weekend - one week to go!

The School Nurses

PADoK News

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Booking is required for the July and August opening times 

We will be open on Wednesday 5^th July from 3 to 5pm.  You will need to book a slot please via emma.lowe74@sky.com.

Summer Dates are:

Tuesday 22^nd August 9.30am to 12.30pm

Tuesday 29^th August 1.30pm to 4.40pm

Please book your slot through emma.lowe74@sky.com

We are also low on PE kit so if you have any that you plan to hand in please do leave it in the box outside the shop.  Thank you.

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursdays 08.20 – 09.00am

A shorter session this week for a fun a sing a long and a play with some simple harmonies. Just enough to make the soul feel a little lighter. A huge thank you to Mr Rye, it's amazing how he always find the time and energy for us with everything else going on!

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.

Please feel free to contact me directly if you are interested or have any queries rhodricathy@sky.com

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

Last Friday we focused on the plank, abs and then inverted bicycling to help relieve shoulder and upper traps tension. Working the muscles against gravity in a different way always adds a challenge. 

We followed this up with a run up pitch hill at a “nobody left behind” pace.  Come join us this week for our final session before the summer holidays!

PADoK Walk

Friday 16^th June and Wednesday 21st^th June.  We have fitted in two walks since the last bulletin, both were fun and enjoyable.  It is always a great opportunity to meet other parents in the school community in a very relaxed setting.

Next walk: Friday 30^th June – 08.30 at Car Park 3 Pitch Hill.  Everyone welcome.

PADoK Book Club  – The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce

We will be meeting up at the Hurtwood Inn in Peaslake hurtwoodinn.com on Thursday, 6^th July at 8pm to catch up on our most recent book club read “The Music Shop” by Rachel Joyce.  We would love it if you could join us to share our views about the book and if you cannot make it, please send in your thoughts on the book to Mrs Newman on her email claire@bluetreerecruits.co.uk but we hope to see you there!

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