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A Message from Mrs Knox
 Today we acknowledged Harvest Festival in our assembly. It gave us the chance to reflect on the importance of harvest and give thanks for our own good fortune. Our assembly was led by parent Claire Oxborough, who shared a super message reflecting on the difference between what we want and what we actually need. Year 6 House Captains led us beautifully in prayer and the whole School joined together to sing a Harvest Samba. Thank you so much for all of the kind donations which have made their way to the Cranleigh Food Bank today. Your generosity has been overwhelming, and I know the Food Bank will be extremely grateful.
As our last week approaches (hasn’t this half term gone past quickly!) I would like to wish our teachers and pupils heading off on their educational visit to Rwanda next Wednesday a special time of discovery and wonder. We look forward to hearing their stories after half term. Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs Knox
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The School Menu for Next Week
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Stretch and Challenge and Careers Talk
 On Monday morning we held our first Stretch and Challenge and Careers talk of the academic year. Our guest, Dr Sam Knox (Mrs Knox's son), joined us remotely to provide a captivating glimpse into his journey from a passion for science to a thriving career in engineering, including a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering and his current work on designing unmanned drones.
This session was met with overwhelming enthusiasm: we had a record number of attendees, with well over 80 pupils joining us for this enlightening talk. Sam shared how his love for science initially sparked and evolved as he progressed through school and further education. We had the privilege of learning about his decision to pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, driven by his passion for flying.
During the talk, Sam delved into his current role, which is intricately involved in the design of aircraft and unmanned drones: a subject matter closely related to his Ph.D. studies. It was truly fascinating to explore ideas and concepts that may seem futuristic, but are rapidly becoming an integral and commonplace part of our daily lives.
 Sam's talk left a profound impact, inspiring numerous questions from our pupils at the end. We extend our heartfelt thanks to him for dedicating his time and effort to deliver such an inspiring message to our pupils. Moreover, he expertly explained complex topics in a way that was easy to understand, enhancing the learning experience for all.
We are looking forward to our next Stretch and Challenge and Careers talk scheduled for Monday 6th November. Our guest speaker, Chloe Williams-Thomas from Finite Designs in Godalming, will visit the school to share her insights as a senior structural engineer. This promises to be another enriching and enlightening session, which any interested senior school pupils are welcome to attend.
Mr Wyllie
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An Evening with Yomi Sode
 On Wednesday evening, a dedicated group of Year 11 pupils attended a memorable literary event at Cranleigh School. Award-winning poet, Yomi Sode performed a selection of poetry from his new collection ‘Manorisms’. The poems were full of his feelings and thoughts on contemporary and relevant issues, ranging from police brutality, to the difficulty of dealing with loss as a young black man. Sode performed with such energy and passion, he had all of us engaged from start to finish: you could hear a pin drop after every reading!
We were also lucky enough to hear Sode explain his process and inspiration in a really interesting Q&A. Dan M even got to ask a question about when he started writing poetry. Hopefully, this enlightening and engaging evening will encourage our budding poetry enthusiasts to keep expressing themselves too. Thank you to all pupils for their exemplary conduct, and to Mrs Punter and Miss Allsop for their attendance and support.
Mrs Southee
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Drama GCSE Theatre Trip
On Wednesday last week, Year 10 GCSE Drama visited the Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford to see Willy Russel’s 1980’s classic ‘Blood Brothers’. Set in Liverpool in post-war 1960s Britain, Blood Brothers tells the tale of Mrs Johnstone, a poor young Liverpudlian mother who, on learning that she is pregnant with twins, signs a pact with her employer, the barren Mrs Lyons, to give her one of the newborn babies.
The boys grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. The characters go from childish innocence to men facing the realities of life in the early 1980’s recession. The show had the narrative of a Greek tragedy but was also boisterous and funny.
 As the new set text for GCSE it was a perfect opportunity for the students to see the play brought from the page to the stage in preparation for their written exam paper. They were enthralled, shocked and tearful by the end of the play. It has generated many discussions this week, including thoughts on the actors' performances, but also left them to consider the playwright's intentions: ‘that society is inherently unfair because your life opportunities are determined by your class’.
Once again, many thanks to Mrs Punter and Mr Forrester for all their help on the day.
Mrs Honey
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Year 5 Trip to Winchester Science Centre
 On Thursday, Year 5 pupils headed to Winchester Science Centre for the day. Our visit began with a workshop entitled Heart Heroes. To complement some of the learning we have been doing in our science lessons this term, we took part in three different activities about the body. We used aprons to position velcro organs, used iPads to take a virtual tour of key internal systems, measured our peak flow and looked for correlations in our data and touched some real-life animal hearts! Pupils were encouraged to explore the hearts, seeing the chambers we had learnt about in lessons and, for those brave enough, even poking our little finger through some arteries!
 After a trip to the gift shop and some lunch, we took a ride through the solar system in the centre's planetarium; it was out of this world! We then explored the exhibitions upstairs, with some of our favourite stations including displacing air to fire a ball into the sky, pumping bubbles of different sizes as a result of the chemical compound the air was in and listening to music with our teeth! Finally, we explored the space-themed exhibition downstairs, getting to experience wearing a spacesuit, feel how gravity changes on each planet and trying to locate Duke of Kent School using Google Earth.
We had a fantastic day full of fun and learning and we look forward to hopefully visiting again soon.
Mrs Green
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Year 4 Social Event
Last Friday the Year 4s had their much anticipated social event. They were happy to be back in the Pre-prep playground where we played a few "minute-to- win-it" games that involved a fair amount of sugar.
We then moved inside after a tea of delicious chicken burgers, and played other favourites such as musical chairs, musical statues and hide and seek. The children are already keen to set a date for the next one!
Mrs Rigby
 
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Each Thursday morning in Prep School, I am on duty supervising break time, and this week it was my highlight of the term so far. Playtimes for the children are, understandably, always full of fun, especially on such sunny days, but on this particular occasion it genuinely seemed like every child was having the time of their lives on Southbank. Some of the Year 3 girls had set up camp in the shade on the lower branches of 'the climbing tree', the Year 6 girls were chatting and laughing by the gazebo, there were three separate games of tag going on between the Year 3s and 4s and, to top it off, several of the Year 6 boys were playing the role of pied piper, leading a gaggle of shrieking Year 3s and 4s from pillar to post. There were joyful faces in every direction and I reflected on these, hopefully, being some of the most treasured memories the children will have when they look back on their school years.
Clearly there was something in the water, because the mood at Pre-prep break time, after lunch, was equally joyful. Most days in the playground, pupils play a variety of games either by themselves, with a friend or in small groups, but with a little adult direction, they delighted in a seemingly endless mass game of 'follow the leader' across the climbing equipment and over various other obstacles they set up for themselves. It was just lovely to see all year groups interacting so well, and for such a sustained period.
 In class, highlights this week have included the Nursery pupils becoming mini paleontologists, Reception children extending their cultural awareness to include Australia (studying landmarks, animals and indigenous art) and the Year 1s matching up their senses with the associated body parts. Science in Year 4 has been all about teeth, and for the Year 6s, they've been making predictions and recording observations of their ongoing mould experiment. We even found time to celebrate National Poetry Day in assembly with some classic Spike Milligan poems. We all agreed there should be room for more silliness in the world, and I hope the children have been inspired. Have a lovely weekend.
Values Certificates:
Effort - Charlotte P, Layla B, Henry G, Arthur M & Norah C
Kindness - Oscar F
Rising Readers: Year 3 Tildy T and Siena N; Year 4 Max L; Year 5 Ivan K and Year 6 Bea TR
Mr Wright
Stars of the week
Nursery - Martha for her warm and empathetic ways and motivation throughout the day.
Oscar for settling into Nursery so well and for his enthusiasm throughout the day and wonderful social skills.
Reception - Harry for increased focus in phonics and improving perseverance in writing tasks.
Roman for greater effort in phonics, using his blending skills to read.
Year 1 - Charles for his excellent attitude on the school trip and good knowledge.
Eliza for her lovely sunny attitude. Eliza approaches her work with enthusiasm.
Year 2 - Ayla for her wonderfully positive attitude towards all her learning.
Mrs Henry
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A successful year 7 and 8 swimming gala kicked off the week with many pupils taking part and a number of personal successes. On Tuesday, Mr Boden led a fascinating Senior Parents Forum regarding staying safe online; a real minefield for so many parents and one that we must continue to question and discuss so as to ensure we are all doing what we can to keep our pupils safe, whilst allowing suitable access to this wonderful resource. The Senior School Council also met that day to discuss uniform, sanctions, the door numbering system (!?) and their projects and aims for the year, amongst other things.
 On Tuesday afternoon, a fiercely competitive boys' House Football competition took place with wonderful camaraderie and spirit being evident for all to see. On Wednesday, a number of Year 11 students went to Cranleigh School for an evening with Yomi Sode, the award-winning Nigerian British writer, whilst on Thursday we celebrated National Poetry Day with various poetry readings around the school site. Friday morning saw Claire Oxborough join us for a hugely entertaining and enlightening Harvest Assembly, Prep and Senior pupils coming together to hear the Harvest message and take part in an interactive quiz as well as singing a song altogether in the PA Hall.
 We were able to celebrate seven pupils achieving the 100 merits mark and receiving a badge in assembly this Friday morning; Ben J, Isla W, Alex W, Patrick W, Iona H, Edie H and Mercy M. As well as this, a bumper number of pupils have gained a multiple of 25 merits and therefore attended Celebration Snack Break today, receiving a lunch fastpass and stationary prize; Ollie K, Felix C, Rupert H, Ehan K, Lucy P, Henry R, Rose S, Henry C, Em F, Belles H, Moxon K, Alex K and Florrie P. Well done to you all and keep up the good work! Mr Wilson
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House Bake Off
The House Bake Off is back once again! Here is a summary of the important information for Monday's first round and the bake sale.
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Pupils can enter as a pair with somebody else in your House. They can work with someone else in Prep or Senior. Children in Pre-prep are welcome to enter something for the bake sale. All students who take part will receive three House points.
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All entries must be dropped off in the Dining Hall (a slight change of plan) when you arrive at school. There will be a space for each House towards the back.
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The cakes should be labelled in a plastic container with their name, year group and House. We would appreciate the cake being cut ready for the bake sale. All entries must also have a list of ingredients.
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The bake sale will occur during the Pre-prep, Prep and Senior morning breaks. All the slices and pieces of cake will be £1. Pupils can bring in up to £2 to spend.
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After the bake sale, all containers and leftover cake will be moved to the Domestic Science Lab. The pupils should collect their things at the end of the day.
Good luck to everyone who is going to take part!
Mr Gritton
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Girls' Hockey: U15/16 A Team Hockey v King Edward's Witley
On Tuesday, the U15/16 A team travelled away to face King Edward’s Witley. This was Duke of Kent School’s first 11-a-side match. Initially the pitch looked a bit daunting, but the team’s ball pace was excellent from the start and Jess I and Frankie M linked well in the midfield to get the ball to the forwards quickly. Duke of Kent School had most of the possession and kept creating goal-scoring opportunities, so it felt disappointing to concede a goal. However, the team responded brilliantly and came straight back at King Edward’s with Rose S and Emily B playing a key role in working the ball up the left to Alex K, who skilfully fed the circle for Phoebe P to equalise with a great goal!
The team would have felt proud of a draw, but the highlight of the match was watching Phoebe P work her magic in the ‘D’ and crack the ball into the back of the net with less than a minute to go, taking the final score to a 2-1 victory!
The defence also played a crucial part in the success of the team, in particular Esme P's strong tackling and distribution of the ball. Overall, a fantastic result and top team performance!
Mrs Dann
Girls' Hockey: U14/15 A Team v King Edward's Witley
On Tuesday afternoon, the U14/15 A girls travelled to King Edward's Whitley for their first 11-a-side hockey match of the term. For lots of the pupils, it was their first ever match on a full-sized pitch, so it was sure to be a learning curve for everyone! The U14/15 A team watched the U15/16 A match first and learnt more about positions, how to press the ball and how to work as a team. The U15/16s played a brilliant match and the rest of the girls did a great job of cheering them on! After a quick warm up, the U14/15s were ready to go. Alice B controlled the central midfield and used her skills to deliver balls into the wider areas of the pitch. Clara H-S was solid at the back, with the help of Iona H and Sydney R as wing backs. The girls did really well to keep the ball up in their attacking D and create opportunities to score. Mercy M and Daisy R both got into some great positions and had brilliant shots on target. Alice B managed to break down the strong King Edward's defence to score after a brilliant run into the D. In the second half, the girls maintained their formation despite trying legs and the score finished 1-0 to Duke of Kent School. A brilliant match, well done to everyone involved!
Miss Vickers
Boys' House Football: Year 10-11
Tuesday saw the annual House Football tournament held between the Year 10 and 11 boys. It was a great atmosphere throughout, with some fantastic goals being scored and some great teamplay from all, played in the beautiful weather. There was brilliant support shown by all the boys playing and those watching on the sidelines as the matches progressed throughout the afternoon.
The final standings were:
1st. Peregrine
2nd. Hawk
3rd. Buzzard
4th. Kestrel
Mr Green
Boys' House football: Year 9
Tuesday afternoon brought around the much-anticipated first house action for the Year 9s. It was house football on Wilson's pitch where 8-a-side games were played (6-a-side when playing Hawk). The afternoon kicked off with Peregrine v Kestrel, a high-scoring game with moments of real quality played out, with the final result being 4-2 Peregrine win. Next up, Buzzard v Hawk and this game was played with great enthusiasm, especially from all six students in Hawk house. However, Buzzard came through with well-worked moves to run out 3-1 winners. Buzzard then carried this performance into their next game against Peregrine. This game turned out to be the closest-fought game of the afternoon, with brilliant attacking and defending from both sides. The only thing to separate the two sides was a good finish from William B (who was on fire for all three of his games for Buzzard and having the real stand-out performance of the competition!), meaning the game ended 1-0. Playing their third game on the bounce Buzzard put on their most dominant display of the afternoon, resulting in a 4-0 win against Kestrel, who put in a valiant effort competing right up until the final whistle and coming close to scoring several times. Kestrel regrouped and went again as they then played Hawk. The game was a tremendous back and forth battle between the two teams where both scored once and had plenty more attempts, leading to a well-played 1-1. Now onto the final game of the day and it was Hawk v Peregrine. Peregrine showed a composed performance with great passing and movement with the ball, scoring two and conceding nothing in return, leading to a 2-0 win for Peregrine.
The final standings were Kestrel 4th (on goal difference), Hawk 3rd, Peregrine 2nd and Buzzard winning overall. Sam R, Kit B and Jude B also shone for Buzzard in their games with all aspects of football on display from them. Overall, it was a spectacular afternoon with all Year 9s putting in a tremendous effort that they should all be proud of! A huge thank you to all the parents that came to watch on the sideline and show their wonderful support! Another thank you to Mr Boden, Mr Seeley and Mr Watkins for making the afternoon run seamlessly.
Mr Clayton
Girls' Hockey: U12/13 A/B Hockey v King Edward's Witley
On Wednesday, Duke of Kent School travelled away to play King Edward's Witley. The team got off to a strong start, maintaining most of the possession and making good use of the width. Tansy T, Willow D and Issy N moved the ball effortlessly up the right channel and into their attacking 'D' but were unlucky not to take the lead after the first quarter of the game. The team kept up the pressure in the second quarter. Norah H looked threatening up front and Poppy F made some important saves to keep the score line to 0-0 at half-time. The defenders had moments where they were under a lot of pressure, but they tackled courageously throughout and Erin C did a great job of distributing the ball quickly and accurately out of defence. Esme W deserves a special mention for the impact she made on the game at right midfield; the choice and timing of her passes were top class! Overall, the team did brilliantly to create a lot of goal-scoring opportunities, but it felt frustrating to have so many excellent shots saved and come away with a 0-0 draw. However, some fantastic hockey was played, so a big 'well done' to the whole squad!
Mrs Dann
Girls' Netball: U10 Netball team v Longacre
On Wednesday afternoon, the U10 team travelled to Longacre for a netball match. They were very excited with plenty of loud singing on the bus on the way there! Once we arrived, the girls began their warm-up and got into their positions. Longacre started well and had lots more of the ball, but our defence of Eva W and Evie B worked well together to try to stop Longacre from scoring. It was tricky to get the ball out from the back line, but once the girls got more confident with their movement and passing, we began to hold possession and score goals. Layla B and Florence A worked brilliantly together to provide goal-scoring opportunities and Layla scored some great goals from an impressive distance! In the mid court, Evelyn C made crucial interceptions and Seren G helped support her shooters in WA. Charlotte P and Ivy B both played some great netball in C and ran relentlessly. The goals just kept coming with 7 scored in total. A wonderful win for the U10 team. Well done to all involved!
Miss Vickers
Boys' Football: U10/11 Bs v Belmont
Having experienced two defeats this season, the boys headed to Belmont determined to taste victory. It's been helpful to them that the team personnel and positions have changed very little, and we looked like a more settled, familiar team as the game began. There was also more assurance and patience about our play, as every boy tried to control the ball, look up and find a team-mate. This approach quickly brought chances on goal and for several minutes the opposition defence held firm. Eventually, though, the strong running of Rowan B, aided by tireless performances from Sam PR and Freddie G in midfield, saw us score three quickfire goals. Fin C was a constant threat, finding space up front and crossing from out wide, and we deservedly went in 6-0 up at half-time. We changed things around considerably for the second half, but still stayed strong in the tackle and positive in possession. Henry S made some terrifically powerful runs upfield, as George S and Simon F enjoyed the chance to play ahead of the defence. We scored one more goal in the second half, but had to defend doggedly at times to keep a well-deserved clean sheet. Well done, boys!
Mr Wright
Boys' Football: U8/9 Lions vs Handcross Park
On Thursday the U8/9 Lions played an exciting match against Handcross Park on the Wilson’s pitch. It was a tight match in the first half with most of the action being battled out in midfield with Daniel L and Johnnie G working tirelessly to gain possession. Rocket M was making some great runs up front, finding space, as Charlie S showed great bravery when tackling and kicking the ball upfield. After playing the first half in goal Henry A came out and showed speed on the field and helped us progress up the field to create some chances. Well done to all those involved as they showed fantastic fight throughout the match and played right until the final whistle.
Mr Green
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GCSE Drama
Huge congratulations to the Year 11 GCSE Drama cohort, who this week performed and recorded their GCSE Devising pieces, which will count towards their final grade. They have worked incredibly hard to get these pieces ready in time and, having watched them last night, I can vouch for the fact they were of a very high standard, beautifully devised and wonderfully acted. They should be proud of the effort they have all put in; the late nights and extra weekends were all worth it! Many thanks as well, of course, to Mrs Honey for all her hard work in helping them prepare.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The cast have been working hard in our Senior Production so far this term, getting to grips with the singing and the choreography. It is always amazing to watch a cast of 65 or so work with Lisa Lee and slowly begin to understand her vision, and this year is no different – it promises to be a fabulous show! Tickets will be available after half term so watch this space. Also, please don't forget the Sunday rehearsal on the day before we come back to school after half term –Sunday 29th October.
Mr Rye
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What Parents and Carers Need to Know about AI Virtual Friends
Artificial intelligence is 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
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This is me Poetry Competition (Ages 5 to 7)
This poetry competition is free to enter.
All entrants will receive a bookmark, and those chosen for publication will receive a certificate of merit.
For more information click here.
Deadline for entries is 20th October 2023.
NASA Commercial Crew 2024 Artwork Contest (Ages 4 to 12)
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) is holding its annual artwork contest to help star-seeking children get engaged with the excitement of space exploration.
Children ages four to 12 years old can submit artwork in four space-related themes. Winning artwork will be selected from three age groups in each theme, and first, second, and third place selections will be used to create an out-of-this-world calendar for 2024!
For more information click here.
Deadline for entries is 25th October 2023.
The Solstice Prize (Ages 7 to 16)
The Solstice Writing Prize is a national, annual writing competition for young writers, which invites young people to take a closer look at the natural world, explore their relationship with it, or examine the challenges it faces, and write short stories, poems, and thought-provoking blogs in response.
Entries must be 500 words (for short stories and blogs) or 40 lines (for poems). Young writers may enter only one piece of writing.
For more information click here.
Deadline for entries is 31st October 2023.
ISA Christmas Banner Competition (Ages up to KS2)
In this festive competition, pupils are invited to design the official ISA email signature banner for Christmas. Open to EYFS-KS2.
For more information please click here.
Deadline for entries is 22nd November 2023.
Mr Wyllie
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Next week, on Tuesday 10th October, it is World Mental Health Day and we will be marking this at school with a number of activities and initiatives during the week. Hopefully, these will act as a reminder to pupils that they need to take time to reflect on their emotional wellbeing and that we, as a staff, care about their mental health.
We encourage the pupils to talk to their friends, trusted adults and, of course, yourselves. Sometimes this is difficult – particularly when your child is reluctant to talk. We will be sending out via email next week a parent/child exercise as part of the ITV, Young Minds and Mind initiative, ‘Get Britain Talking’, which some of you may find useful in initiating meaningful discussion about mental health with your child.
There will also be some advice from Mind in two booklets, ‘Opening Up About Your Mental Health’ and ‘Finding Support For Your Mental Health’ given to pupils next week.
There will be other opportunities for pupils to get involved, including a house quiz, discussions and a creative activity focusing on creating something for other children who find themselves in hospital over the Christmas season, with the charity Starlight.
More details will follow in next week’s Bulletin.
I hope it will be a fun, as well as interesting and informative, week for the pupils. Don’t forget to consider your own needs next week too and do something to bring you joy.
Mrs Douglas
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Please can we remind parents of pupils with prescribed inhalers and/or adrenaline pens, that they are asked to have one on their person at all times at school (for example in a bum bag in Prep School, or in a blazer pocket in Senior School). This is particularly important for school trips and away matches, and inhalers must always be available for games/PE. Thank you. Pupils attending the Year 11 trip to London on Monday are asked in particular to observe this advice, and also to take travel nausea medication at home before school on Monday if they will need it for the journey.
Next week, after extensive preparations, the Rwanda trip finally departs from school on Wednesday afternoon - please can pupils attending the Rwanda trip remember to take their course of anti-malaria tablets at home before school starting on Tuesday morning, 10th October, (with breakfast). Tablets should then be taken daily with breakfast until the course is complete. We would urge all pupils attending this trip to have a restful weekend if possible...take some time to rest up and store up some energy for fun times and adventure ahead! (And please, no last minute sports injuries....fingers crossed!)
Next Friday 13th October is Nasal Flu Immunisations day for those pupils who have consent (Years Reception to Year 11). It looks like we will be immunising in the region of 250 pupils, which should give us a really good level of so-called "herd immunity" at school and can only have a positive impact on minimising sickness levels at school this winter. Please can all parents ensure their children know whether they are expecting to have the immunisation or not – we would kindly ask pupils without consent to stay in class whilst those with consent attend the immunisations session to avoid any confusion! Thank you.
Have a restful weekend everyone – time to recharge the batteries for the last push until the half term break!
The School Nurses
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PADoK
Please do get in touch if you would like to get involved, this can be in any capacity, you don’t need to be a class rep to be on the PADoK team. Email me at camillahja@yahoo.com for more information.
Quick question to you all: where do you tend to read the Weekly Bulletin?!
We run various clubs, most of which take place weekly where possible. They are as follows:
PADoK Quiz Night – Friday 3rd November 8pm
We hope you can join us for the next PADoK Quiz Night on Friday 3rd November, 8pm start – who will be crowned champions, can a new team take the title from our current Y9 parents?
BYO snacks, drinks and crockery. Prizes to be won!
Teams are a max of eight, you can book in as a team or individually to join a team with others.
Email padok@dokschool.org to book in, including child's name and year group for billing purposes.
PADoK Walk – Friday 13th October, 8.30am at Pitch Hill, Hurtwood Control Car Park 3
Last Friday we met for a lovely walk around Pitch Hill. There were 13 parents and a similar number of dogs. It was lovely to welcome some new parents to the walk and everyone enjoyed the easy chat as we made our way around the great tracks towards the amazing views. All welcome, details of the next walk are above.
Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursday 8.20-9.00am Cathy Williams
A lovely 40 mins singing together this morning with a smaller group of 13. Bit of stretching and straight into singing a beautiful Swahili song celebrating a successful banana harvest. It’s great fun working on the pieces that all our kids sing at school too!
We successfully worked our way up to singing a round in three groups. It sounded lovely despite us ‘dropping a beautiful semi tone’ (aka going flat) as Nick so kindly described it!
We also had a listen to the arrangement of Coldplay’s Yellow, that Nick has found for us to work on. It sounded gorgeous, plenty of range for all voices and lots of harmonies. Looking forward to starting on it next week! A fab time to join if anyone is keen for a sing song and a laugh on a Thursday morning. Thanks to all who came today. See you next week!
Please do join us every Thursday 08:20 - 09:00 in the PA Hall. All are welcome at any time and we are keen to encourage more Dads to the group. Stick your head in for a listen to see what we’re all about. Super relaxed and no pressure to perform.
Any questions please do contact Cathy Williams rhodricathy@sky.com/07813 282910 or please just come along!
A relaxed singing group run by our Director of Music, Mr Rye, who kindly gives up his time to teach us how to sing. It is always fun and uplifting rather than a pressured environment. Our focus is always on enjoying singing and getting the most out of our time together.
PADOK Core Control: Strengthen your body, Improve Your Health with our Physio-Led Stability Group. Friday morning 8.30am at Ness Hall
Hey there, fitness enthusiasts!
We're excited to share the highlights of this week's Core Control Group Activity!
Twelve dedicated parents came together to focus on scapula stabilization within various postural sets. This activity was designed to enhance the strength and stability of our core muscles, which play a crucial role in our overall wellbeing.
Here's a quick overview:
Scapula Stabilization: participants learned techniques and exercises aimed at improving scapular stability. Strengthening these muscles can have a positive impact on our posture and upper body strength.
Functional application: we always strive to make our exercises practical. In this session, we assessed how this core muscle group affects single-leg standing balance. It's fascinating to see how these exercises translate into everyday movements!
We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this engaging and beneficial activity. Your commitment to your health and wellbeing sets an inspiring example for our children.
Stay tuned for more exciting group activities in the future!
So, what are you waiting for? Join us for the next 'Core Control' session and let's turn those fitness goals into reality together. Bring your PADoK friends, and all the energy you've got!
Julia Rowe julia@therunningspecialists.com Note: Runners still welcome!
PADoK Book Club
This term, PADoK have voted to read Kayla’s Girls by Kerry Gibb. Following the success of her children's book series, It's A Kid's Life, Kayla’s Girls is Kerry Gibb’s debut novel for adults. “Amber Clayton’s limited experience of a mum’s night out consists of a Christmas get-together last year, where she spent the night mingling with imposter syndrome as she sipped her obligatory glass of Prosecco. That is, until she meets Kayla.” We would love you to join in and read this terms book and look forward to catching up in November to catch up on the novel.
Mrs Newman claire@bluetreerecruits.co.uk
PADoK Second Hand Uniform Shop
We will be open on Wednesday 11th October, 1st & 29th November from 3 to 4pm.
If you wish to hand in items that you no longer need, please leave in the box outside the shop. ONLY CURRENT UNIFORM bought from Stevensons please.
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Senior School Optional Hoodie
The Senior School hoodies have been redesigned by members of the School Council and the finished product can be seen below. 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 and have a look.
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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.
  
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