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A Message from Mrs Knox

It has been a fabulous start to the new term with so much going on in and around the School (despite the dreadful rain!). On that note, do have a look at the bottom of this bulletin if you would like to purchase one of our Duke of Kent School umbrellas. We look forward to welcoming new pupils and their families on Monday and know they will be well looked after by all in our School community. Year 11 began their Mock GCSE examinations today and they are to be congratulated on the manner in which they embarked upon this important part of their education. Right at the other end of the spectrum, Nursery children started their exploration of the Polar regions and will be building an ice station this term. It is at times like this that I just love reflecting on the learning journey each of our pupils takes, from that early curiosity and excitement from our youngest to the critical thinking and problem solving displayed by our Senior pupils. This learning journey prepares the children so well for the world ahead of them. Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Knox

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The School menu for next week

Year 8 Science

On Thursday, Mrs Vermeulen's Year 8 Science class became the teachers for the lesson, giving presentations to Year 5 on the topic of Climate Change. Each group had created a model to visually represent what is happening to our planet as a result of this phenomenon. They all explained the impact of global warming and the damage to the ozone layer. The Year 5s were brilliant pupils, being attentive and focused, and they helped judge each group on their presentation, 3D creation and level of knowledge. It was lovely to bring the Senior and Prep School together, seeing them both work so independently and maturely.

Mrs Vermeulen

Happy New Year, and a very warm welcome back from all of the staff in Prep and Pre-prep.

I asked the Prep pupils in assembly this week what they had most enjoyed giving and receiving at Christmas; it was lovely to hear the examples of so many thoughtful surprises that had been planned and revealed during the festive celebrations. The target DoKtopus attribute in Prep School this half-term is “positivity”, of which I have seen plenty over the first few days back. This comes in many forms, but I have been particularly impressed with the upbeat outlook of our Year 5s, who have been getting used to being split into two new classes. It's amazing how something new and perhaps unsettling at first, can – with the right attitude – quickly be turned into a positive, and I commend the pupils for embracing change with resilience and optimism.

We are very much looking forward to extending our usual Duke of Kent School welcome to those joining us on Monday. Pupils who started this week in Pre-prep have already settled brilliantly, and I congratulate them, too, for taking this new step in their stride, already making friends and getting stuck into everything. Next week, on Thursday, we are excited to have Surrey Wildlife Trust visiting us again, on this occasion to undertake a bird survey on our site. All Prep pupils will be taking part in a birdwatching session, and with some new bird boxes and feeders kindly donated by PADoK recently, we have set the children the challenge of making a simple bird feeder over the weekend; all instructions are on the Prep Google Classroom.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record...could I make another plea for all kit (coat, waterproofs, wellies, hat and gloves) to be clearly named and in School every day – thank you. They will be going outside whatever the weather! Have a great weekend.

Mr Wright

I do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break and were not hit by the dreaded seasonal lurgy. With the celebrations over, the long nights of darkness and the relentless rain battering my window as I write this, it takes a lot of resolve not to feel a little negative as the morning alarm rings loud each day. Nonetheless, the pupils have returned with abundant positivity and it is hard not to feel inspired by them. After all, there is plenty to look forward to this term, with the ever popular House Music upcoming, World Book Day, the fantastic GLive musical performances, House Cross-Country and the House Debating competition all taking place. We will also see trips to Harry Potter Studios, the National Apprenticeship Show, Borough Market, Wicked in London, Macbeth in Guildford and the Tate Museum, to name but a few. Our Wellbeing Day will soon be upon us and there are LAMDA showcases, a jazz evening, our annual Careers Week, Safer Internet Day, the annual SATRO competition and a teatime recital by a professional Pianist and Flautist all in this term's schedule. And then, in the blink of an eye, Easter will be upon us...

Please do keep an eye on the calendar (available to download to your phone from our School website or in hard copy from your children) for all events, with a huge number of sports fixtures also taking place in netball, rugby, tag rugby, basketball and hockey throughout the term.

Congratulations this week go to the following Celebration Snack attendees, all of whom have earnt a multiple of 25 Merit points and received their prize on Friday morning; George B, Ethan G, Lois M, Jenson P, Alessandro S, Henry S, Jordan V Henry W (Year 7), Milly B, Erin C, Poppy F, Sam H, Penny N, Ben O (Year 8) and Annie B, Edie H, Hugo S (Year 9). We have also had a number of pupils receiving their badges in assembly this morning after reaching 100 Merit points; John B, Ollie K, Bob P, Holly R, Tansy T, Esme W (Year 8) and Jamie C, Rose S (Year 9). Well done to you all.

Mr Wilson

Dates for the Diary

The Spring Term has much to look forward to for the Performing Arts Department. Dates to watch out for are the Combined Schools Concert at G Live on 8th March, House Music on 15th March, the Prep Production of “The Tree of Time” on 22nd and 23rd March and, of course, the Pre-prep Spring Concert on 25th March. 

Our Senior Choir are off to York at the end of term on their Choir Trip, and we have LAMDA Showcases, theatre trips, tea time recitals and more!

Exam success

Huge congratulations to the following pupils who passed their instrumental exams last term:

Poppy F – Piano – Grade 2 

Annie B – Violin – Grade 2

Simon F – Violin – Prep Test

Hope N – Cello – Grade 2

Florence A – Singing – Grade 2

Thibaut J – Drums – Grade 2 

Harris HH – Drums – Grade 4

Mac Y – Drums – Grade 2 

Jazz Night

As you may have seen on Instagram we have had to change the date of our Jazz evening from 19th to 26th January. 

We are welcoming back our regular jazz friend Frank Walden, who will be putting together a band of wonderful musicians, all of whom are regular players at venues such as Ronnie Scotts and the 606.

It is always a wonderful event held in the PA Hall, which is magically transformed into a jazz club, so book your tickets (£15 each) by emailing bookings@dokschool.org.

Mr Rye

ISA Comic Strip Competition (KS1-5)

The ISA Comic Strip Competition encourages you to create your own storyboard or cartoon as a means of exploring a topical subject. This competition is open to Key Stages 1-5.

Deadline for entries: Thursday 11th January 2024

For more information please click here.

Haiku Contest (Ages 15 and Under)

The first Haiku Contest was organised by the JAL Foundation in 1990 and has been held every two years since then. Japan Airlines, with support and assistance from the Japan Society, is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 contest. Any form of artwork (except photographs or digital images) can be submitted.

Every entry must be the original and unpublished work of the child himself/herself. Assistance by others (parents, other adults, siblings or other children) is prohibited.

Deadline for entries: Monday 15th January 2024

For more information please click here.

Mr Wyllie

Top tips for setting up parental controls on new devices

At this time of year, it’s highly possible that you have a new phone, games console or other digital device somewhere at home. Many parents also prefer to place some protective measures on those gifts – to keep their child shielded from potential #OnlineSafety risks – while others would like to, but aren’t sure where to begin.

Our guide shepherds you through the process of establishing parental controls on new internet-enabled devices, from smartphones to laptops to consoles. Simply find the device in question and read on to find out what options you have and how to enable them – letting children enjoy their shiny new gadget, without so much of the worry over where it might lead them.

Click on the link to find out more information about "Top tips for setting up parental controls on new devices".

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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Happy New Year and welcome back to School to all pupils and families, with a particularly warm welcome to our joining families this term. The start of a new term (or week) can be difficult for any pupil, with the worries about readjusting to a school rather than a home routine and myriad social interactions each day as opposed to a smaller family social unit. For those adjusting to a whole new space, routine, expectations and people, I am sure there are nerves about how these first days will go. Please rest assured that the whole staff are united in aiming for the smoothest transition possible for your children and yourselves.

For those parents with pupils starting at Duke of Kent School this term, you may find these tips helpful.

  • Tip 1: Be positive about the transition. Build excitement by talking about all the new opportunities for friendships and activities they'll have.
  • Tip 2: Practice the new trip to school It might sound silly but practicing the trip beforehand will really reduce first day nerves.
  • Tip 3: Arrange a chat with a friend or older sibling who's been through it. If there's a neighbour or cousin who's started at a new school in the past, organise for them to share their positive experiences.
  • Tip 4: Make sure everything is organised. Having their bags and uniform ready and waiting prior to the first morning is really helpful.
  • Tip 5: Start afresh with a tidy room and desk. If their desk or room is shared make sure the rest of the family are on board with keeping things sorted.
  • Tip 6: Farewell the holidays. Organise a social day just before school goes back and, if possible, maintain links with friends from their old school.
  • Tip 7: Don't commit too early. Encourage your child to be social and not rush getting a new best friend. With the stress of making friends at a new school it's easy to jump at the first people that speak to you.
  • Tip 8: Avoiding comparing the new to the old. Get your child to look to the future even if they’re missing their old school.
  • Tip 9: Sign up to things straight away. Research extra-curricular activities and help them decide on some they’ll sign up to in their first week.
  • Tip 10: Prepare them for stress. The unknown can be really scary but things like breathing exercises, getting active, and having "me-time" can all help with the transition.

For everyone, a reminder that the drop-in sessions in the Wellbeing Room are available to all pupils on Tuesday and Thursday during first break and lunch time, for those: who would like to talk; are struggling with the emotional demands of the day or just need a few minutes of quiet refuge in a safe and welcoming space.

Mrs Douglas

Happy New Year from the Medical Room!

Plenty of winter bugs have been circulating our community during the holidays, and several pupils are already on antibiotic treatment this term. Please remember that pupils with a temperature of 37.8 or higher must stay at home until their temperature returns to normal without the assistance of paracetamol or ibuprofen (ie, until they are no longer likely to be infectious and feel well enough to cope with School). Pupils needing antibiotics administered at School should hand the medicine in at the front office on arrival at School, with a completed parental consent form (available in "The Medical Room" area of the School website – hard copies available in front office). It's always helpful for the School Nurses to know in advance of any pupils who will need medication given at School so that we can plan our schedule – please email Chloe Sarjant and Maya Garside at nurse@dokschool.org with all the details.

Parents of Year 9 pupils will have received an email this week about the forthcoming DTP and MeningitisACWY immunisations at School on 1st March 2024. Please get your e-consent forms completed when you have time.

A last reminder that Mrs Sarjant needs the Senior (Years 9-11) Choir trip medical forms returned by the end of January please – there are still several forms outstanding.

Finally, we look forward to welcoming many new pupils next week. Please can we have all outstanding medical forms for new pupils on Monday (these can be left at the front office for the attention of Mrs Sarjant). Thanks so much, and best of luck for their first day at Duke of Kent School next week; we hope they will soon feel at home here.

Have a lovely weekend.

The School Nurses

PADoK

Happy New Year to you all. 

GCSE Mock Examinations are taking place in Ness Hall this term, so please can we ask that when parking for any PADoK clubs, meetings etc, to do so quietly near Ness Hall. Thank you in advance.

We have much to look forward to in the Spring Term. Our weekly clubs commence next week and we are holding our annual Macmillan Afternoon Tea on Friday 26th January. Please save the date for our PADoK event which is being held on Friday 1st March, more details to follow.

Donations

We are delighted to confirm that, thanks to a high number of ticket sales for the Christmas Hamper Raffle, we were able to donate £200 to both Peaslake School and Ewhurst Infant School. The Headteacher of Peaslake School would like to use the money to buy books for their Year 2 class and the Headteacher of Ewhurst Infants is going to use the funds to continue to develop the school library. We were also able to donate £600 to Cranleigh Food Bank. All were incredibly grateful for the donations.

Duke of Kent School Flyers – Wednesday 08.30-09.30 (Tara Coles and Lois Williams)

Starts: Wednesday 10th January

Venue: TBC

So much fun had and so good for the soul. Join us every Wednesday. No experience necessary!

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursday 08.20-09.00 (Cathy Williams)

Starts: Thursday 11th January

Venue: PA Hall or Meeting Room TBC

Please do come along and join us for a fun session. You are welcome to come and watch if you would prefer to see what it is all about.

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 Book Club

Over the Christmas holidays, we recommended to read “The Christmas Book Club” by Sarah Morgan, a heartwarming story of friendship, family and love. Alternatively, we suggested a traditional haunted Christmas tale “The Winter Spirits”. Twelve short stories take you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret. These vibrant haunted stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights.

Our PADoK Book Club choice for the Spring Term is “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin, an exhilarating novel about two friends – often in love, but never lovers, who come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity and ultimately a kind of immortality. We look forward to catching up with you about the book when we meet up later this term.

PADOK Core Control: strengthen your body, improve your health with our physio-led stability group. Friday mornings 08.30, Ness Hall

Starts: Friday 12th January

Venue: Astroturf

Ready for the next level of fitness? Our Core Control Class is taking things up a notch! All parents are welcome.

Simply message julia@therunningspecialists.com for details and to confirm your spot.

Let's strengthen our cores and build a healthier, more connected community together! 

Click here for the WhatsApp group link.

PADoK Walk – Friday 12th January

Please do join us for our first PADoK walk of 2024. 08.30 at Car Park 3 Hurtwood Control (Pitch Hill). Everyone welcome. 

Duke of Kent School umbrellas

With the very wet start to 2024, just a reminder that Duke of Kent School umbrellas are available to purchase! They are £20 – please ask at the main office if you would like to see or buy one. 

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.