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A Message from Mrs Knox
 It was fantastic watching the pupils this week show real determination and persistence throughout their cross-country events. We had some brilliant finishes with some superb individual performances. All the pupils are to be congratulated on the way they gave of their best this week despite rather chilly conditions. Thank you so much to the many parents who came along and cheered the children on. Hot chocolate was enjoyed by all!
Year 11 pupils conducted themselves superbly during their careers afternoon where they were put through their paces by visiting volunteers and parents. The feedback was that they were enthusiastic, confident and clear in their responses. Year 11s themselves found the interview process highly beneficial as they start to prepare for the next stages of their educational journeys. They were a real credit to the School. 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, we had the pleasure of hosting Heather Ford, a Quality Manager at Costain, who generously shared insights into her role. A number of pupils attended to gain a better understanding of the responsibilities of a Quality Manager. Heather discussed her journey, emphasising the importance of hard work in GCSEs and her transition from 17 years as a Dental Nurse to her current fulfilling role at Costain. She highlighted the significance of quality management in projects, citing well known examples like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and other more local projects that she has worked on.
We understood from Heather how studies suggest that 5% of the project value is avoidable error, although it is believed that the closer value is actually 20%. It is worrying to hear how many errors occur in products and projects, however, as Heather stated, it makes her job even more relevant and important.
Heather expressed her passion for the job, citing flexible hours, job satisfaction, and competitive pay as key factors. Quality management, she noted, offers numerous career opportunities across various sectors with an attractive starting salary.
We extend our gratitude to Heather for sharing her time and expertise with us on a chilly Monday morning.
Our next visiting speaker is Laura Cassels, who is a patent attorney. She will be visiting on 29th January.
Mr Wyllie
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Year 5 social
Last Friday evening the Year 5s were fortunate enough to have yet another “social”. The timing was perfect as we had four new pupils join this term, and it gave them an opportunity to really get to know their peers in both forms a little better. The Year 5s chose the games and we started the evening with some musical statues, then moved onto Poison Smarties, Pass It On and Broken Telephone. After tea the children decided they absolutely needed to play hide and seek in the Prep School corridor, which took us to the end of a really fun evening together.
Mrs Rigby and Mr Gritton
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Year 11 careers afternoon
 On Tuesday afternoon, Year 11 pupils participated in a comprehensive careers session that included mock interviews, an observed team task and a CV writing workshop.
We express our sincere thanks to the wonderful volunteers, namely Rachel Harris, Antony Douglas, Chris Richmond, Robert Goldsmith, Jenny Cropper, Sabine Jarvis, Donna Lodge, Keith Stacey, Mrs Punter, Mrs Southee and Mr Wilson, who generously dedicated their time during the afternoon.
 The Year 11 pupils found the interview process highly beneficial and valuable, receiving fantastic individual feedback from the interviewers.
The team task involved collaborating within groups to construct the longest paper bridge spanning the gap between desks. Such tasks are increasingly common in interview processes as they allow employers to observe teamwork, communication, leadership, negotiation, idea generation and conflict resolution skills. Mr Stacey and Mr Wilson, who observed the activity, were notably impressed by the pupils' demonstrated skills and abilities.
Special thanks to Mrs Punter and Mrs Southee for leading a workshop on CV writing and emphasising the importance of personal branding. Their advice, guidance and top tips were greatly appreciated.
Thanks again to all the volunteers who very kindly devoted their time to assist our pupils throughout this valuable process.
Mr Wyllie
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Year 2 trip to Brickies Lego Club
 On Tuesday, Year 2 ventured to Brickies Lego Club in Wokingham. The children had a fun-packed day full of imagination and creation, with lots of learning thrown in for good measure! As we're set to start our new science topic, “plants”, very soon, the day's Lego-building workshops reflected the learning we will soon be doing in class. Ben, the leader of Lego City, gave the pupils three challenges, which they all completed with enthusiasm and vigour.
Their first challenge was to create a 2D or 3D plant, making sure it included the crucial elements – roots, stem, leaves, petals and the flower. The children's next challenge saw them using their new knowledge of pollinators to create one out of Lego. Some of the pollinators they chose to replicate were wasps, bees, ladybirds and butterflies, and a few even challenged themselves to create impressive 3D versions!
 The pupils’ final challenge involved them creating their own dream garden, full of wild flowers and trees. As you can imagine, the final masterpieces were very diverse in layout; some of the gardens had slides and greenhouses, whereas others were more peaceful with lily ponds and areas to sit and relax!
Once we arrived back at School, we agreed it would be a lovely idea to create a thank you card to send to the Brickies Team to show our appreciation for a wonderful trip!
Year 2, we were very proud to witness your teamwork, positive behaviour and perseverance in all the challenges. You represented our School beautifully and, as a result, you earned two marbles in our “treat jar”. Well done!
"This has been my favourite trip ever!" Sienna D
"I loved building a wild garden with Archie!" Henry P
Mrs Salley and Miss Munro
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Rotary Debating Competition
On Tuesday, myself and Miss Allsop had the absolute pleasure of taking three teams to represent Duke of Kent School at the Cranleigh Rotary Youth Debate Competition. Our Intermediate teams consisted of our proposers, Mercy M and Iona H, our opposers, Jonny J and Henry R and our chairs, Edie H and Emily N; keenly assisted by Josie M. Their motions, “Plays are more entertaining than musicals” and “Home schooling is better than traditional schooling” impressed the judges immensely and they were praised with their mature and confident delivery of topics that were informative and thought-provoking.
Debating for our Senior team were James B, our chair, Mattie R, our proposer and our opposer, Lucy M, with Maggie B providing much encouragement and feedback during the entire process. Their proposition was that: “The voting age should be lowered”. Once again, the judges were incredibly impressed, stating that they stood out as being engaging and mature throughout their debate. Unfortunately, Seaford College pipped us at the post with an incredible debate from their sixth form team.
Thank you to all the parents that attended to support the pupils; it was a wonderful afternoon and I am so proud of all of them. We look forward to beating Seaford College next year!
Mrs Punter
   
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Year 1 trip to the Wonder Dome
On Thursday morning, Year 1 went to Ewhurst Infant School to join their Year 1 children to visit the Wonder Dome – an inflatable planetarium. The children looked at all the planets in our solar system, discussed the stars and how they could be suns to their own solar systems. The focus was on all the planets and our moon, and we saw the footprints left by the astronauts. It was lovely to be able to view everything in the dome, and the children said it was like looking up at the sky at night. They had a lovely time and were very excited to share their solar system song with the children at Ewhurst. Thank you so much to Ewhurst Infant School for inviting us over to see you, the children had a lovely time!
Miss Walpole
 
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National Schools Equestrian Association
We're looking for more pupils to join the Duke of Kent School equestrian team to compete in National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) events. The NSEA provides inter-school competitions in disciplines such as Dressage, Show Jumping, Arena Eventing among others. If your child is interested in joining the team, please contact Jacqui Browning for further details by emailing jbrowning@dokschool.org
Mrs Browning
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I'd like to start by congratulating everyone on running the House cross-country races this week. What effort and wonderfully supportive spirit on show – well done to all who took part, and thanks to the parents for braving the freezing conditions!
Nursery's focus has been on learning about Antarctica and ice stations and, despite the cold snap, had to content themselves with making fake snow instead. Our Assembly this week celebrated International Winnie the Pooh Day! Pooh and his companions reminded us of what it takes to be a good friend, the importance of being ourselves, and also learning to accept our faults and those of others. We all agreed this supposedly “bear of little brain” was anything but, and what he may lack in nous at times, he more than makes up for in heart and kindness.
 Continuing their theme of space, Reception were learning about astronauts, discussing gravity, and even having a go at pretending to float, weightlessly. Easier said than done, here on Earth! Year 4 also had their scientific minds sharpened this week as they used what they've been learning about sound and the ear to consider what “pitch” is, and how instruments are designed differently to create high and low sounds. Meanwhile, Year 3 took delight in seeing what happens when magnets repel or attract each other, sometimes with quite surprising force!
In Maths, Year 6 crunched the numbers from our Big Birdwatch last week, practising using angles to produce pie charts that illustrate the results. These will be compared with the survey results we gather later in the year. At a time of year when birds struggle for food, Year 5 were pondering Jesus' miraculous feeding of the five thousand, discussing the themes and values it raises. They have also been working on their persuasive writing skills in a bid to convince the Senior Leadership to install some of the habitat projects they came up with when Surrey Wildlife Trust visited.
You might like to know that the Spring Term Curriculum Overviews for each class are now available for you to see here. Lastly, a reminder that registration is at 8.20am. It is much appreciated if you can kindly ensure your children are in School by this time. Have a lovely weekend.
Reading Certificates: Norah C, Darcie S, Daisy W, Beth F, Max L, Daniel L, Mila-Rose S, Lottie O, Fin C (Bronze); Ivy B, Finn H, Arthur M, Matilda T, Hope N (Silver); and Henry G (Gold)
Rising Readers: Rocket M, Pia S, Beth F, Ivy B and Ruby W
Aloud & Proud readers: Benat B-S and Finn H
Mr Wright
Stars of the week
Nursery – Emilia VDB for displaying a very kind and supportive attitude towards her peers and for her excellent use of descriptive language.
Reception – Zara S for coming into School with a smile on her face and a positive attitude to new activities.
Oliver A for being super friendly and kind towards the new children.
Year 1 – Marc W for his super attitude to his learning. He listens to feedback and acts on it straight away. He has also settled in so well.
Belle R for her sunshine attitude. Annabelle is so positive and always so kind. Her reading has also come on so much lately.
Year 2 – Maddie C for completing a detailed plan for her letter’s “body”. You thought very carefully about your punctuation. Well done!
Henry P for adapting into the Year 2 classroom and navigating the areas he enjoys most. He has shown wonderful enthusiasm and perseverance.
Mrs Henry
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A cold week began with a wonderful optional presentation in the PA Hall from Heather Ford, a quality manager in the construction industry. Heather was able to explain the importance of STEAM topics in school as well as in the workplace. Those who decided not to attend the presentation used the time to review their first term alongside their form teachers, focusing specifically on debits, merits, commendations and ATL and Target Grades. This allowed them to ascertain exactly where they will focus this term and what they hope to achieve moving forwards. Tuesday saw Senior School Council take place, with a focus being on where best to facilitate safe bag storage in the School and how best to inform pupils of their personal rewards and sanctions. Food for thought!
Also on Tuesday, Year 11 took part in a CV writing, interview and team task afternoon, where they learnt how to construct a versatile and productive CV, how best to present themselves at interview and how to be a collaborative, effective team-player when working against the clock on a given task.
 House cross-country took place for Years 7-10 on Tuesday and Wednesday and the effort and attitude amongst the pupils was outstanding. With hot chocolate being given out, as well as a rousing amplified soundtrack, it was a truly joyous event and all competitors were commended on their efforts, with many personal bests achieved.
Congratulations go to the following this week who have achieved a multiple of 25 Merit Points and therefore were invited to attend Celebration Snack Break on Friday morning; Leo B, Horace H, George K, Harry L, Henry O'B (Year 7), Eddie C, Sascha H, Ben J, Isla W (Year 8), Humph G, Dom K, Emily N, Heath P (Year 9), Henry C, Jack D, Mattie R, Daisy R (Year 10). The following have gained 100 Merit Points since the start of the new system (Summer 2022) or when they joined the Senior School, and therefore also received their commemorative badge regarding this; George S, Molly F (Year 8), George C (Year 9) and Maggie B (Year 10). Well done to you all.
Mr Wilson
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Farnham Flash Fiction Competition
An annual competition of short and micro-fiction based in Farnham Surrey, with three prizes and publication of the longlisted entries.
Deadline for entries: 1st February 2024
For more information click here.
ISA Steam Competition (KS2-3)
The ISA STEAM Competition encourages pupils to investigate and consider solutions to modern day problems. Pupils are presented with an opportunity to showcase and develop skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving. Open to Key Stages 2-3.
Deadline for entries: 1st February 2024
For more information please click here.
Mr Wyllie
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Jazz Night
We have a few tickets left for our annual jazz night, next Friday 26th at 8pm in the PA Hall.
Sadly, our guest singer Sumudu has had to pull out, but I am delighted that Louise Messenger, who played last year, will be bringing her all-star band to perform again!
Louise is a brilliant and engaging singer who has performed all over the world, singing at jazz clubs in London, Paris, Sydney and New York.
www.louisemessenger.com
Please email bookings@dokschool.org to book your tickets priced at £15 each. (BYOB)
LAMDA Showcases
Don't forget our annual LAMDA showcases are taking place in a couple of weeks in the PA Hall.
Years 9-11: Monday 29th January, 6pm
Year 7-8: Wednesday 31st January, 5.30pm
Parents are of course welcome to come along and see what their children have been working on. It is a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to get important performance experience in front of a friendly crowd.
Mr Rye
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What children and young people need to know about free speech vs hate speech
Freedom of expression is enshrined in international law. Some individuals, however, misunderstand the right to share their opinions as a license to target others with the most horrendous prejudice. So how do we balance people’s prerogative to have their voice heard against everyone’s right to live in a respectful, inclusive society?
This conflict frequently unfolds in the digital world. Online posters can be falsely accused of hate speech, while actual hate is often defended as merely being “free speech”. To help children and young people learn to identify the boundaries and recognise genuine hate speech when they see it, our guide provides some helpful definitions and guidelines.
Click on the link to find out more information about "What children and young people need to know about free speech vs hate speech".
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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Following on from last week’s bulletin and the reminder to allow time for reflection, I thought it complementary to discuss mindfulness this week. Some of the most common presenting issues that pupils come to me with are struggles to relax or sleep, and anxiety/worry. Reflecting on what these worries are and where they stem from, can be a really helpful and healthy way to consider how we can overcome them. Talking therapy can be useful in this way to identify perceived threats and work to diffuse the fear around it. However, there are also things we can do to help ourselves and address the symptoms of worry and anxiety – mindfulness is one of these. The rationale being that, as holistic beings, calming a part of self helps to also calm the whole.
Mindfulness is a practice and has long been part of holistic exercises and therapies such as Yoga, Tai Chi and meditation. Like any practice, Mindfulness becomes easier and more effective when practiced regularly – just as physical exercise builds physical strength, mindfulness can help to build our mental strength.
If young people become practiced in taking time to still their bodies and minds, being in the moment (without the distraction of past or future concerns) and controlling their parasympathetic system, they are better equipped to help themselves when struggling with overwhelm – whether emotional or physical.
There are a number of different ways to practice mindfulness, such as eating, moving or breathing mindfully – noticing and focusing on how we go about everyday activities, encourages us to slow down and appreciate them. There are a large number of mindful activities for children and teenagers online, which act as useful guidance if you are unsure or just want to learn a little more. https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-for-kids/ is a useful site with information and audio clips. Please listen to/watch any online audio/video to ensure you are happy with the content before sharing with your child – they are all individual and you know them best.
You can introduce the concept of mindfulness slowly by beginning with a routine time – such as when they brush their teeth in the evening – and then build to slightly longer sessions when they feel ready. It can be a really lovely family activity to share together. Mindfulness is a fantastic stress antidote for everyone.
Wishing you a mindful and calm weekend.
Mrs Douglas
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This week we have been notified of a single case of head lice in senior school. Please see the link below for advice, and remain vigilant:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/
Winter bugs continue to circulate among our community – please see the email from School earlier this week with regards to vomiting and the 48-hour rule. In terms of winter respiratory illness (coughs, colds, sore throats and fevers), please be aware that in line with UKHSA advice, we do not ask pupils to be tested for Covid-19 if they are unwell. Pupils with respiratory illness should stay at home if they do not feel well enough for School, or if they have a temperature of 37.8 or higher and return to School when they feel well enough to cope with the rigours of the School day. Pupils are welcome to carry their own supply of throat lozenges for their comfort. For pupils who are signed "off games" due to ill health or injury, do please be aware that on some occasions this means they will be standing outside watching games (so they can remain under staff supervision with their cohort); they should therefore be equipped with a warm coat, hat and gloves.
Please can Year 9 parents remember to complete the e-consent form for their children to have the DTP and Meningitis ACWY immunisations at School on Friday 1st March – many thanks to those who have already done this. (See the email from school dated 3rd January.) Also be aware that medical forms for the forthcoming Year 9 History trip to Belgium will be coming home soon. Please can parents complete these and return them to Mrs Sarjant via the front office – the meeting about the trip on 26th February would be a useful opportunity to return these forms. Many thanks in advance.
Finally, Mrs Sarjant is looking forward to her next PSHE lesson on puberty with Year 5 next week – a reminder that pupils are welcome to post anonymous questions in the boxes in their form rooms ahead of the lesson, or they can do this digitally via Google Classroom.
Wishing everyone a restful weekend.
The School Nurses
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PADoK
Next week we have Macmillan Afternoon Tea on Friday 26th January. Do pop in for a drink and some cake and help us to raise funds for this important charity.
If you would like to donate a cake or healthy option then please contact your class rep for how to do this. No nuts please and ingredients need to be clearly listed.
***Mr Rye’s Jazz Night is on Friday 26th January so book your tickets soon. Not one you want to miss.***
SAVE THE DATE – FRIDAY 1ST MARCH
Our PADoK event is on Friday 1st March, more details to follow, but please save the date.
Duke of Kent School Flyers – Wednesday 08.30-09.30 (Tara Coles and Lois Williams)
The first session of DOK netball was fun and great to be back playing after the holidays. Come and join us. So much fun to be had and so good for the soul. No experience necessary!
Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursday 08.20-09.00 (Cathy Williams)
A great session today with 14 voices stretching and singing to keep warm on this sunny, crisp, cold morning!
Some lovely warm ups singing about coffee instead of drinking it and a hilarious attempt at counting and clapping (not as easy as it sounds!), to relax, exercise the vocal chords and engage the brain!
The final part of the session was spent singing through Coldplay’s Yellow which is sounding so rich and warm and beautiful. Well done to everyone. The last bit to nail and then we look forward to a chance to perform it, for those that would like to.
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
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, Astroturf
The core control session was an invigorating outdoor 45 minutes of targeted exercises, expertly combining strength training with dynamic movements, leaving us feeling energised and focused on enhancing our core stability. The sessions going forward will be starting from the basics so that those who have not yet been before can enjoy all the benefits a strong core can bring.
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 – Tuesday 23rd January
Some people have asked us if we can do a walk on a different day of the week, so we are going to try to alternate the day. Please do join us: 08.30 at Car Park 3 Hurtwood Control (Pitch Hill). Everyone welcome.
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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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