The School menu for next week

Year 6 assembly

This week, Year 6 performed their class assembly about “Respect”, one of our Prep School Values. The majority of the script was based on the format of a classic 90s TV show, more appropriately renamed for this purpose to “Blind Play Date!”. The children delivered a stellar performance, speaking with expression and clarity, and hopefully left the audience with some positive thoughts about the importance of respectful behaviour. A special mention to Hope N, Alfie H and Jasmine W who preceded the main event by showcasing their musical talent – thank you.

Mrs Nicholson

LAMDA Showcases

On Monday and Wednesday evenings this week, our LAMDA Showcases were held in the PA Hall, giving pupils the opportunity to perform their entries ahead of the actual exams that take place this June. These showcases are a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to gain some important performance experience in a relaxed and supportive environment. We witnessed some wonderful acting: from comedic monologues about little brothers that are desperate to do what their big brothers do to dynamic duologues that revealed the misunderstanding that can happen in a doctor’s surgery! The performances were a lovely testament to the talents within our School community.

A big thank you is due to Mr Forrester and Miss Elder for their brilliant teaching, to the parents and friends who came to support and, of course, to our wonderful pupils for all their hard work.

Mrs Honey

Jazz Night

Last Friday the PA Hall was transformed into a jazz club – the lights were low, a cocktail bar miraculously appeared and the music was of a wonderfully high standard at our annual jazz night.

Fantastic singer Louise Messenger was once again in town, supported by an incredible band of international musicians, who have played in venues such Ronnie Scotts in Soho, Miltons in NY, Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House to name a few!

Every year this is a highlight of the musical calendar and this year's offering is up there with the best ever. A huge thank you is due to the musicians who travelled into the Surrey Hills to entertain us, to the parents who came along (especially Mr Tuite's cocktail bar!) and, of course, the PADoK parents who transformed the space. Here's to the next one!

Mr Rye

I have been so proud of our fabulous Prep and Pre-prep pupils and staff this week, as the ISI inspection team observed all aspects of our daily routines, lessons and activities. Despite inevitable interruptions here and there, pupils remained focused on their learning and showed our guests commendable courtesy and kindness at all times – just as we would expect of them.

I know for many the chance to see – and even handle – pieces of the moon on Tuesday afternoon was the highlight of their week, as were the Year 6 Assembly and Numbers Day – about all of which you can read more in separate articles in this Bulletin.

A highlight for me this week was having a very rare opportunity to assist with girls' games on Wednesday afternoon, accompanying the Year 5s and 6s on their mini-tournament at Ripley Court. I've written a match report elsewhere, but suffice to say that I would be delighted to step in and join them as their coach any time they need me – girls, your camaraderie, skills and competitive desire were remarkably infectious. Thank you for having me!

Next week, we end the half-term with the annual Prep School Disco – more details on this will be emailed out during the week. Lastly, a polite reminder to send your Prep child in on Monday with their £1 donation to the NSPCC, if they forgot it on Friday. Have a lovely weekend.

Values Certificates: Henry A, Pia S, Barnes P, Beth F, Henry S and Max M (Effort); Bea TR (Kindness)

Mr Wright

Stars of the week

Nursery – Angus T for great listening, working productively and collaboratively and for being helpful and kind towards his younger peers.

Atalanta J for improved listening, great dramatic play and independent work.

Reception – Roman N for progress in handwriting through determination and effort.

Jack T for displaying an improving attitude and greater focus especially during phonics.

Year 1 – Aoife F for her lovely descriptive writing in English. Aoife is great at applying herself to the task in hand.

Year 2 – Jenson Br for great contributions in Science. You created a balanced food and exercise plan for our focus couple.

Mrs Henry

GLive

Tickets are now available for our annual Combined Schools concert held at the G Live venue in Guildford.

As many of you will know, this is a huge highlight of the musical calendar for the School, and this year promises to be no different. Performing will be our Junior Chamber Choir, Senior Choirs, School Big Band, The Ukes of Kent, Stomp Club, Year 11 Ensemble and a couple of soloists.

The concert starts at 19.00, involves four local schools and finishes around 21.45. Tickets are priced at £14 each and the charge will be added to your end of term bill. There is no limit, so order as many as you want – bring your friends and all the family!

Please email bookings@dokschool.org to order them. At a later date, you will be notified when they are available to be picked up from the front office.

Parents of those involved in the concert will receive a separate email from Mr Rye before half-term about the arrangements for the pupils.

Mr Rye

 

This month UNIFROG are continuing to offer a number of webinars that can help guide your future choices or just be an interesting talk that you might like to hear more about.

The following are available for all pupils and/or parents who would like to learn more about careers in these sectors. 

Discovering hair and beauty

Considering a career in hair and beauty? In this webinar, you’ll discover different pathways into the industry and what it means to start your own business. You’ll also hear from a current student about what it’s really like to study hair and beauty, so you can figure out the best next step for you!

This webinar takes place on Monday 5^th February @16:30.

To sign up click here.

Discovering animal care and agriculture

Are you a nature lover? Do you have pets of your own? A career in animal care or agriculture could be for you! Sign up today to get some top tips for your application and hear from two colleges, plus a current student, on what it means to pursue a career in this industry.

This webinar takes place on Monday 5^th February @17:30.

To sign up click here.

Discovering sports and sport therapy

Do you thrive in a sports environment? Whether you’re an aspiring sportsperson yourself or want to help others to achieve their potential, this webinar will help you to explore careers in the industry. After hearing from sports company, CIMSPA, and getting valuable insight from a current student on what it really means to study sports, you will leave this webinar knowing how to ace your application.

This webinar takes place on Tuesday 6^th February @17:00.

To sign up click here.

Apprenticeship Fair 2024

In addition to these career talks on Wednesday 7^th February at 16:30 UNIFROG is hosting an Apprenticeship Fair.

Get involved with National Apprenticeship Week! Join our virtual fair to learn all about the world of apprenticeships. Explore the latest apprenticeship opportunities, attend live sessions with top employers including KPMG, Lloyds Banking Group and Unilever, and network one-on-one to get top tips on how to find and apply for your dream apprenticeship.

To sign up click here.

Mr Wyllie

Girls' netball: U16 B and U14/15 C Netball Teams v Farlington School 

On Tuesday afternoon, it was a wonderfully successful day for the Year 9, 10 and 11 Netball Teams with an incredible five wins out of five! Two of these matches were against Farlington on our courts. Both games were extremely exciting and the scores remained very close throughout the afternoon! The U16 B Team got off to a brilliant start scoring three goals in the first quarter, in comparison to Farlington's two goals. As the match continued, the quality of the mid-court play was excellent with Annabelle R working brilliantly in Centre and four pupils rotating in the wing positions to support the play. The game remained close and both teams struggled to score goals due to the epic efforts of the defensive teams! The score finished 5-3 to Duke of Kent School. What a great result and, most importantly, a match played in great spirits – well done to you all!

Meanwhile, the U14/15 C Team were also having a thriller match, but this time it was goals galore! Mrs Turnbull led her team to victory with Annabelle O and Lucy M playing fantastically as a shooting pair, scoring 18 goals between them. The final score finished 18-14. What an exciting game! Well done to all the players involved for a brilliant display of effort and determination.

Miss Vickers

Girls' netball: U15/16 A Netball Team v Box Hill School

On Tuesday, the U15/16 A Netball Team travelled away to face Box Hill School. Duke of Kent School dominated the first quarter and took an early lead. Frankie M and Bella S worked the ball seamlessly into the circle and Jess I's shooting was first class! The team's defensive play was impressive throughout; everyone worked together to close down Box Hill's space and some fabulous interceptions were made by Abi A, Ava W and Phoebe P. By half-time Duke of Kent School were 8-5 up. In the third quarter the team kept up their three-goal lead, Izzy F was excellent in attack and Alex K made some well-timed runs and shot a lovely goal at GS. Box Hill fought back in the final quarter but the team pulled out all the stops to keep their lead. Well done to Rose S who kindly stepped into GK and did a great job there. A well-deserved victory, congratulations to everyone involved!

Mrs Dann

Boys’ rugby: U15 Rugby 7s v St Edmund’s School

The U15 Rugby Team travelled to St Edmund’s on Tuesday to play some 7s rugby. Both schools had two teams and each team played two matches. The boys kept the ball alive as much as possible with good support and communication. The tackling in defence was great throughout and the fast evasive running was excellent. Duke of Kent School won all four matches and should be extremely proud of the progress they are making. Well done to all players!!

Mr Herbert

Girls’ Netball: U12/13 A Team v Box Hill

On Wednesday, the U12/13 A Netball Team played Box Hill at home. Due to transport issues they only fielded five players so it took a few moments to adjust to playing without a WA or WD. However, after a thorough warm up shooters Norah H and Issy N had their eye in and by the end of the first half they had scored nine goals in 15 minutes! Tansy T and Myrtle M shared their role at C and both demonstrated their ability to lose their defender with ease and feed the circle with well-timed and accurate passes. Erin C and Holly R dominated their area in defence and made a number of skilful interceptions, which was a joy to watch. On the final whistle the team had secured a convincing victory and should be proud of how they played.

Mrs Dann

Boys’ rugby: U12 Rugby v Cottesmore School

Although the U12 team lost to an impressive Cottesmore team, the progress and determination from the Duke of Kent School team was impressive. The boys showed an improvement in their rucking, positioning and always had willing runners with support very close at hand. Indie K scored our try and it was great to see the togetherness of the team as they all came together to celebrate this moment. Well done boys, keep working hard!

Mr Herbert

Boys’ rugby: U11 Rugby v Cottesmore

Wednesday saw the U11s travel to Cottesmore to play in a thrilling match. Duke of Kent School started well with some great running from Arthur S, Harlyn S and Hubie S but were unable to convert unfortunately. Alfie H put in some amazing try-saving tackles and was supported by Jasper W and Freddie G with some big tackles and rucking. Alfie H was able to change defence into attack and scored both Duke of Kent School's tries. However, Cottesmore were too strong on the day and won the game 4-2. Fantastic play from all the boys involved as their game is improving every week.

Mr Green

Girls’ Hockey: U11 Girls v Greenfield School

As stand-in coach, I felt the pressure before we'd even got to the bus; the girls had excitedly told me they were undefeated in netball so far this year, so their expectations levels were evident from the off. Thankfully, I know a lot more about hockey than I do about netball, however, in truth, the Year 6s needed very little coaching at all. Hockey played on grass can be an unpredictable and, at times, trying endeavour, especially when so much practice is now done on the lovely smooth and speedy Astroturf. Thankfully, the pitch at Ripley Court was in great nick, and our girls were able to show off their skills to race into a 4-0 lead in the first quarter. We didn't have it all our own way, however, and the next quarter was goalless. Eventually, by the end of the match, our strength in the tackle and direct running earned us an 8-0 win. Congratulations to all the players, but special mention to Charlotte C for her tenacity and energy throughout.

Mr Wright

Girls’ Hockey: U8/9 Blue Team v Dorset House School

It was a glorious afternoon for the U8/9 Blue's hockey game on Thursday. For most it was their first hockey match, unlike their opponents Dorset House School who were a little more experienced. It was great to see everyone being so courageous with their tackling and playing the game with real determination. As the match progressed the team went from strength to strength and made some exciting breaks. Towards the end of the game Duke of Kent School scored a well-deserved goal; a very positive start to the season.

Mrs Dann

Girls’ Hockey: U8/9 Yellow Team v Dorset House School

On Thursday afternoon, all girls in Years 3 and 4 took part in their first hockey match of the term due to poor weather and our House cross-country competition! The sun was shining when Dorset House arrived for our match. They were a few players down so some of our wonderfully kind Duke of Kent School pupils offered to step in to even up the numbers. It was a great first match for the U8/9 Yellow team, with the girls showing great determination despite going a few goals down. Norah C and Tildy T did a brilliant job in the midfield getting stuck into every tackle! The team improved as the match went on and Violet W managed to score two goals in the final few minutes of the game. What an exciting end to a great match!

Miss Vickers

 

ISA Poetry Competition (Years 2-11)

A fantastic opportunity for pupils to showcase their poetry writing skills and have their work read by a renowned poet. Open to Key Stages 1-5.

For more information click here.

Deadline for entries: Wednesday 7^th February 2024

Global Canvas Children’s Art Competition

Global Canvas children’s art competition is an annual international art contest run by DSWF, to encourage creativity from young people, to display thought and concern for our planet’s environment and the incredible wildlife that inhabits it.

For more information click here.

Deadline for entries: Tuesday 13^th February 2024

Elmbridge Literary Competition (ages 5-18)

For some, it is a lifetime’s pursuit, often slipping through their grasp while others see it fall into their hands by mere chance. However achieved, through talent or luck, fame, can be an ill-fated prize. The 19^th Elmbridge Literary Competition, run in partnership by The R C Sherriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council, is looking for short stories and poems on the theme of the double-edged sword that is “FAME”.

For more information click here.

Deadline for entries: Friday 23^rd February 2024

Mr Wyllie

What you need to know about music streaming apps and sites

Music streaming apps allow people to listen to music on their devices. It gives users access to millions of songs and artists from around the world. Popular music streaming apps and sites include Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Music, Amazon Prime and Deezer. Music streaming allows children to listen to songs from around the world in a much easier and cheaper way. This enables them to showcase their talent which would have been very hard to do many years back.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as explicit content, adult-themed podcasts and chatting to strangers.

Click on the link to find out more information about "What you need to know about music streaming apps and sites".

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

Mr Boden

This Sunday is World Cancer Day. This event is observed annually on February 4^th, and is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about cancer, promoting early detection, prevention and treatment, and advocating for improved access to healthcare services for cancer patients. It provides an opportunity for individuals, organisations and governments worldwide to unite in the fight against cancer.

Here at Duke of Kent School, we raise awareness of cancer through supporting cancer charities such as Macmillan (many thanks to the bakers of the wonderful array of cakes available last week at School) and this year our chosen charity is Sarcoma UK, which is particularly close to our hearts as a community. See the links below for more information:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

https://sarcoma.org.uk/

Educating the pupils about cancer at School is particularly important. Later this term, Year 10 pupils will be attending some PSHE lessons about cancer. The aim is to help pupils understand what cancer is, what the signs and symptoms are, risk factors and prevention and, in particular, to promote breast and testicular self-examination. Most importantly, we aim to encourage pupils to be brave enough to speak up and seek help and medical advice if they are worried – sound advice for all of us! More information about these lessons to follow from Mrs Sarjant after half-term, but meanwhile we would recommend that Senior School pupils head to the Teenage Cancer Trust website if they have any questions or concerns about cancer – it provides easy-to-understand information and advice:

https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/

Back to more regular matters; infections continue to circulate at School; respiratory illness and some tummy bugs also persist. Please keep unwell children at home, particularly if they have a temperature of 37.8 or higher, and the 48-hour rule applies to incidents of diarrhoea or vomiting. One more week to go, then we can stop for a breather to rest and recover a little ahead of a jam-packed few weeks at School after half-term – lots to look forward to!

Have a wonderful weekend.

The School Nurses

PADoK

Macmillan Afternoon Tea

Thank you to everyone who came along this afternoon. If you'd like to make a donation, click here.

Dates for your diary:

Après Ski – PADoK Event, FRIDAY 1^ST MARCH

We have had great interest in our Apres Ski event so far and tickets are selling fast. See details below…

We are incredibly excited to bring the snowy mountain tops of Europe to DoK, in what promises to be a brilliant evening of alpine-inspired fun. 

Fancy a night that “goes off piste”?

Hot cocktails, food specials and an après ski vibe.

Don a ski hat or dig out your ski suit to tuck into an alpine feast and bust some moves with DJ Noah.

Book your tickets by emailing padok@dokschool.org with your child’s name and year group.

Macmillan Afternoon Tea

Thank you to all the bakers who provided some delicious treats for our tea party. Thank you to those who came to support this event for such a worthwhile charity. We are delighted to say we raised a whopping £584.

Thank you to Mrs Coles, Mrs Williams and the PADoK team for organising it.

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

Another fantastic netball session was had by all on Wednesday. Plenty of goals and fun had along with a great workout! Please do join us every Wednesday, no experience required. You won’t regret it! So much fun to be had and so good for the soul.

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

No singing this week due to School commitments.

Please do come along for a listen any Thursday morning following drop off (usually in the PA Hall). New joiners, singing or otherwise, are welcome at any time. No pressure to perform. A fantastic opportunity to switch off, practice some self-care and focus on something outside the normal routine. It’s well worth a drop in. Hope to see you there.

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. We will set a date after half-term.

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

This week's Padok Core Control Group session commenced with a dynamic warm-up led by our resident running coach, Sarah Smith. The core exercises zeroed in on enhancing hip joint mobility while maintaining pelvic stability. Participants progressed through a series of pelvic stability exercises, including prone upper trunk and shoulder mobility drills. The session concluded with an intense side plank with leg lifts. Don't miss the next session – reach out to Julia for details and a health disclaimer. See you there!

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.

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.

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.