The School menu next week

Year 7 trip to Hampton Court Palace

Year 7 pupils enjoyed a splendid trip to Hampton Court Palace on Tuesday, making the most of the sunny weather. The day was packed with engaging activities and rich historical exploration. We had two interactive educational sessions led by Palace staff. Firstly, pupils participated in an indoor interactive activity, "Elizabeth I, politics and power," which vividly brought the Tudor era to life through hands-on learning and a guide in period costume. After lunch, we had an outdoor session called "keeping well in the past and now", which took place in the beautiful palace gardens and offered insights into historical and modern wellness practices. We also had a chance to get lost in the famous maze.

Overall, it was a fantastic day, filled with learning and fun, as well as, according to George B, "some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted!"

Mr Seeley

Year 2 Great Fire of London workshop

On Tuesday, Year 2 excitedly participated in a drama workshop centred around our topic, The Great Fire of London. Tanya, from the Freshwater Theatre Company, took us back in time to 1666 where we were able to relive the catastrophic events of The Great Fire (from the safety of the Prep Library!). Throughout the workshop, the children were invited to dress up as key characters such as King Charles II, Thomas Farriner, the family maid and Samuel Pepys. Tanya was incredible at captivating the attention of the children and made each element of the workshop engaging and purposeful. It was really lovely to see the children's confidence blossom throughout the 90 minutes; from slightly shy spectators to truly charismatic and convincing actors by the end of the session!

"I loved when Tanya dressed up as the shopkeeper from 1666. She spoke in a really funny London accent!" Sienna

"My favourite part was when Archie dressed up as Samuel Pepys and pretended to write in his diary" Henry

Mrs Salley

Year 11 Trip to Barcelona

On Sunday morning at 07.00, 29 enthusiastic Year 11 pupils gathered at Gatwick Airport for their post-GCSE adventure to Barcelona. After a swift journey through Gatwick, they boarded the plane and set off for their destination.

Upon arrival in a briefly rainy Barcelona, the group boarded a coach that took them to Calella, located northeast of the city. The hotel featured a rooftop pool and was just meters from the beach. On the first evening, the pupils familiarised themselves with the hotel and enjoyed a refreshing dip in the sea. The beach volleyball net quickly became a favourite spot for pupils, with many inclusive rallies taking place.

The first night coincided with the local celebration of Sant Joan, where the summer solstice is marked by fireworks and firecrackers. This vibrant celebration offered a culturally rich introduction to their stay and led to a slightly sleepless night for everyone!

On Monday morning, the pupils visited La Rambla in Barcelona for some shopping, sightseeing and an opportunity to embrace the local culture. We then headed to Parc Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designed by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built between 1900 and 1914. The pupils enjoyed exploring the park, marvelling at its vibrant, imaginative architecture and colourful mosaics that blend natural and architectural elements seamlessly.

In the afternoon, we toured the magnificent Sagrada Família, learning about the history and ongoing construction of this iconic structure. This large, unfinished Roman Catholic basilica, also designed by Gaudí, is one of the most famous and visited landmarks in the city. Construction began in 1882, and despite ongoing work, it remains incomplete to this day. The basilica is renowned for its unique architectural style, combining Gothic and Art Nouveau elements. Gaudí's design includes intricate facades, soaring towers, and a stunning interior filled with symbolic elements and natural light.

That evening, the beach once again proved popular as pupils relaxed and took in the beautiful surroundings.

Tuesday began early with a trip to PortAventura, a popular theme park and resort located in Salou, Tarragona, near the Costa Daurada. It is one of the largest and most visited theme parks in Europe. The pupils enjoyed various roller coasters and water rides, perfect for cooling down on a hot day.

Wednesday was the final day of the trip. After checking out of their rooms, the group headed to Barcelona for an immersive tour of the Barcelona Football Club Museum. Football fans relished the opportunity to browse the shop and purchase official merchandise. The final stop was Castell de Montjuïc, a historic military fortress located atop Montjuïc Hill in Barcelona. It offered stunning views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea and a chance to learn some history while enjoying a last ice cream.

Throughout the trip, the Year 11 pupils represented the School with exemplary behaviour and cooperation. Teachers Mr Wright, Mr Wyllie, Mrs Southee and Miss Ward were immensely proud of them. This trip was a perfect celebration of the pupils' years at the School and an ideal opportunity for them to create lasting memories as a group.

Mr Wyllie

To view the photo gallery, click here. 

3T assembly

Last week, 3T performed their class assembly, “Dukiators!”. They shared their amazing alter-egos, “The Multiplier”, “Solar Power” and “Scripturient”, to name just a few, and shared with the audience the achievements they are most proud of this year. It was wonderful to see the children perform with confidence, energy and a huge amount of enthusiasm. They embodied the School values and encouraged the audience to become Dukiators too! Well done 3T, we are so proud of you!

Mrs Tuite

Year 1 assembly

In Thursday’s assembly, Year 1 captivated the audience with their rendition of the traditional German tale, The Musicians of Bremen. It was truly delightful to witness the children's outstanding ability to project their voices with confidence, filling the entire performing arts hall with their performance. Each child embraced their role with dedication and seriousness, creating a memorable experience for everyone present. I must commend Aoife for her portrayal of the super donkey, Eliza for her portrayal of the tired dog, Theodora for her sleepy cat, and Charles for his very loud cockerel. Their commitment to learning and delivering their lines flawlessly left me immensely proud as their teacher. The effort and enthusiasm displayed by Year 1 are truly commendable, exemplifying the creative and talented individuals they are becoming.

Miss Walpole

There have been so many highlights this week, it is hard to know where to start. Indeed, most are already being reported on in separate pieces in this Bulletin, but I would like to mention a few myself. I know the children and staff were thrilled to meet Dixie as part of our celebration of the Great British Bark Off, reminding us of our differences, and how our canine companions share their love and affection with us unconditionally, whoever we are, whatever we look like, and regardless of our abilities. There are already calls for more regular four-legged visitors, so popular was Dixie's presence around the department! 

Sports days, for both Pre-prep and Prep, were – of course – another highlight of the week. I'd like to echo Mr Herbert and Mrs Knox's thanks to families for coming in large numbers and supporting all the children so generously and vocally. It really does help the pupils perform to their best, and creates a wonderfully competitive, but compassionate atmosphere. 

There's even been time for Year 1's fantastic musical assembly – reminding us to be brave and kind, and that we all can achieve more as part of a team – and Year 5 and 6's super trip to Legoland. Plenty more learning and fun await next week, with the Pre-prep Dance Show, Years 3 and 4 trip to Hever Castle, Year 6 Final Assembly, Year 2 Celebration of Learning and Prep School fundraiser still to come! Have a lovely weekend.

Reading Certificates: Platinum for Finn H (Year 3); Gold for Coralie C (Year 3); Silver for Georgia C (Year 3)

Values Certificates: Annabelle R (Year 1) for Kindness

Mr Wright

Stars of the week

Week commencing 24 June 2024:

Nursery – Stanley W for being such a good sport during Sports Day and for his positive attitude throughout the term.

Rosie A for being so receptive to new experiences such as Sports Day.

Reception – Zara S for resilience and fortitude, you have been amazing this week!

Year 1 – Marc W for leaving his comfort zone and presenting himself in a professional manner for our class assembly.

Grisha D for his lovely manners, Grisha will always greet me with a good morning and great eye contact.

Year 2 – Sienna dPL for recalling facts learnt about the Wright Brothers and using your ICT skills to type these in a document.

Alfred A for taking your time and focusing on your stippling technique when creating your impressionism artwork.

Week commencing 17 June 2024 (apologies for the omission in last week's Bulletin):

Nursery – Finley R for great focus and participation in group activities and for being a lovely friend.

Atalanta J for displaying good focus during independent activities and for increased confidence during circle time.

Reception – Oscar B for progress in reading, your decoding is improving every day!

Easton J for having such a positive approach to your reading and writing challenges.

Year 1 – Annabelle R for her fantastic acrostic poem and for always being so kind.

Gracie B for being so supportive helping friends understand telling the time and for her enthusiastic attitude to learning Scratch Jr on the iPads.

Year 2 – Annabelle W for working so hard on your expression when reading. You’ve now moved onto Free Readers and we couldn’t be more proud!

Mrs Henry

Monday marked the closing of the House photography competition and I look forward to seeing the results from Mr Watson after a number of excellent entries. On Tuesday we had the Year 7 trip to Hampton Court Palace, as the weather began to get warmer, whilst in the evening we had the first of two hugely successful production performances of The Light Burns Blue. With our largest ever cast for a Years 8 and 9 production, along with a relatively short but intense rehearsal schedule, it was truly wonderful to see all the hard work pay off with a production of outstanding quality, from the lights and sound to the many outstanding actors on stage. Huge congratulations to all those involved.

On Wednesday, our Year 11 trip to Barcelona returned, armed with many wonderful stories and memories from their packed schedule which involved visits to La Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, La Rambla, PortAventura and Castell de Montjuic, as well as an immersive tour of the new FC Barcelona stadium. Tired but smiling, it seems a good time was had by all, and the staff were especially proud of the pupils’ conduct and good company throughout the trip.

Congratulations go to the following for accruing a multiple of 25 Merit Points and therefore being invited to Celebration Snack Break on Friday where they received a lunch fastpass and stationery prize; George B, Ben D, George K, Dante R-D (Year 7), Ben J, Ollie K, Henry M, Tansy-B T (Year 8) and Alex B (Year 9). A special mention also goes to Henry O-B (Year 7) who has managed 100 Merit Points since joining the Senior School and therefore received a blazer badge in assembly this morning, along with the fastpass and stationery prize. Well done to you all.

Mr Wilson

Summer Concert 2024

Last Friday was our annual Summer Concert, this year adversely affected by the weather. Or so we thought it would have been! We took the decision to move the concert inside and split it into Prep and Senior based on the weather forecast – and of course it ended up being fine! But never mind – both concerts were wonderful, fun-filled affairs celebrating the best of the Music Department here at School. There were some amazing solos, wonderful bands, fantastic dancers and brilliant choirs, all of whom dealt with the slightly madcap nature of one concert straight after another with grace and patience! Huge thanks to all the staff involved and the pupils for stepping up – it was a joyful evening.

Pupil achievements

Huge congratulations to Willow B in Year 3, who has been offered a place on the Royal Ballet Junior Associates programme as of September. The Junior Associate Programme is for pupils aged 8 to 10 who wish to take classes with The Royal Ballet School, alongside their regular ballet classes.

Willow auditioned with hundreds of other youngsters over May half-term and has made the cut! Only 10% of applicants from across the country were successful, so it is a wonderful achievement by Willow!

 

Mr Rye

Girls’ cricket: U14/15 B Team v King Edward's School

On Tuesday afternoon, the U14/15 B Team played their final cricket game of the year. It was a very warm and sunny day, so plenty of drink breaks and moments in the shade were taken between overs! Duke of Kent School won the toss and elected to bowl. There was some brilliant bowling on display, with captains Clara H-S and Issy F setting the team off nicely with two good overs. We did nine balls per over and each pair faced two overs. Saorise W bowled a great over, giving away just seven runs off her nine balls. Tildy C also bowled well and fielded with confidence. Alice B and Francesca R bowled the final two overs and managed to get an impressive three wickets, meaning King Edward's lost a crucial 15 runs! King Edward's finished on 172 runs.

After a short break, the girls came out to bat and showed brilliant communication and speed when running between the wickets for singles. Some particularly strong scoring pairs were Mattie R and Saoirse W with 19 runs off their two overs and Edie H and Emily N with 14 off their two overs. It was impressive to see Alice B and Francesca R take to their roles with great maturity, as they knew if they lost a few wickets then King Edward's would be back in the game. The girls played some beautiful shots and ran lots of singles to give us the victory, 193 runs to 172 runs. A wonderful afternoon of cricket with a great attitude displayed by the girls throughout. Congratulations to Annie B for being awarded best batter and Issy F for best bowler. Well done for a great season of cricket!

Miss Vickers

This week, Years 7 and 9 have worked very hard to clear the rhododendron that has grown near the entrance to the woodland by Ness Hall. Removing the rhododendron will have lots of benefits for the ecosystem in our woodland, because if it dominates an area it can shade out native plants and its leaf litter and extensive root system is toxic to many other plants. The pupils put in a sterling effort to remove the amount they did and some of them got first-hand experience with the extensive root system while trying to remove them! The nearly-cleared area has opened up that area of the woodland and might hopefully be put to good use in the future! It was lovely to see the teamwork and camaraderie on display while the pupils got stuck into the rhododendron, and for them to have a clear gauge of the impact of all their hard work when they left.

On Friday afternoon, a group of Year 5 pupils went to Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Nower Wood site to represent Duke of Kent School at a celebration event for all the schools who completed their first year of the Wilder Schools programme. They certainly made the School proud during the presentation and gave a good account of the achievements of the School community. It was interesting to hear what the other schools implemented, and it has given us plenty of ideas moving forward.

The Best Nest Contest by Luke Western

Inspire the next generation of wildlife ambassadors and support Surrey Wildlife Trust!

An engaging illustrated story teaching children ages 4-8 about British garden birds and their nesting habits. Read along as the birds' antics unfold across 48 colour pages of rhyming storyline, celebrating individualism. Its inviting illustrations make it a visually delightful and educational read.

Many songbirds’ populations are decreasing at an alarming rate, making books like this vital to encourage children’s curiosity and interest in birds now, and for their future.

A must-have for wildlife-loving children.

Luke Western Art is a supporter of Surrey Wildlife Trust and has a special offer for members.

The offer:

• Get the book for £9.99
• FREE print from the story (usually £5)
• For every book ordered, Luke Western Art will donate £1 to Surrey Wildlife Trust.

To order:

• visit https://www.lukewesternart.com/the-best-nest-contest
• Select “The Book + Print from the story” (£14.99)
• Use code “SWTBOOK” at checkout for a £5 discount

Top tip:

How often do you look up? We are lucky to have so many trees on our School grounds, but did you know just how amazing trees are? They can make us feel calmer and happier – but that’s not all! Did you know that a tree in a city can cool the air around it by up to 12C? Or that they reduce flooding, as up to 30% of the rain that falls on a tree evaporates back into the atmosphere without ever hitting the ground?

The Tree Council have an unbe-leaf-able tree quiz you can try whilst out about this weekend.

Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Gritton

Mr Boden

 

This week, in Pre-prep and Prep we have been celebrating “The Great British Bark Off”, a wellbeing and dog-focused initiative with a focus on accepting difference. This is an initiative created by Underdog International whose motto is – Children Helping Dogs, Dogs Helping Children. They are a dog rescue charity who train dogs to work as therapy dogs in school and teach children about how to interact safely with dogs. My dog, Dixie, was rescued via this amazing charity and I really appreciate the positive work they do with both dogs and children. Please do take a look at their page if you are interested in learning more.

To start the week, my daughter and Dixie accompanied me to the assembly for Prep School where we talked about how to introduce ourselves to dogs by firstly asking the owner’s permission and allowing the dog to see and smell us first before touching them. We also talked about this year’s featured dog – Henry Wee Wheels. He was paralysed whilst caged with other dogs in China, rescued, treated and then adopted by a family in Northern Ireland. His new family arranged for him to be fitted with a wheelchair, and he now regularly visits local primary schools as a therapy dog and enjoys racing about with his canine pals.

The idea of acceptance and purpose, no matter what our differences, was at the centre of our work this week. I visited all Prep classes to discuss the idea that our diverse skill sets and attributes are what make us individual and amazing. Dixie came along to many of the classes to reinforce the idea that dogs don’t see our differences, just people who treat them well. We considered what we valued most in others and our friends – this was very rarely what they looked like but way more to do with how they treat others and their positive qualities. Some pupils will also bring home recipe booklets to try out at home, featuring doggy-themed recipes for people to eat, as well as some recipes to make for any canine friends.

Pre-prep also had the opportunity to meet Dixie and learn about the value of acceptance of self and others, as well as an opportunity for some to design their own doggy masks and superdogs. Dixie also came out at break times to meet some of the pupils throughout the School and offer some fur-filled canine therapy. The pupils behaved beautifully with Dixie and I know she’d be thrilled to come back again for more tummy tickles and ear scratches!

Mrs Douglas

It's certainly been a scorcher this week, which has been lovely, but also challenging; plenty of dehydration headaches and nausea; and the odd tick here and there! Well done to all our pupils who have persevered through cricket matches and sports days with some great sporting performances despite the heat.

For more on dehydration click here (we can't promote the virtues of drinking water enough!).

Next week it looks like a return to more manageable temperatures, but we would still advise high SPF sun cream and plenty of water.

Pupils heading off on the last few School trips of the term next week should take hayfever medication and travel nausea medication at home before School (if relevant). Please let Mrs Sarjant know if any medications need to be given by staff taking these trips so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Finally, a reminder to parents of Year 11 pupils that we aim to have medications available to collect from the front office at the Leavers' Dinner on Tuesday or at Parents’ Day next week – please help yourselves!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

The School Nurses

PADoK

Second Hand Uniform Shop – 3rd July

The shop is open on Wednesday 3rd July between 15.00–16.00.

We are low on stock, so any donations will be gratefully received. Only Stevensons and current uniform please.

Duke of Kent School Flyers

Mondays 17.30-18.30, Wednesdays 08.30-09.30 (Tara Coles and Lois Williams)

Another excellent week for all our netball mums here at Duke of Kent School! 

If you’re looking for a fantastic way to stay active, make friends, and be a part of an exciting team, join us on a Monday afternoon and/or Wednesday morning and be a part of the Duke of Kent School Flyers!

Come and join us. So much fun to be had and so good for the soul.

Duke of Kent School Singers

Thursdays 08.20-09.00 (Cathy Williams)

On Friday evening, the Duke of Kent School Singers performed Eleanor Rigby at the Summer Concert. The nerves didn't get the better of us, and we all came away feeling really proud of our performance. Huge thanks and gratitude to Mr Rye for giving up his time to teach our choir and to Cathy Williams for leading our group. Looking forward to a new song in September.

Please do come along at any time for a listen or a sing. No pressure to perform just enjoy it week-on-week. 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 Core Control

Strengthen your body, improve your health with our physio-led stability group. Friday mornings 08.30, Astroturf

Core control enjoyed the beautiful warm weather outside and continued activating our core stability muscles, while also progressing hip flexibility. We love having new faces and building those very important muscles.

For new joiners to the group, please hit us up on the WhatsApp group.

Animal supply donations wanted

Duke of Kent school has an association with a wonderful charity called Ukraine Mission, who help the people there by providing food and essential supplies (in our old minibuses). What many people may not know is that they often also take food supplies for animals out to the Ukraine (dog, cat, horse food) with other charities. With the war still raging, there is still an urgent need for all animal supplies food/medicine/worming products etc.

I have been working with a lady called Rebecca, who collects for two charities- K9 Rescue Ukraine and DogsnHomes Ukraine.

A collection box will be placed in reception from Monday 24th June. If anyone would like to help, please drop off whatever you can - dog, cat, horse food (wet or dry)/treats/worming tablets/medicine (even out of date).

Mrs Browning

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.