Duke of Kent School

Our Art Department teaches a wide range of skills and all pupils find an area in which they can shine. Sketching and painting skills are central, but pupils also learn techniques of collage and batik, as well as pottery, fired in our own kiln. Older pupils, from Years 5-8, are introduced formally to specialist Design Technology and are instructed in everything from traditional woodwork to designing and launching their own rockets.

See the Art Department's flickr photostream

Drama in the School is of a high standard. The school puts on ambitious and highly creative productions involving large numbers of children and staff. Drama is incorporated across the wider curriculum to give pupils as wide a range of dramatic experiences as possible.

This gives every child the confidence to work in a team and present ideas orally - key skills for modern life. Morning assemblies, as well as the formal productions, give everyone the opportunity to get on stage, and learn back stage skills.

Self-expression is a great freedom, which needs to be nurtured and developed to the full. The excitement of creating, learning, exhibiting and performing is something that comes naturally to many of our pupils.

The Music Department is busy and productive. A very high proportion of our pupils learn instruments and most of them move successfully upwards through the Associated Boards grade exams. All children, from Reception upwards, are taught to sing.

High profile musical events, such as school concerts, lunchtime concerts and the Chapel Choir singing at the St Clement Danes Christmas Carol Service in Central London, help to give focus and prestige to the School's musicians.

A variety of musical ensembles, including our orchestra and wind, brass and guitar groups rehearse regularly. More informal groups of children can be found playing together in their free time. The Director of Music receives considerable help from peripatetic teachers, who show a very committed approach to their pupils.

Being outside and active are important parts of school life. From aged seven onwards, all our pupils have three or four sessions of PE or games per week, each lasting 70 minutes. Our PE curriculum teaches a great deal about co-ordination, posture and movement - as well as more traditional skills.

We have a full match programme for boys and girls alike, with fixtures in football and rugby, netball and hockey, cricket, rounders, athletics and swimming. Everyone has plenty of opportunity to represent the School in a wide range of sports. There are matches virtually every week of the school year when parents are more than welcome to come and support. Most of our pupils will be selected for teams at some stage of their time here and those with real ability are given the opportunity to shine.

The School's sports facilities are outstanding. Generous pitch space is provided for all team sports. Tennis and indoor hockey are enjoyed by girls and boys alike. Our covered pool allows us to teach swimming throughout the year and evening activities and fun swims are also organised.

Four evenings a week pupils can choose from a huge range of organised activities, sports and hobbies. Everyone has the opportunity to try out new things and get engrossed in pursuits they love. Activities are a time when different age groups mix, and older children help, encourage and inspire the younger ones.

One of the great advantages of the extended day at the School is that children have time to pursue their own interests with their friends. In free time throughout the day children can be found playing board games, kicking a football, practising their instruments together, or getting that remote controlled car to take that hairpin still faster.

At Duke of Kent School we recognise the importance of providing an educational experience that goes beyond the normal boundaries of the classroom. With this in mind, we pride ourselves on the number and variety of trips and activities we offer to our pupils - everything from theatre trips to Roman weekends, to skiing holidays.

The School operates a unique system which optimises the use of its facilities and gives each child from Year 3 upwards the opportunity to be involved in an overnight stay over once per term.

The program of activities is designed such that the pupils are progressively challenged each year. Activities can range from shelter building and backwoods camping to the more cerebral CSI murder mystery weekend to a long weekend with PGL in Dorset.