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A message from Mrs Knox

Duke of Kent School's performance at GLive this week was an absolute triumph. What pure joy watching the pupils having the best time ever on stage, performing with real conviction and spark. We have received so many emails from parents and grandparents to say they were "blown away" by our talented pupils and loved the imaginative set, self-confidence as well as self-belief on stage. The Duke of Kent School effect was very much in evidence. A huge thank you to Mr Rye for orchestrating our performance and, of course, his team of fabulous music teachers and staff who looked after the children all day. I could not have been more proud!

It was also just lovely celebrating Mother's Day in the Pre-prep today. The children sang beautifully and shared their drawings with our mums and special guests, filling the room with warmth, pride and plenty of smiles. Moments like these are a wonderful reminder of the close partnership between school and home, and of how much joy the children take in celebrating the people who support them every day.

Finally,this afternoon we hosted the PADoK Macmillan Afternoon Tea and were delighted to see so many pupils, staff and parents enjoying a wonderful array of cakes together in support of such an important cause. Thank you to everyone who baked, organised and came along to make it such a warm and cheerful community occasion. Have a lovely weekend.  

Mrs Knox

House Music

Last Friday we held our annual House Music Finals in the Performing Arts Hall, involving the whole Prep and Senior School. The afternoon began with the finalists’ concert, followed by the House Song competition and a special performance from our guest judge, Emma Hatton—making for a joyful afternoon of music and group singing.

With over 100 entries in the solo and group categories, judging was difficult. Congratulations to Sienna de P (Beginners), Bob P (Intermediate) and Sonny C (Advanced), with a special judge’s award for Herb M for multimedia and multi-instrumentalism.

In the group category, Max L, Alaska B and Charlie S won the Prep award, while Humphrey G and Ethan K won the Senior award. Edie H received the composition prize. Buzzard won the House Song with ‘We’re All in This Together’, and Kestrel were crowned overall winners.

Emma Hatton also led a Q&A with GCSE Music pupils and performed ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked, bringing the PA Hall to life. It was a fantastic celebration of music at the school—many thanks to all staff involved, especially Mrs Honey, Miss Barnes and Mrs Hudson.

House Music Photo Gallery

Mr Rye
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GLive

Every year we are lucky enough to be invited by the Guildford Rotary Club to perform in a joint schools’ concert with three other schools (Prior's Field, Ash Manor and, for the first time this year, Glebelands) and it is undoubtedly one of the musical highlights of our year. This year we took 105 pupils, and 11 staff to the G Live venue in Guildford, with a 30 minute set ready to go and a table for 124 booked at Zizzi's for the annual pizza! As always, our pupils were outstanding. Their behaviour and professionalism on the stage during the technical rehearsal was excellent, and then in the restaurant they were spirited but respectful, and as always drew positive comments from the staff working both in the theatre and the restaurant.


Our set in the evening was eclectic and entertaining, and I was so proud of our wonderful pupils who rose to the occasion as only they can! Well done to The Ukes of Kent, Stomp, the Junior Chamber Choir, the Senior Choir, the DoK Big Band, The Jukes, the Year 11 GCSE Music pupils, Mini-choir and of course the gorgeous Year 11 GCSE Music pupils A massive thank you is also due to the Music Department staff, Miss Barnes, Mr Gunter and Mr Wilson– and to all the other staff who gave up their time to chaperone or drive a bus – thank you all.

Official photos will be with us shortly!

Mr Rye
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Prep pupils attended an inspiring talk from England Hockey goalkeeper, James Mazarelo, this morning. His messages to "have no regrets" and "use your mistakes as superpowers" were excellent reminders to the children to work hard and show resilience. Those who performed in House Music last week and GLive this week certainly demonstrated those attributes in abundance, and we see them every day too in the classroom. Year 2 were learning about time and statistics in their Maths lessons, recording each other doing different tasks for 1 minute to get a sense of how long 60 seconds is, then gathering the data to create graphs. In History, Year 5 have been considering the roles women played in WWII and the importance they had in not only the war effort but also changing attitudes, also supported by the new novel they have started in English - Michael Morpurgo's 'Friend or Foe'. In English, Year 3 identified features of a diary and in their DT lessons showed care and creativity making stencils for their linkage toys and sawing the wood ready for construction. 

I do hope you enjoyed the Mothers (and others) Day Parties this afternoon. The Pre-prep children were so excited to host you, and have been working hard on preparing treats for you to enjoy. Let's hope they also extend this altruism to the day itself on Sunday! 

Values Certificates: Charlotte J for Effort

Reading Certificates: Bronze for Darcie S; Silver for Mattie F and Reggie G; Gold for William C and Theodora J and Platinum for Lottie O

Mr Wright 

Last weekend, Year 7 and 8 pupils travelled to London to watch the Disney production of Hercules. The spectacular show was greatly enjoyed by everyone, along with plenty of snacks, making it a fantastic day out.

On Tuesday evening, many pupils performed at GLive as part of a Guildford Rotary Club joint schools’ concert. They represented the school brilliantly, showing impressive confidence, maturity and skill. Well done to all involved for their dedication and rehearsal time.

This morning we also welcomed professional hockey player James Mazarelo, who delivered an inspiring assembly about his career and life as an athlete.

Congratulations to Poppy F, Edith S and Patrick W for reaching 25 merit points. Benat B-S, Zara P, Charlotte P, George S and Matthew C have passed 100 merits; Josh W, Harris H-H and Arthur M have exceeded 200; and Elfie G and Theo C have surpassed 300 merit points. Very well done to them all

Mr Wyllie

Today is World Sleep Day, a reminder that many of us could probably benefit from more rest. Sleep is essential not only for physical repair in the body and brain but also for maintaining good mental health in both children and adults. When children are very young, we focus closely on routines and environments that support good sleep. As they grow and reach school age, creating the right conditions for restorative sleep remains just as important, especially alongside the physical, mental, social and emotional demands of a busy school day.

Tips for improving sleep hygiene and mental clarity:

  • Prepare your room and bed – keep the bed clear, lower the lights, draw curtains, and consider fresh air or calming scents.

  • Keep a regular bedtime routine – aim for a consistent time and pattern before sleep.

  • Remove surrounding clutter – clear away distractions.

  • Avoid eating close to bedtime – ideally leave at least two hours after eating before going to bed.

  • Turn off mobile phones and notifications – if possible, keep phones out of the bedroom.

  • Control light and sound – some people prefer silence while others relax with calm music or audiobooks; similarly, some sleep best in complete darkness while others prefer low light.

  • Practice mindfulness or relaxation – relaxation apps, breathing techniques, or visualising calming scenarios can help you switch off.

  • Adjust room temperature – a cool room is generally best for good sleep.

A recent report from the Mental Health Foundation highlights just how important sleep is for our overall health and wellbeing. Wishing everyone a restful and restorative sleep this weekend

Mrs Douglas

Please send all Choir Trip medication (for staff administration) to school by Friday 20 March, leaving it at the Front Office for Mrs Sarjant. If possible, please also send Year 9 Battlefields trip medication before Easter, and Year 4 Residential medication during the first week after the Easter break.

Please complete any outstanding residential trip medical forms urgently to allow time for planning. For health queries related to residential trips, contact Mrs Sarjant (csarjant@dokschool.org).

This week Year 10 pupils completed their second PSHE lesson on cancer. Education and awareness are key in the fight against cancer, and encouragingly Cancer Research UK recently reported that UK cancer death rates are now 29% lower than their 1989 peak. More information is available here:


https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2026/03/09/uk-cancer-death-rates-down-to-their-lowest-level-on-record/

Finally, a reminder for Year 3 parents: if your child needs travel sickness medication, please give it at home before school on Monday ahead of the Kew Gardens trip.

The School Nurses

PADoK News

Duke of Kent School Flyers – Netball training 

DOK Flyers training on Monday late afternoons from 17.30 to 18.30 and we are looking for new players to join in this term.  Come along for lots of laughter, exercise & fun.  Everyone welcome!   Contact Tara at padok@dokschool.org.

Duke of Kent School Singers – Tuesday 08.20 – 09.00

Our next singing session will be Tuesday 17th March.  We think we have chosen a song to work on.  *Come sing with us and discover how much fun singing can be! 

When: Every Tuesday from 08:20 to 09

Where: Meetings Room off Old Hall.  Contact Cathy Williams -padok@dokschool.org

Important Note: please always park at the bottom of the site and walk up to Old Hall.

Summer Ball – Friday 12th June

Why: We’re marking 50 years of Duke of Kent School with a spectacular Summer Ball!

Where: Join us at Hurtwood Polo Club for a night filled with great food, live music, and plenty of celebration.

Tickets: £35.  Your ticket includes:

· Welcome drink

· Entertainment

· Wonderful food

· Live music from Mr Rye’s band

Pre-order your tickets at padok@dokschool.org with your child’s name and year group. 

PADoK Second Hand Uniform Shop

Wednesday 25th March from 3 – 4pm

The uniform shop will be open next Wednesday for the last time this term.

Macmillan Afternoon Tea

Friday 13 March

It was our annual fundraiser today in support of the wonderful Macmillan charity.

  • Donation link via QR code will remain open over the weekend if you would like to make a donation. 

Every contribution, big or small, is truly appreciated.

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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