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A Message from Mrs Knox
It has been another wonderfully busy and enjoyable week at school. We were delighted to welcome the Royal Institution for a truly spectacular Science show. There was fire, explosions and plenty of gasps, oohs and aahs from pupils and staff alike! The exciting demonstrations brought science vividly to life, capturing imaginations and sparking curiosity in equal measure. It was a wonderful reminder that learning can be both inspiring and great fun. Thank you so much to our Science department! We have also enjoyed an outstanding House Drama competition this week. The standard was exceptionally high, with pupils demonstrating tremendous creativity and confidence. The performances were entertaining, thoughtful and some very funny, making for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. On Tuesday, the school was buzzing with excitement during our Familiarisation Day where all pupils moved up a year and we welcomed lots of new faces. It was lovely to see these children begin their Duke of Kent School journey. As I write, my husband Tim and I are looking forward to joining many of you at this evening's 50th Anniversary PADoK Summer Ball. It promises to be a wonderful evening!
Mrs Knox
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Community Week
Community Week once again showcased the remarkable spirit of Duke of Kent School. All 87 pupils dedicated themselves to serving others, working with seven local charities and organisations and completing an impressive 1,827 hours of voluntary service.
Pupils brought companionship and laughter to residents at Felbury House, where an intergenerational quiz sparked plenty of friendly competition, and at The Old Rectory, where residents and pupils enjoyed an afternoon of origami together. Visits to Knowle Park Residential Home were equally appreciated, creating meaningful connections across generations.
Others focused on caring for the local environment. Joining Ranger Mark and the Friends of Hurtwood in their centenary year, pupils took part in a community litter pick. Undeterred by torrential rain, one group cleared weeds in the Sayers Croft climbing and bouldering area to make it safe for future users, while another helped Knowle Park Trust improve and clear pathways around the community park. The weather may have been miserable, but muddy boots and soaked waterproofs never dampened enthusiasm.
Throughout the week, pupils lived out the school’s values of Kindness, Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Effort, demonstrating the commitment to serving others that lies at the heart of the Duke of Kent ethos. As former Uruguayan President José Mujica observed, “The best leaders are those who live to serve others.” Community Week reminded us that even small acts of service, carried out with kindness and determination, can make a lasting difference to our wider community.
Mr Watson
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Year 3 Forest School & Sleepover Residential
 Last Friday, Year 3 enjoyed their long-awaited sleepover event. The evening began with a woodland game and a scavenger hunt around the woods. After a tasty tea, we sang songs around the campfire in the lower Forest School site, while enjoying toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate. Then, armed with torches, we headed off up Pitch Hill for a moonlit walk. When we got back nobody seemed in the slightest bit ready for sleep so instead, we introduced our teddies to each other and played some more games in the classrooms which had by now been magically transformed into cosy bedrooms. Then, we brushed teeth and snuggled down in our sleeping bags for the night.
Mrs Nicholson
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Year 7 & 8 Rackley Park Residential
Last Wednesday the Year 7 and 8s headed off to Dorset for their Adventure Residential! After a comfortable journey down we arrived to downpours and wind...lots of wind. However, this did not deter the mood and the pupils were straight into their activities that included archery tag, abseiling and climbing. The two greatest hits were giant stand up paddle board where every pupil fell in at some point, and giant swing which created some memorable moments and sounds never before heard by human ears as the swing was released and pupils flew through the air!
The pupils should be commended for their inclusion across the year groups, their enthusiasm and general behaviour across the three days. A massive thanks to Mr Green, Mr Cruttenden, Mr Kulczyk and Mrs Wilkinson....and for the final day...plenty of sunshine!
Mr Southee
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House Drama Finals
This week celebrated the fifth annual House Drama competition where students had the opportunity of performing their monologue, duologue or group entry to a visiting judge.
This year the event was a little different with the Prep and Senior events held separately on the same evening and a new sibling category was introduced to showcase the acting talent within our school families.
The finalists from each House performed pieces that were unique, thought-provoking and funny, and perfectly showcased the enthusiasm, creativity and skill of our students. The judge, Hannah Yellend has worked extensively in TV and theatre in the UK and US. Including Poirot and ‘The Project’ directed by Peter Kosminksky. On stage she has appeared in the highly acclaimed adaptation of Nicolas Nickleby directed by Philip Franks for London's West End and in 2011 was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in Brief Encounter on Broadway. Hannah was blown away by the high standard of our finalists’ performances and complimented the children on their ‘commitment to telling their characters stories’.
With more entries than ever before the House Drama competition perfectly showcased the up and coming talent we have within our school community; we are immensely proud of our students and look forward to witnessing their continued growth and success in future performances. Many congratulations to all the students involved in the House Drama Finals and the parents for their support and encouragement. The finalists were:
Prep School Finalists
Group
Beth F, Charlotte L and Violet W: Winner
Isabel W, Darcie C and Daisy W
Monologues
Tildy T, Mila S, Lottie O, Charlie S: Winner
Sibling
Henry G and Owen G
Rocket M and Herb M: Winner
Duologues
Elsa H and Annabelle T
Willow B and Georgia C: Winner
Senior School Finalists
Duologue Year 7 and 8
Layla B and Eva W: Winner
Amelie C and Lauren B
Monologue
Layla B: Winner
Henry S
Duologue Year 9 and 10
Tansy BT and Poppy F: Winner
Ben W and Leo B
Monologue
Jay J, Holly R, Harvey R, Ethan N: Winner
Congratulations again to everyone that took part!
Mrs Honey
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Children's Eco Summit - World Oceans Day
 On Monday, Duke of Kent School proudly hosted its inaugural annual Children's Eco Summit, a special Eco Day event where this year we celebrated World Oceans Day and inspired our pupils to become champions for the environment.
Prep School children were delighted to take part in a live interactive video call with Ian Redmond OBE, a world-renowned conservationist celebrated for his work alongside Dian Fossey and his lifelong dedication to gorilla conservation. Pupils enjoyed hearing about his experiences and participating in a Q&A session with him.
Throughout the day, the children also participated in a range of exciting, hands-on environmental activities. Working with Kelly Gourlay, our Head of Grounds, pupils created seed bombs to help encourage biodiversity. In The Burrow, Mr Gritton led engaging sessions exploring endangered ocean species and the challenges they face. Mrs Wilkinson guided children through experiments investigating ocean acidification, helping them understand the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. Meanwhile, Miss Stamp helped pupils create a striking recycled-rubbish ocean mural, highlighting the importance of reducing waste and protecting our seas.
The day was a fantastic success, combining learning, creativity and environmental action and marked a wonderful beginning to what we hope will become a much-loved annual tradition at Duke of Kent School.
Mrs WIlkinson
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Reception and Year 1 - Sayers Croft
On Monday 8th June, Reception and Year One enjoyed a memorable, if extremely wet, educational visit to Sayers Croft. Torrential rain accompanied us throughout the morning, but it certainly did not dampen the children's enthusiasm as they explored the fascinating world of minibeasts and pond life.
Led by Catherine, the children were expertly supported and challenged to search for and identify minibeasts according to their number of legs. They discovered, for example, that a woodlouse has 14 legs and that a centipede does not actually have 100 legs. The session also included an engaging game of opposites, which encouraged the children to use both their reading skills and their powers of observation to identify features in the environment such as dull/shiny and straight/bent.
After a quick snack, the children collected their pond-dipping equipment and headed to the water's edge. Although the weather was far from idyllic, the conditions proved excellent for pond dipping, and the children collected an impressive variety of specimens. Highlights included a large dragonfly nymph, a water scorpion, a tadpole that had already developed legs, water snails, and even a tiny stickleback fish.
Throughout the visit, the children showed remarkable resilience and curiosity. Despite the challenging weather, they embraced every activity with enthusiasm and came away with new skills, knowledge, and a deeper understanding and appreciation of the minibeasts and pond life found in our local environment.
Mrs Henry
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Outdoor Learning Week
 This week saw the return of Outdoor Learning Week to mark Outdoor Classroom Day. Despite the autumnal weather making an unwelcome return, staff and pupils embraced every opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom. Research shows that outdoor learning can create more engaging and memorable educational experiences while supporting wellbeing and personal development, and the week provided plenty of examples of this in action. Year 2 used the playground to explore Maths arrays, Year 4 used leaves and other woodland objects to find fractions of amounts, Year 5 headed to Top Pitch to investigate the relative distances between the Earth, Moon and Sun, and Year 6 constructed 3D nets using plasticine and sticks before hunting for 3D shapes around the school grounds.
Outdoor learning also featured strongly in the Senior School. Year 9 FP pupils developed their journalism and broadcasting skills by writing magazine articles and filming reports on location around the school grounds. In contrast, Year 11 transformed the Burrow into a simulated EXCOMM bunker as part of a Cuban Missile Crisis role-play. Working as President Kennedy's advisers, they evaluated response options, assessed risks and prepared recommendations during a recreation of one of the defining moments of the Cold War.
These activities represent just a small snapshot of the many lessons taught this year outdoors and demonstrate the creativity and enthusiasm with which staff continue to embrace outdoor learning, whatever the weather.
Mr Gritton
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A Day of Spectacular Science!
Our school was buzzing on Thursday as the Ri brought not one, not two, but three fantastic science shows to our community. With separate shows for Years 1–6, Years 7–10 and an evening family event, there was excitement for everyone.
All three shows were packed with fire, explosions, rockets, sparks, magnets, bubbles and plenty of audience participation. Gasps, cheers and laughter filled the hall as pupils explored the power of energy. The excitement blasted off into the evening with Rocket Research, a special community show with families sharing plenty of laughter, surprises and memorable moments along the way.
From the first explosion to the final rocket launch, the day was full of wonder, excitement and discovery. The Ri certainly showed us that science isn't just something you learn – it's something you experience!
Mrs Tattan-Robb
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Wandering through Pre-prep this week, I was struck by the fabulous artwork on display, so thought I’d start by sharing some of it with you. It’s amazing how much impact it can have on pupils for them to see their work on show - they feel seen, valued and usually very proud, building their self esteem and encouraging to also acknowledge their peers’ efforts.
Looking out for others was a real feature of the day on Tuesday, with children from Nursery to Year 6 welcoming new pupils who will be joining the School in September. It was a joy to see their excitement, and I do hope they feel a little bit more “familiarised” with what lies ahead. Even if it is homework for the Year 6s!
In class, Year 3 have started to investigate shadows though sadly the sun has been refusing to co operate at the moment! Year 5 used a variety of balls to explore the relative sizes of and distances between the sun, moon and Earth whilst Year 4 stayed rather more local, learning about coordinates on a map and how to use them to find certain points. They did get to travel a bit further afield in RS, however, appreciating the important pilgrimage to Mecca - known as Hajj - most Muslims complete at least once in their lifetime. Year 2 have been writing their own stories including as many features that they have learnt this year as possible and Reception and Year 1 joined forces for a trip to Sayers Croft, hunt and pond dipping.
Stars of the Week
Nursery:
Aurelie for or fantastic effort during our fish counting game and creating a beautiful balloon painting.
Libby C for good all round effort and positive approach throughout the day.
Reception:
Ollie S for an improved effort in the classroom and being engaged in the learning on our trip.
Isla C For showing a positive approach across all subjects and caring for another child when they were upset.
Year 1:
Jakey G for showing amazing commitment to our trip on Monday to Sayers Croft. You showed some great knowledge about minibeasts. Well done Jakey!
Year 2:
Austin Y for fantastic effort in adding three or more numbers.
Robyn H For showing a wonderful curiosity and a keen interest in the lives and actions of significant historical figures.
Swimmer of the Week
Indie S - for increasing confidence in her lessons. You are now jumping in independently and showing good safety floating skills.
Mr Wright
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The final weeks of the academic year continue to be full of activity across the Senior School, with pupils balancing academic commitments alongside a wide range of enrichment opportunities.
Following the recent summer examination period, pupils have been reviewing their results and teacher feedback. This process is an important part of learning, allowing pupils to celebrate their successes while also identifying practical steps they can take to strengthen their understanding and performance in the future.
Earlier this week, we were delighted to welcome prospective pupils and their families for our Familiarisation Day. The event provided an excellent opportunity for those joining us in September to experience life in the Senior School and begin building relationships with both staff and fellow pupils. Our future Year 7 pupils embraced the day with enthusiasm, taking part in a variety of activities that showcased the breadth of opportunities available, from practical science investigations to teamwork challenges and problem-solving tasks.
Science was once again in the spotlight on Thursday as pupils enjoyed a series of engaging presentations delivered by the Royal Institution. The demonstrations sparked curiosity, encouraged questioning, and reminded us all of the excitement that scientific discovery can bring.
Today, our Year 9 pupils put their preparation into practice as they completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award training expedition. Working in teams and supported by staff, they demonstrated resilience, cooperation, and growing confidence as they navigated their routes and developed the skills required for their qualifying expedition in September. My thanks go to Mr Watson, Mr Wilson, and Mrs Wilkinson for their support throughout the day.
As we look ahead to next week, our Year 11 pupils will complete their final GCSE examinations, bringing an end to a significant chapter in their school careers. Their determination, perseverance, and hard work over many months have been commendable, and they should take great pride in the commitment they have shown. We wish them every success as they cross the finish line and look forward to celebrating their achievements in the weeks ahead.
Mr Wyllie
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ISA Groups Competition
We are delighted to report that Year 7 Band The Jukes won the ISA 'Band with Vocals' National Competition with their rendition of 'No One Knows' by Queens of the Stone Age. George S, Herb M and Sonny C from Year 7 impressed the judges with their 'musicianship and band togetherness' in the Key Stage 3 category. Huge congratulations to the boys. Their version of the song can be seen here: https://youtu.be/ypRcvKI6OTA?si=n_qw8XaUFOmwO-D6
Good luck to Herb M in Year 7, who is currently playing one of Fagin's gang in the West End production of Oliver! has been invited to join selected members of the cast to perform a segment from the show in 'West End Live' - this year being held on the afternoon of Saturday 20th June at Trafalgar Square in front of an audience of about 10,000 people!
Summer Concert
6pm in the Top Car Park on Saturday 20th June. Come along to enjoy the school's groups, choirs and ensembles. Plus a few surprise guests!
School Song Competition
Congratulations to Sonny C and Herb M in Year 7 who's song 'House on the Hill' won the school's 50th Anniversary Songwriting Competition. Judged by ex-House Music judge and Ed Sheeran's co-writer Chris Leonard, he praised the catchy chorus and well crafted melody. Their song can be heard at our Summer Concert next Saturday.
Good luck to our LAMDA pupils who sit their exams next week!
Mr Rye
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What Parents & Educators need to know about Group Chats
Group chats are a hugely popular way for children to stay in touch with their friends, whether via messaging apps, social platforms or games. These online groups can help them feel connected, strengthen relationships and encourage creativity – but they also come with certain risks.
From teasing and exclusion to privacy worries and inappropriate content, children can experience a wide range of challenges in group chats. This guide helps parents and educators recognise the signs of trouble and offers simple ways to support children in using group chats safely and respectfully.
Mr Monk
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This week I have had an opportunity to reflect on the beauty of human connection during two external visits with pupils.
On Monday, some of our senior pupils had the opportunity to visit Caroline de Peyrecave’s art studio and learn a little more about portraiture.
Pupils from Years 7,8,9 and 10 were given the opportunity to sign up for the visit and I was delighted that all year groups were represented. The focus was on using skills of observation to really see the subject and learning more about them, not just on their artistic skills.
Caroline showed us some of the paintings from her most recent exhibition as well as some of her pieces from throughout her career. What particularly interested pupils was the reasoning behind certain elements of the portraits that represented the subjects’ stories, interests, lifestyle and character.
During the workshop they had an opportunity to sketch a brought object that represented something about them as well as sketching each other. Caroline encouraged the pupils to stay in touch with their own feelings throughout the experience and notice how these may change as they worked.
On Tuesday, I was delighted to take some of the pupils to The Old Rectory care home as part of our community week activities. The pupils learnt and then helped some of the residents in the making of origami magic boxes. It was so lovely to see how the pupils engaged with the residents and how much everyone, residents and pupils alike, enjoyed the shared experience of learning, creating and most of all connecting with one another.
Both visits were a fantastic opportunity to connect more closely with others and reveal something of themselves.
As always, the pupils displayed fantastic respect, care, empathy and engagement and were a credit to themselves.
Mrs Douglas
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Well done to Year 9 for completing your DofE Bronze Practice Expedition today! We would recommend you double check for any ticks when you get home - these are in abundance in the foliage at this time of year! This morning we ran through some basic first aid training; this is a really useful life skill. We strongly recommend that parents and pupils alike download a first aid app onto your phones for easy access to advice in an emergency situation. For example this one from the British Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org.uk/first-aid/first-aid-apps#general-first-aid-app
For pupils and parents who like to adventure off road (whether on foot, bike or horse!) the "What3Words" app is a really useful too to help emergency services to locate you quickly:
https://what3words.com/products/what3words-app
Finally, we've had instances of ill health at school this week; most especially in Pre Prep. We kindly remind you that pupils with a temperature of 37.8 or higher, or those who have either vomited or experienced diarrhoea in the last 48 hours, should stay at home for infection control purposes. We have also been notified of a new case of Head Lice in the department, so please remain vigilant. Thank you!
The School Nurses
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PADoK News
PADoK AGM – Tuesday 23rd June – 08.30 – 10am
We will be holding our AGM next half term. As always, we welcome Richard Brocksom, Chair of Governors, who will be coming to talk with us about plans for the school. Everyone is welcome to attend, we just ask you to tell your class rep so we know what numbers to expect for refreshment and seating purposes.
Summer Ball – Friday 12th June
We are looking forward to seeing you all tonight! Please do get in touch padok@dokschool.org if you have any questions before tonight. 7.30pm start. Band finish at 11.30pm. Carriages at midnight.
Why: We’re marking 50 years of Duke of Kent School with a spectacular Summer Ball!
PADoK Clubs:
Duke of Kent School Flyers – Netball training
A link to the WhatsApp group should have been sent out by your Class Rep. Please join if you are interested in starting to play netball, we are looking for new players so please do come along. The WhatsApp group will publish when and where they are training as it varies. Come along for lots of laughter, exercise & fun. Everyone welcome! Contact Tara at padok@dokschool.org.
Duke of Kent School Singers
Tuesday 16th June 08.20 – 09.00.
 Come sing with us! The Duke of Kent Singers are looking for new voices, male & female. Whether you’re a seasoned singer or just curious, you’ll fit right in.  Friendly group No pressure Tuesday mornings with Mr Rye & Cathy. Come along, have fun, and make music with us.
 When: Every Tuesday from 08:20 to 09.00
 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.
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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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