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A Message from Mrs Knox

Thank you to all parents who attended our Senior School Information sessions this week. It has been lovely hearing how your children have settled in this term, the new friendships they are forging and the new things they are enjoying.The Duke of Edinburgh camp seems to have been a real highlight for Year 10, Year 11 are enjoying wearing their new suits and Years 7 - 9 are enjoying the lockers, matches and school lunches! Tomorrow we welcome many families for our Open Morning. Thank you in advance to the many pupils who are joining us to tour these families. They are always a credit to you and our School. Monday, we celebrate the European Day of Languages as we acknowledge the rich linguistic diversity of Europe and raise awareness of the importance of lifelong language learning for everyone. Je vous souhaite un excellent week-end!

Mrs Knox

Additional information on Parent Portal

I have added a new section in the Parent Portal called "Email Comms".  All group emails sent out to parents will also be copied and posted into this section.  Emails about specific dated events will be taken down after the event to prevent an overload of emails.

Mrs Monk

Reception trip to The Weald and Downland Museum

On Tuesday 20th September Reception had a wonderful day out at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton.  We had been studying the book ‘The Little Red Hen’ and were able to retell the story using the artefacts from the museum and their historic buildings.

We looked at the lovely windmill set in the lake and tried to estimate how many ducks there were too! Our friendly education officer, Sheila, met us in the farmyard and gave us all some wheat to plant in the meadow as we pretended to be Little Red Hen.  We then talked about how the wheat would grow and we pretended to harvest it with scythes.  Next we had to flail the wheat and everybody had the opportunity to use a real artefact from the museum to hit the wheat.

Next, we went to the watermill and met the miller.  We watched the enormous waterwheel turn and then saw how it powered the cog system in the mill and moved the gigantic stone querns.  We were even able to see the pulley system used to hoist the heavy sacks to the upper level and the trap doors made a mighty bang! We each had a go at using a small hand powered quern to grind the wheat into flour which demanded a lot of effort.  Then, we visited the granary to see where the flour was stored and how it was elevated from the ground by special stone ‘mushrooms’ so that the troublesome rats couldn’t share in the flour feast.

To complete the story, we visited the bake house and used dough to make some rolls.  The children made some interesting shapes including rolls for their initials and cottage loaves. 

We had our sunny picnic lunch in the paddock and finished the day by seeing how Victorian children lived in a tiny cottage that accommodated eight children and the school house, where there were no toys!

Everyone had a fantastic and memorable day and earned an appreciation for how comfortable our lives are today!

Mrs Henry

Year 4 trip to Hannah Peschar

Year 4 were delighted with the opportunity to visit the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden on Tuesday. We started the day by walking around the woodland gardens admiring all the wonderful sculptures. The children enjoyed looking at the variety of sculptures and using their imagination to compare them to other things. In the afternoon, the children chose a few sculptures that really inspired them. They had a go at drawing them, describing them with adjectives and similes and beginning to think about how they could write a creative story about them. We can’t wait to read and share the adventures inspired by the sculptures!

Mrs Gritton
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Year 5 Social Evening

Year 5 enjoyed a social evening at school last week, allowing them to have time to bond further and enjoy a variety of activities. The evening began with a game of Castles, a Year 5 exclusive quiz. The teams were boys against girls and ended in a dramatic draw! After a refuelling stop in the dining hall, it was time for some games of hide and seek in the teaching block. The pupils displayed ingenuity with their hiding places, which was certainly the night's highlight. It was a lovely evening, and all of the pupils approached the activities with a sense of fun.

A great way to kick off the start of the new academic year and it hopefully strengthened the friendships amongst the year group.

Mr Gritton
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Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh

On Friday all 41 pupils in Year 10 embarked on their (significantly appropriate) Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Bronze Qualification Expedition. Divided into 7 groups they navigated their way from Chilworth (St Martha’s Hill) to Shamley Green via checkpoints manned by Mr Boden and Mrs Tattan-Robb. Morale stayed remarkably high throughout! One group thrashed themselves to the end, but having finished too early for DofE rules, had to head out for an extra (special) half hour of bonus walking with me despite protestations they had saved their lunch break for the end! It was a good effort though from Charlie G, Oli W, Henry Y, Alessandro P, Lucian R and Jasper B. After surviving their own cooking, and a bit of disco, and Ozzie’s incredibly smoking waffle maker, all retired to their tents on New Ground. A thoroughly chilly night made for some immortal memories for all concerned, including our fellow overnighters Miss Anand (team pharmacist) and Mrs Tattan-Robb, before the second day’s walk commenced. This followed a circular route from Peaslake to Shere and Gomshall and back again. The walkers managed to avoid mountain bikers safely enough and pass through checkpoints kindly manned by Mr Southee and Mrs Knox. The most efficient group on this day included Helena K, Fleur S, Kai G, Alex F, Oscar D-K, Daniel M and Charlie T. However, EVERY member of Year 10 impressed me and my fellow Assessor (Mr Wyllie) with their spirit and resilience for what were a challenging (but fulfilling) couple of days! Well done to them and the numerous support staff, especially Mrs Sarjant, in School.

Mr Lodge
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This week, pupils in Prep and Pre-prep enjoyed a range of engaging nutrition workshops from Holly (with a little help from Peter Rabbit), who visited us from our Catering Company, Holroyd Howe. We do our utmost to instill in the children the need for a balanced diet, and many of them were already full of ideas about how to ensure they have a 'colourful plate' at every meal. On the subject of encouraging the children to take responsibility for their own health, Nurse Chloe also visited Pre-prep classrooms, spreading not germs, but a friendly reminder about how they can adopt good hygiene habits, as autumn bugs begin to circulate. 

In Year 5 this week, they have begun reading The Witches in English, as well as acting as history detectives, analysing and assessing primary and secondary sources of information. The Year 4s have turned their attention to Greek Gods in Topic lessons, making a class game of Guess Who, ready for display. In Nursery, children have been playing and performing with puppets to retell the story of The Three Little Pigs, focusing specifically on sequencing the different stages of the tale. And in Year 2, following their visit to the Sealife Centre last week, Year 2 have been thinking in more detail about what things are living, have previously been alive, or have never lived at all. 

Lastly, our Assembly this week had a decidedly nautical theme, as we marvelled at the skills and intelligence of octopuses (or octopi as Henry S correctly noted). The children were awestruck to see how adaptable, ingenious and determined these wondrous creatures can be, and we agreed to all try and be "a little bit more octopus" whenever we too face a challenge. To help us with this, classrooms will soon be welcoming the DOKtopus, whose eight limbs each represent one of the key attributes we encourage our pupils to show, when striving for an excellent Attitude to Learning. For those of you who are interested, I strongly recommend watching 'My Octopus Teacher' - an inspiring and enlightening documentary - if you have a moment spare this weekend.    

Values Certificates: Beth F (Year 3) for Responsibility

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Heidi A for making such a happy, enthusiastic and positive start to Nursery and for showing kindness towards her friends.

Reception: Gracie B for such a positive attitude when swimming and putting on her own socks too!

Year 1: Alfred A for being super enthusiastic and approaching every activity with a positive attitude.

Year 2: Charlie S for a super enthusiastic attitude towards his learning this week.

Johnnie G for working with an amazing level of independence during lessons!

Mrs Henry

Another busy week has culminated in an excellent assembly from Mrs Coackley reiterating the virtues of Maths and the benefits the subject can bring. Year 11 have also had a hugely informative visit from Mrs Newman today who, as the MD of Blue Tree Recruits, talked through how to best conduct themselves at interview, how to write a personal statement, how to produce a standout CV and the various career journeys they may consider. I have no doubt this will benefit them as they apply to their next academic setting as well as start to consider the job opportunities that are afforded to them.

As we now ready ourselves for our Open Day on Saturday I must thank those pupils who have volunteered to assist us. The numbers from Years 8-11 who were willing to give up part of their weekend was truly astounding and reiterated the outstanding community spirit amongst the pupils. We are very lucky to have them.

Mr Wilson

Girls' Hockey: U16 A v. St Edmund's

Tuesday saw the U16A girls hockey team play their hockey match of the season. It started well with Duke of Kent School going 1 up with a goal from Maddie I after some lovely passing build up from Harriet P and Alex K. However, St Edmunds were able to draw level just before half time despite excellent defending from Macy B and Tilly C, backed up by 'The Wall' Jas K. It was a tight contest in the second half with both teams scoring goals and attacking well. Maddie I and Alex K added another goal each with some great leads made by Frankie M. Unfortunately, St Edmund's managed to get a 4th before full time to finish 4-3. 

Mr Green

U14/15 A & B v. St Edmund's 

On Tuesday afternoon, the U14/15 A & B team travelled to St Edmund's for this first hockey match of the term. The U14/15 A team were first up on their 7 a-side Astro pitch so the B team could watch, cheer on and get some top tips for their game! The match was a really high tempo from the very start with all side lines and free hits being taken at great speed. The U14/15A team kept up with the pace and managed to get ahead after a great goal from Jess I. St Edmund's fought back and the game remained very close with the score at 3-3 for the majority of the second half with Bella S and controlling the midfield and Esme P working tirelessly in defence. With just minutes to go, St Edmund's scored a very well worked goal to narrowly take the win. Next up were the U14/15B team. The girls had learnt the need to press quickly and track back to help defend, they took some time to settle into the game but just got better and better throughout the match! Isla B showed some great skill in the midfield and Daisy R worked hard to create chances for the team. The match finished 3-1 to Duke of Kent School, a great win girls - well done! It was a brilliant afternoon of fast paced hockey and all the girls worked with tremendous effort throughout! 

Miss Vickers

U12/13 A - King Edwards Hockey Festival 

On Wednesday afternoon, the U12/13A team travelled to King Edward's Witley to take part in their annual hockey festival. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and the girls were really excited to get playing! Their first match was against Pennthorpe School. It was a close game with some strong tackling and running with the ball on show from both teams. Pennthorpe managed to slip the ball past Edie (after she made some epic saves earlier in the game!) meaning the U12/13 A team just lost 1-0. However, spirits remained high and the girls began to work better as a team, ensuring they marked their players and trying to use the width of the pitch rather than passing through the middle. This worked well and resulted in a 1-1 draw with Box Hill after a great finish from Alice B to score us our first goal of the tournament. The girls had a quick break before their next game and we chatted about our tactics and in particular focusing on defending in the D. This worked wonders as the girls played their best match of the tournament winning 3-0 against King Edward's Witley. These results meant that the U12/13 A team finished 3rd and just one point off 2nd place! Well done to all the girls involved for their grit and determination throughout the afternoon!

Miss Vickers

Girls' Hockey: U10/11 A v. St. Edmund's

On Wednesday the U10/11 A team played St edmund's away in theirr first Hockey match of the season. They started terrifically well, attacking well and working in pairs to work the ball down the pitch and the girls in defence we going towards the ball with their sticks down causing problems for St. Edmund's to break through. This was an incredibly even and exciting match to umpire but in the final moments of the match St. Edmund's saw their opportunity and scored the only goal of the game. Well done to everyone, this was a superb start to the Hockey season! 

Mrs Woolgar

Girls' Hockey: U10/11 B v. St. Edmund's

On Wednesday afternoon the U10/11 B team travelled away to St. Edmund's to play their first hockey game of the season. There was some great play from all the girls, with Millie W and Manon A making some good tackles in defence. Amalie M and Penny A were playing well in the midfield making great passes to our forward players, and also getting stuck in to tackling and defending. Rebecca S and Hope Newman made some amazing runs towards the goal and had shots on target. Charlotte C was awarded girl of the game after a great game in defence. The girls had a great time at the first hockey match and look  forward to more later in the term.

Miss Arnold

Netball: U8/9 v. St. Edmund's

On Thursday afternoon the Year 3 and 4 girls played their second netball game of the season and the skills learnt from last week were definitely put into practise! Both teams played really well, with close matches for both. Team Miss Vickers saw some excellent defending from Evelyn C, who made some really nice interceptions and rebound catches to help turn over play. Great movement from Violet W and Eva W meant that the team were able to move the ball up the court to Florence A and Charlotte C, who had some great shots on target. Team Miss Arnold had a very close game, with excellent teamwork and communication from all the game. Evie B made some amazing interceptions and stopped three shots from going into the net. Layla B scored 2 goals for the team, with the help of Mila S and Ivy B and some excellent movement between the three. After the games, it was sausage rolls for match tea, well deserved after their games!

Miss Arnold

Boys' Football: U16 v. Farlington

The U16 Football team recorded their second win in a row with a win over Farlington. The Duke of Kent School team showed good composure and movement and were able to keep possession impressively well. Unfortunately our finishing in the first half was not as composed and a 2-1 lead at half time did not reflect the huge amount of chances spurned by our forward line. Farlington scored a second just after half time to make the game 2-2. With 15 minutes left the Duke of Kent School team started playing some much improved football in and around their opposition's box and were able to win the game comfortably 8-2. Well done to all who played.

Mr Herbert

Boys' Football: U14/15 v. Shoreham College

The U15 team played their first home match of the season against Shoreham College. The match was very evenly contested but had an element of competitiveness. Jack B opened the scoring for Duke of Kent School with a well struck shot to the top corner. Shortly after Jasper B was delivered a beautiful cross and he did not fail to head in another for Duke of Kent School. Some defensive errors lead to a couple of goals for Shoreham College. It was all even. Rufus B went on to score a stunning lob over the Shoreham College goalkeeper to put Duke of Kent School back in front. Shoreham College scored another goal making it even again. With five minutes to go Duke of Kent School won a corner. With an element of confusion in the Shoreham College defense, Duke of Kent School were able to get a goal from a deflection. Duke of Kent School came out on top with a well deserved first win of the season winning 4-3. Well done to everyone who took part.

Mr Boden

Boys' Football: U12/13 B v. Handcross Park

On Wednesday the U12/13B played on Front Pitch against Handcross Park. They got off to a flying start with Duke of Kent School going 2-0 up with goals from Oliver K and Humph G. Duke of Kent School continued applying pressure having most of the possession but unfortunately they couldn't convert their chances before half-time. Handcross Park were able to take advantage of the downhill slope and applied pressure to our defence. They managed to get 2 equalisers back to make it a very tense last 10 minutes of the match. Unfortunately, Duke of Kent School didn't manage to get another goal with the game finishing a 2-2 draw. 

Mr Green

Boys' Football: U12/13 E v. Handcross Park

Wednesday Afternoon, the U12/13 E team made the trip to Handcross Park for their second match of the season. After a tough first match the team had a great start to this game by playing some good attacking football, which led to a couple of well taken goals by both Jack P and Alex W. In the second half, Duke of Kent School were unable to capitalise on their good start, which allowed Handcross Park to get back into the game, with the game ending in a draw. Well played to everyone involved and well done to the player of the match Alex W, for a great goal and overall good performance. 

Mr Orme

Boys' Football U12/13 D Team v. Handcross Park

Another fine performance from the Duke of Kent School boys in an entertaining away fixture at Handcross Park. We headed south knowing we were in for a battle and the match itself did not disappoint with captain for the day Henry R leading the team bravely. There was another strong showing from Declan E in goal, palming away effort after effort. One high bouncing ball almost caught him out, but he leapt magnificently to keep the clean sheet intact. In defence we had a debut from Orsen A. He harried, tackled and distributed the ball manfully, covering every blade of grass in a man of the match performance. The boys tried their best to score with fellow debutant Samuel H coming close and Heath P running the channels all afternoon. But, alas, a thrilling scoreless draw was a fair result, and a performance that all of the boys should be proud of. 

Mr Allen

Boys' Football: U10/11 A v. Ripley Court

The U10/11 football team won a thrilling encounter against Ripley Court coming back from 3-0 down to win 4-3. Duke of Kent School were unlucky to be losing as the game was incredibly even in the first half. Some fine strikes from Ripley Court left the Duke of Kent School team with much to do in the second half. The boys showed great determination, energy and decision making in the second half and won the game with a hat-trick from Arthur H and a goal from Henry O'B. Well done boys, never give up!!!

Mr Herbert

Boys' Football: U10/11 B v. Ripley Court

The B's continued their unbeaten start to the season, picking up a hard-earned victory against a highly competitive Ripley Court team. Focusing on energy, teamwork and maintaining positional discipline, the boys showed attacking intent from the off. Despite finding themselves 1-0 down, they responded almost immediately, and then went in at half-time 2-1 up, albeit thanks to a rather fortunate deflection! Again, the boys had to react to a setback when the opposition equalised in the second half, but in the end our team's greater determination saw us nick the win at the death. Congratulations to all the boys, who should feel very proud of their performances.

Mr Wright 

What Parents Need to Know about Roblox

Roblox is one of the most popular video games on the market. By 2020, the game’s makers were claiming that more than half of children in the USA played it. As a ‘sandbox’ title, Roblox offers a huge amount of creative freedom: it lets players create their own gaming experiences with the Roblox Studio to build custom levels and games, which can then be shared with other players online. Roblox fosters creative thinking and enjoys a robust online community of fans.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks, such as online daters, in-app purchases, and contact with strangers.

Click on the link to find out more information about "What Parents Need to Know about Roblox".

Mr Boden
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This week, I have enjoyed supervising the Year 7 and 9 during Tuesday break Transition Mentoring. The Year 9 have been acting as mentors to our new Year 7 cohort to aid their transition into the senior school. It has been really heartening to witness the Year 9s giving up their breaktime and imparting their wisdom and experience whilst getting to know the Year 7 pupils.

Some of Year 7 may find it helpful to continue with a 1-1 mentor beyond this half term and we will be training 10 of our Year 9s to continue with this and also act as Mental Health Ambassadors within school, alongside our Wellbeing Prefect, Imogen C.

Congratulations to her and the Year 9s: Daisy N, Oscar M, Jess I, Lucy M, Daisy R, Quentin J, Maggie B, Troy K, Annabel O and Josh W-D, who will be volunteering in these important positions.

The Year 9 Mental Health Ambassadors will also be attending a Mental Health Conference at St Teresa’s, Effingham next week to further their understanding of the importance of taking care of our mental health and wellbeing.

Don’t forget Open Door sessions with me on Monday and Thursday break and lunchtimes are also an opportunity to talk over what may be worrying you.

Mrs Douglas

A final reminder that next Friday 30th September, the Year 8s (with parental consent) will be given their first HPV Immunisation at school.  Please can they wear a short sleeved shirt/blouse or games top to school to allow ease of access to upper arms.  Please contact Mrs Sarjant if you feel your child is particularly anxious of needles and would benefit from being seen early (csarjant@dokschool.org).

As soon as Year 8 have all been seen, the Immunisations Nurses will commence the Nasal Flu Immunisations for pupils with consent in Years Reception through to Year 6.  This is nothing too much to worry about, just a tickly squirt of liquid up each nostril!

Respiratory infections are currently circulating across the school as to be expected at this time of year.  Please do not send your child to school if they have a temperature of 37.8 or higher, or are not well enough to cope with lessons.  If your child has a sore throat, they are encouraged to sip water frequently throughout the day (all pupils must have a named water bottle at School), and we encourage you to supply them with their own sore throat lozenges (rather than rely on medical room emergency supply!).

All pupils are reminded that regular and thorough hand washing along with sneezing/coughing into elbows rather than hands, will help to reduce the risk of cross infection at School.  Thank you!

The School Nurses

PADoK News

Booking for the PADoK Neon Bingo night is now open! PADoK are looking forward to welcoming you to this fun event on Friday 7th October at 8pm.

If you haven’t played bingo before, now is your chance!  The evening will be a hilariously fun time of cheeky calls and bingo balls, big laughs and plenty of prizes.  Guests are invited to wear a dab of neon. Bingo night will be “BYO” Bring your own drinks and snacks to share. Please note you will need to provide your own glassware. Don't miss out on a fun evening, get a table together with your year group and book your tickets through padok@dokschool.org (please put your child’s name and year group for billing purposes.)

Tickets are £10 each and will be added to your next term fee bill.

Duke of Kent School Singers

Duke of Kent School Singers met in the PA Hall on Thursday morning and again there was a great turn out.  We began the session with warm up exercises and then started to work on a song.  Mr Rye said the group sounded great!  As always there were lots of laughs and singing together is such a great way to start a day.

Next week we will be in the Meetings Room (off Old Hall).  08.20.

This is a very relaxed session, no pressure to perform but an opportunity to have a sing song and a laugh with a really friendly group. So whether you sing in a shower or studio, all are welcome to come and make Thursday mornings a bit more joyful!!!  Contact Cathy on rhodricathy@sky.com if you would like more information.

PADoK Walk

On Friday we met for our first PADoK walk of the term.  We had a good turn out with some new parents joining us.    We had a lovely walk around Pitch Hill.   

Some parents have asked if we can arrange a walk on another day so next week we will meet on Tuesday 27th September.  Everyone is welcome, and we meet at Hurtwood Control Car Park 3 (Pitch Hill) at 08.30. 

PADoK Running Technique Club.

There was a great turn out for running technique club on Friday with some new parents signing up.

It was a fantastic start back with a good full group of dads and mums and new exercisers as well as existing runners who started with floor bases exercises to learn about their core stability muscles used in running and techniques to use even while brushing their teeth to improve their running.

Due to a school event this week the Running Technique club will resume next Friday, 30th September.

PADoK Book Club

We are delighted to give you the details of the book we will be reading this term in book club.  A date will be decided on later in the term for a meet up and discussion about the book while enjoying a glass of something together!  Happy reading….

A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle | Waterstones

November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail for New York, with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board.

When a body is found on deck, ship's officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare the death a tragic accident. But Scotland Yard inspector James Temple is certain there's more to this misfortune than meets the eye. Mounting an investigation, the pair uncover the theft of a priceless painting, and encounter a string of suspects with secrets to hide.

Now, with just days remaining until the Endeavour reaches New York, their search for the culprit is fraught with danger. And all the while, the passengers roam the ship with a killer in their midst...

Mrs Phillips

Senior School Optional Hoodie

The Senior School hoodies have redesigned by members of the School Council and the finished product can be seen above.  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 to see me and have a look at the new hoodie.

Mrs Woolgar
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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.

        

Mrs Woolgar