PADoK News
I would like to thank the PADoK team for all the time they put into their roles. The Secretary and Treasurer for all they do, the Second Hand Uniform team for running the shop and making improvements this term. To all of those who run the clubs and to the class reps for ensuring their year groups are kept up to date. Thank you also to the school for all their support they give PADoK and the parents for coming to our events and making them so much fun.
The 100 Club
Here are the 100 Club prize draw winners for the Autumn Term.
Parents of:
1st Maxim M Year 5 - £202.50
2nd Robert P Year 7 - £121.50
3rd Ariana L Year 9 - £81
Winnings will be deducted from the Spring term bill.
PADoK Christmas Hamper Raffle
On Monday morning, at the Christmas themed assembly, the raffle was drawn. Congratulations to all of those who won hampers, we hope you enjoy them. PADoK are going to donate the following from the ticket sales:
£600 to Cranleigh Food Bank. We have increased this year’s donation as they are in desperate need of help.
£100 to Peaslake Free School.
£100 to Ewhurst CofE Infant School.
A big thank you to all who bought tickets and for the PADoK Hamper team who put in so much work, from organising the collections to putting together and wrapping the hampers. Mrs Hunt and Mrs Kennedy get a special thank you for leading this and Mrs Kennedy for hosting the hamper wrapping in her festive barn.
PADoK – Duke of Kent Singers
Duke of Kent Singers performed at the Prep School Christmas Concert on Friday evening. We sang “Somewhere Only We Know” and it was a joy to sing to an audience after working on the song this term. Thank you to Mr Kaye for accompanying us on the piano and for Mr Rye for conducting and leading us so brilliantly.
Merry Christmas everyone! It was lovely to see those who could make it this morning for a song and a cuppa. We so enjoyed singing Fairytale in New York and Hey Jude I think Mr Rye was having fun too despite the ‘Bah Humbug’ hat and lovely to be able to thank him properly from us all. Thank you for my gift! You really didn’t need to at all, the singing group is a joy.
Wishing you all a fab New Year and we’ll sing again in 2023!!
Why don’t you join us in January – new voices and DADs voices very welcome!
A Taste of Burns – Friday 27th January 2023 – Limited Tickets Available
PADoK are delighted to invite you all to our first “Taste of Burns” evening, here at the school on Friday 27th January from 7pm. An evening of ceilidh dancing, poetry and food to celebrate Scotland’s greatest bard, Robert Burns.
Last handful of tickets available. Book early to avoid disappointment. padok@dokschool.org
Please note cancellations must be made before 6th January. This is due to the fixed costs of the event, thank you for your understanding.
PADoK Walk
A small group of us met for a lovely march around Pitch Hill on Friday for the last PADoK walk this term. We look forward to many more in 2023.
PADoK Running Club
With the cold sports season upon us we have added skiing focus in our exercises as skiing and running use remarkably similar muscle groups. That has meant A LOT of squats. Wall squats, goblet squats, single leg squats, box jump squats and side squat jumps. All this focus on the rear is to build ballistic power for running propelling us forwards and up to run efficiently and in skiing giving stamina and with correct technique and strength we gain knee control to prevent ACL knee injury’s.
The pictures show our brilliant run group pushing against each other to build the forward lean position and some marching soldier drills to help build traction for more run propulsion.
All are welcome this week, and again we will restart with mat work to focus on core strength basic techniques from the first session back next term.
Wishing you a merry Christmas and plenty of sunny winter runs:)
Mrs Phillips
We have come to the end of an action packed term and I know the whole School community is looking forward to a well earned rest. The School looked extra wonderful yesterday with staff and pupils dressed in a wonderful array of Christmas jumpers. As the term draws to a close, it is with humility and gratitude that I both look back on the term and, with anticipation, look forward to the holidays and next term! I am sure that pupils and parents would like to join me in thanking all of the staff and Governors at Duke of Kent School for their tremendous hard work and commitment to the pupils. I, too, would like to congratulate the pupils on a fantastic term of learning and hard work. I wish everyone much joy and happiness during this holiday season – may we all be safe and keep healthy. Merry Christmas or Season’s Greetings to everyone! Enjoy the turkey, the mince pies, the biscuits and sweets and, best of all, the lights and carols! See you in January 2023.
On Monday, our final week of term kicked off in glittering style with the Prep School Christmas Fayre. Having not had families able to attend this annual event since 2019, we were delighted to welcome so many of you into the Old Hall. The Year 3s and 4s proved to be very able stallholders, dealing with customers politely and handling money in a sensible manner. Their array of crafts (tree decorations, snow globes and sock snowmen, to name a few) - which they'd spent the past 6 weeks making in Forest School and Endeavour lessons - were most impressive and sold out in record time. The games designed and constructed by Years 5 and 6 were also hugely popular. Given that most involved throwing challenges, it was quite remarkable how unique each one managed to be. Here, too, pupils showed care for their Pre-prep 'customers' taking time to explain the rules and help them with their attempts. In all, the Fayre raised a fantastic £626, which will be shared amongst our School charities - British Red Cross Ukraine Appeal and Cancer Research UK. Well done, Prep School!
All of the Pre-prep children took to the stage on Tuesday and wowed the audience with their performance of 'Baarmy Bethlehem, a creative take on the traditional Christmas Nativity. It was a magical atmosphere with so many family members there to watch, and we couldn't have been more proud of how they did. As well as entertaining you all, this really is a lovely opportunity for the children to experience being in the spotlight, and I am just thrilled they were able to do justice to the enormous amount of preparation that had gone before, behind the scenes.
Wednesday evening saw our traditional school Carol Service, held once again at the pretty St Nicolas Church in Cranleigh. A Christmas feeling was certainly in the air as a light frost gently dusted the grass around the church and hats, scarves and gloves were adorned by the merry congregation. Led by ex-singing teacher at the school Rev. Tim Clifford Hill with an address by one of our parents Claire Oxborough, it was a wonderful and entertaining evening of carols, prayers and extra-special lighting effects!
For many of us Christmas really begins at school on the first Friday of December when traditionally the Prep School holds its annual Christmas Concert. Christmas spirit fills the PA Hall every year as the performers and the audience don their Christmas jumpers, reindeer antlers and Santa hats. 
On Tuesday, the two Prep and two Senior finalists met to battle it out for the Bake Off crowns. However, it would be a tough challenge to impress the prestigious judging panel Tony, one of our school chefs, Mr Seeley and we were privileged to welcome back former Great British Bake Off finalist Steven Carter-Bailey. 
On Tuesday afternoon, all Senior girls in Years 9, 10 and 11 took part in the House Hockey Competition. There was a great standard of play from all girls with some great match ups between teams. Hawk came in 4th with 2 goals scored by Pippa S and Abi W in their final against Buzzard. There was some great defending from the rest of the team too. Buzzard came 3rd beating Hawk by only one goal. Rose S scored 2 of their 3 goals with Issy P scoring the final goals, securing the win for the team. It was a very tight final between Peregrine and Kestrel, with the score being 1-1 at full time. Kestrel played some fantastic hockey throughout the afternoon with great passing and goals from Isla B and Ava W in particular. The final game then went to penalty shuffles with Peregrine coming out with the win. There were some amazing saves by our goalkeepers Fleur S and Jaz K, and some great goals from Maddie I and Jess I. At the end of the games prizes were given out for team morale, with the winners being: Issy P, Josie B, Fleur S, and Jas K, and for effort with the winners being: Tabi S-B, Rose S, Matty B, Ava W, Alex K, Frankie M, Lucy M, Maddie I, and Macy B. It was a great afternoon with some great quality hockey from all and most importantly a wonderful atmosphere. Well done Peregrine for coming out on top!
