The Lunch Menu for Next Week

Year 5 and 6 trip to Sayers Croft

The Year 5 and 6 pupils not going to the ISA Athletics spent a sunny Thursday morning at Sayers Croft, learning about its incredible links to the evacuations during World War II. They explored the cabins and residential areas to learn about the experiences of the 200 evacuated children who lived during the war. A visit to one of the communal air raid shelters followed this, and the students were surprised to learn that not even an air raid would get in the way of the evacuees having their lessons! The morning was finished with a viewing of two murals created by the school children during their time at Sayers Croft and an activity where the children had the chance to take on the role of a billeting officer. It’s safe to say that some of the evacuees they sorted would have been happier with their homes than others! 

All of the children were very interested in learning about this incredible local history, and it has certainly brought a personal touch to what they have learned in their History topic and while reading Goodnight Mister Tom.

Mr Gritton

Year 4 Trip to The Isle of Wight

On a rather chilly Wednesday morning, Year 4 set off on their travels to the Isle of Wight. Suitcases were full and excitement was high! Much to our delight on our arrival, we were met with blue skies and bright sunshine; the adventure had begun! We headed to Carisbrooke Castle where we explored the ancient battlements and Keep and learnt about the rich history of the settlement. Once we'd exhausted ourselves with the many steps, we climbed back into the minibuses and made our way to our home for the next few days; the YMCA in Shanklin. Once unpacked and settled, we headed to the beach for some incredible ice cream and some fun in the sun. Back at the YMCA, supper was followed by football and games in the garden before heading to dorms to settle down for the night, heads filled with the promise of the next day's adventures. 

Following a delicious breakfast, we once again clambered into the minibuses, this time to make our way to Osborne House where Queen Victoria and her family spent a lot of time. We explored the private beach and the enormous stately home, looking at the fascinating paintings and objects which are displayed there. Thursday ended with more games in the garden in the sun, followed by a much anticipated sandcastle competition. The children headed to bed tired but very happy after another jam-packed day. 

Our final day dawned and, once packed and full from another superb breakfast, we made our way to the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum. The children thoroughly enjoyed completing the information hunt and were awarded with a prize for their hard work. A picnic lunch in the sun followed, and before we knew it, it was time to make our way to the ferry port. We arrived back at school full of stories and wonderful memories which will stay with us for a very long time. 

Please click here to see all the pictures!

Mrs Tuite

Year 2 Florence Nightingale Workshop

On Tuesday the Year 2’s had a very special visitor from one of the ‘Famous Faces’ we are learning about in Topic, Florence Nightingale! 

She told them all about her childhood, how she came to be a nurse and what happened in Turkey during the Crimean war. The children were able to get a real sense of what conditions were like in hospitals back then and why she felt compelled to help.

The workshop was interactive, engaging, fun and informative. Year 2’s were able to act out scenes as either soldiers, patients, nurses and cleaners.  They loved the experience, and it was a great way to introduce a very important person in our Topic. 

Mrs Rigby

Reception Trip to Pulborough Brooks

Reception had a wonderful trip to Pulborough Brooks RSPB nature reserve on Thursday. There was great excitement when we arrived and saw the beautiful view across the Arun river and wetlands and we escorted to the pond for our first activity. Everyone turned out to be expert dippers and we scooped over 8 protected newts! The staff were incredibly complimentary about how respectful the children were to the tiny creatures they had captured.  We spent a fabulous time looking at the array of nymphs and larvae, including elusive blood worms and transparent phantom midge larvae.  The children learned about what all living creatures need to survive and played lots of fun games in the meadow.

Lunch was an outdoors picnic with plenty of time to enjoy the play equipment and go exploring.

In the afternoon, the children shared their extensive knowledge of minibeasts whilst hunting in the woodland. Again, they used exceptional observation skills and found a vast array of creatures including some very wiggly caterpillars!

Our guides were astonished by the children’s knowledge and willingness to engage in all the activities and we all had a fantastic day! 

Mrs Henry

In Prep and Pre-prep this week we have been making the most of the great outdoors. Prep pupils who attend Forest School club with Mr Gritton on Tuesday were creating shelters in the lower Forest School site, developing their understanding of materials and how to maximise their strength. Gardening Club, too, were busy sowing seeds or tending emerging plants in the Forum Garden with the help of Mrs Lock. Another after school activity that has proven increasingly popular - Camera Trapping club, with Mr Southee - allows the children to see how the wildlife on site changes in its habits at different times of day or night, and in different seasons.  

Those pupils in Years 5 and 6 who did not go to the ISA Athletics spent Thursday afternoon on a bee hunt, considering whether our grounds are pollinator friendly. We have two bee hotels at school, but we agreed the larger construction by the teaching block is in need of some renovation, and probable relocation, to encourage more bees - an exciting project for next half term. This Saturday is World Bee Day - read more about it here and find out how you and your family can help: World Bee Day

In my post last week, I mentioned that Prep and Pre-prep pupils had been challenged to draw a portrait of HRH KIng Charles III. I hope you enjoy the efforts by some very talented artists in Years 1 and 5! 

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Charlie R for settling into Nursery so smoothly and calmly and for setting a really good example by tidying away after play.

Athena PDL for settling into Nursery so happily and for her enthusiastic involvement in all activities.

Reception: Aoife F for great independence, effort and resilience and knowing that a spider is an arachnid!

Year 1: Harry S for his understanding of fractions and being able to explain what ¼ means to his class.

Year 2: Clemmie R for being super focussed during table tasks and her valuable and interesting contributions to class discussions.

Obie M for excellent progress with reading and spelling and for perseverance in English writing.

Mr Wright

With the GCSE Exams now under way it really is wonderful to see how the Year 11 cohort are tackling the ordeal, with regular words of encouragement and genuine belief in their ability. Whilst no one is pretending this is an easy exercise, I am nonetheless impressed by how they have taken to the task and approached the challenge with diligence and determination.

This week has been Mental Health Awareness Week and began with a hugely informative assembly from Mrs Douglas, followed up by various form time and lunch time activities. It really is great to see the pupils acknowledging that everyone should be conscious of looking after their own mental health, with all of us reacting differently to situations and needing to be able to judge how best to overcome these. This leads us nicely into the upcoming Years 7 to 10 exam week and the Friday assembly very much focused on self-care during exams, learning from mistakes and aiming for our own personal best.

We have had the pleasure of two LAMDA showcase performances this week; On Monday we were treated to a fantastic hour of entertainment from the Years 7 and 8 pupils whilst Thursday saw Years 9 and 10 step up to present some fantastically humorous and entertaining dialogues. It really is great to see the pupils excelling in a different environment and the staffroom was abuzz with discussion about who had performed and the acting talents on show.

The following have achieved either 25, 50 or 75 Merit points this academic year and have therefore been invited to attend Celebration Snack Break and receive a prize and lunch fastpass; in Year 7 Willow D and Ollie K, in Year 8 Kit B, Johnny J and Sam R, in Year 9 Charlie H, Oscar H, Sydney R and Anna S whilst in Year 10 we have Tom B, Jasper B, Alex K and Sam S. Congratulations to all of you.

Mr Wilson

Young Landscape Photographer of the Year (Ages up to 18)

It’s free to enter and the top prize is £1,000! The winner will also be invited to join the judging panel for the 2024 YLPOTY! There are four categories to enter, with prizes for each category:

• Classic View
• Cityscapes
• Expressions/Impressions of the Landscape
• Coast
• Intimate View (Macro or Details)

For more information and to enter visit https://www.lpoty.co.uk/competition/youth

Handwriting Competition

This competition celebrates the visual art of handwriting. In an age that encourages the early adoption of keyboard skills, we wish to champion, nurture, and celebrate writing by hand. Entries Close 1st June 2023

For more information visit - https://www.isaschools.org.uk/arts/isa-arts-eyfs-and-primary/handwriting-competition.html

Orwell Youth Prize 2023 (Ages 13-18)

At a time when many issues, from the climate crisis to the cost of living, feel out of control; abuses of power are happening throughout the world; and disinformation makes it hard to know who and what to believe:

Who or what is really in control, of our futures, our bodies, our communities, our countries, our planet?

This year, we want you to think and write critically and creatively about who or what controls aspects of the world we live in, how we might be able to find new ways to take control of our futures and most productively use the power that we have. The word count for your entry (up to 1000 words for years 8-11, and 1500 words for years 12-13). For more information and to enter visit https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/abouttheyouthprize/introduction/ Deadline is 7th June 2023.

Mr Wyllie

Girls' Cricket: U14/15 v. St. Edmund's

On Tuesday afternoon, the U15/16 A team travelled to St Edmund's pitch at Broxhead Cricket Club for their match. It was amazing to play on grass with a really good quality wicket. The team took their opportunity and really upped their game with some great efforts with the bat. It was tough to score many boundaries with St Edmund's fantastic and quick bowling. Having said that, we had some great runs and 4s from Ella S, Bella S, Esme P and Jess I. The girls managed to score 149 runs after their overs and so they knew it would be a tough task in the field but this did not faze them! Helena K and Ava W set the tone brilliantly getting 2 wickets in their 3 overs. The rest of the team bowled well with particularly good performances from Alex K, Phoebe P, Emily B and Saoirse W. Overall, the U15/16 A team lost by just 13 runs - a fantastic effort against a very strong St Edmund's A team. 

Miss Vickers

Girls' Cricket: U14/15 v. St. Edmund's

On Tuesday the U14/15 C team went over to St. Edmund’s for their first cricket match of the season. We were up to bowl first with Sophie R and Josie B starting us off with some strong bowling. Mattie R and Rose S were up next with Mattie R bowling a wicket and Rose S only conceding 3 runs. Annabel O was a very consistent bowler with a wicket and only 2 runs conceded. Next we were up to bat scoring runs consistently. Florrie P and Em F hit balls for 4 runs and Lucy M, Belles H, and Daisy N consistently scoring runs for the team. We ended the innings on a score of 251! The girls really enjoyed the game and the sun was great too!

Miss Arnold

Girls' Cricket: U13 v. St. Edmund's

On Wednesday afternoon, the U13 A team were hoping to continue their unbeaten run in cricket matches this term when they travelled to St Edmund's. Duke of Kent School were in to bat first, it was a tricky pitch with very little bounce so the girls initially struggled to adapt their technique when batting. However, each pair played steady and gradually put more runs on the board. Alice B and Emily N managed 3 very good overs without losing a wicket and helped the team to their final total of 165 runs. The team were determined to field with precision and managed to get 3 wickets in the first 3 overs with Tildy C and Clara H-S bowling brilliantly. The great work continued throughout the innings with some great catches and accurate bowling leading to the U13 A taking victory by 19 runs. What a fantastic win, a huge well done to all the girls involved. 

Miss Vickers

Girls' Cricket: U12/13 v. St. Edmund's

On Wednesday afternoon, the U12/13 team travelled to St. Edmund's for their cricket match in the glorious sunshine. It was an incredibly close match with both teams fielding well and taking well-timed risks. Duke of Kent School won the toss and bowled first. St. Edmund's had some superb play and managed to finish on 315 runs, so Duke of Kent School knew they had a lot of work to do so they could catch up if not win! Rose S and Erin C did especially well when batting scoring lots of 4's and 6's which certainly help our overall score. It really did come down to the final innings and Duke of Kent School were lucky enough to edge in front finishing on 320 runs! Well done girls, this was the second win in a row, and you all worked so well as a team to get there, great job!

Mrs Woolgar

Boys' Cricket: U15 A v. Box Hill School

Box Hill School batted first and scored 99 in their 16 overs. This was mainly due to an impressive innings from one of their opening batsmen. The message from Rufus B, our captain, was to keep this player away from the strike and bowl at his teammates. This plan worked well and allowed himself and Isaac P to work their way through the Box Hill batting line up.

Duke of Kent School started their innings positively with George P and Rufus B scoring at the required rate. After George P was bowled, Toby T came in to support Rufus towards a convincing victory. Duke of Kent won with four overs to spare and Rufus B scoring 49 not out.
Well done to all who played.

Mr Herbert

Boys' Cricket: U14 v. Box Hill School

Duke of Kent School won the toss on Tuesday and chose to field against Box Hill School. Their two openers got off to a good start, scoring freely.off the first 7 overs. However, Duke of Kent School managed to stem the flow of runs due to wickets from Moxon K and Alex G.

Josh W-D (19) showed good grit and technique at the start of the innings.which was backed up by Jamie P (15). Unfortunately, the tail didn't wag and Duke of Kent School failed short of the run chase, but they did show good accurate bowling and brave fielding. 

Mr Green

Boys' Cricket: U13 C v. Moon Hall

Duke of Kent School won the toss and put the opposition into bat. With time relatively short, we squeezed in 12 overs of bowling, and showed some excellent line and length. Despite Moon Hall having a couple of stylish and big-hitting batters how got them off to a strong start, we eventually restricted them to 54 runs. Notable highlights were George C bowling the opening batsman with a peach of a second ball of the game, and Benedict L taking 2-2 in one over, and not being far off a hat-trick! The boys felt confident going into bat, and very quickly imposed themselves on the bowlers, with Charlie L being retired to allow others a turn on the square. The run rate was always ticking over, thanks to some excellent running between the wickets and clear communication, and a final flourish of 4s from Declan E helped us chase down the total in only 7 overs. The boys need to work on their fielding, especially anticipating where best to position themselves when throws are coming in from the deep, but this was a very encouraging performance in all areas, and the team spirit could not be faulted. Well done, all!

Mr Wright

Boys' Cricket: U12 A v. Box Hill School

Duke of Kent School lost the toss on Wednesday and were asked to field first. Box Hill School started vert quickly scoring ten an over for the first 5 overs before Harvey R broke the partnership with some accurate bowling. Wickets started to tumble with Ben J being on a hattrick and Eddie C getting a wicket too. Oliver K finished off the innings with some very good bowling getting 2 wickets with the last 2 balls leaving Duke of Kent School needing to score 157 to win. 

Elliot S showed some attack in the first over by hitting 2 big sixes but unfortunately got caught going for another. A flurry of wickets left Duke of Kent School in trouble at 27-5 but Patrick W (23) and Oliver K (19) were able to steady the ship with a partnership of 50! Unfortunately, Duke of Kent School finished up 47 runs short but well done to all those boys involved as they showed fight until the end.

Mr Green

Mr Rye

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Telegram

With more than 700 million users worldwide, Telegram is a popular alternative to the likes of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger; indeed, in some countries, it’s overtaken that pair to become the most-used instant messaging app. Telegram’s no stranger to controversy, however, and has occasionally been made unavailable for download in some nations (including the UK).

There are various reasons for these suspensions, but the primary trigger for the authorities’ concern has been that Telegram’s robust encryption, sadly, all too often encourages the app’s use as a conduit for extremist political material and illegal sexual content. This guide brings trusted adults the lowdown on Telegram.

In the guide you'll find tips on a number of potential risks including a lack of age verification, inappropriate content and cyber-bullying.

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

Also, Internet Matters is a great website that can help you deal with online issues, give you advice for different age groups, and give you step-by-step guides for setting controls for different devices.

Mr Boden

This week we have been celebrating Mental Health Awareness week in school and focusing on staying mindful of one’s own mental health. The theme this year is anxiety so pupils from the Prep and Senior School listened to an assembly explaining how anxiety manifests in our brains and bodies, how we can calm ourselves when anxious by: challenging our thoughts, creating self soothe boxes, journaling, exercise, diet, sleep and breathing exercises. Most of all, pupils were reassured that anxiety is a normal emotion and that we need to learn how to acknowledge how it is aiming to protect us rather than try and shut it down. Instead, listen to our warnings and find ways to return to a state of calm.

Pupils have also taken part in creating a ‘Helping Hand’ art work which showcases pupils’ tips for coping with their own anxiety to be shared with others. They also had the opportunity to paint calming stones (and googly eyes!) - a sensory aid to keep in their pockets as a reminder that to help return to calm, they need to shift themselves from their cognitive process (which may be overloaded) to their sensory process (touch).

Seniors have had resources on, managing their anxiety and coping with exams, delivered to their classrooms. Many have also had the opportunity to go outside or practice mindfulness during lessons. Today, we have also been treated to listening to music whilst eating lunch (thank you, Mr Rye).

A useful guide for parents supporting children when they are struggling with anxiety.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/anxiety/

Please also see the link to Young Minds website below, where Duke of Kent School is featured as part of last year’s Hello Yellow campaign. It was released today and celebrates our involvement in their campaign last October.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/our-fundraisers/duke-of-kent-school/

Mrs Douglas

This week we have had a confirmed case of Impetigo in the Prep School.  This is a contagious skin disease common in younger years.  Anyone with impetigo needs to stay away from school for the first 48 hours of antibiotic treatment.  For more information see the link below:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/impetigo/

A big thank you to Years 8 and 9 pupils who completed their course of HPV Immunisations this Thursday.  The HPV Immunisation programme is proving hugely beneficial in the reduction of HPV infection.  HPV is a sexually transmitted infection which in turn increases the rates of cancer of the genitalia.  For example, Cancer Research quotes a study (2021) which shows: "In the first study of its kind, the vaccine was shown to dramatically reduce cervical cancer rates by almost 90% in women in their 20s who were offered it at age 12 to 13."

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine/

https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2021/11/03/the-power-of-science-hpv-vaccine-proven-to-dramatically-reduce-cervical-cancer/

Next immunisations session: Year 9 DTP and MenACWY on Friday 23rd June.

Please can pupils needing medication for the Year 5 and 6 residential trips after half term, deliver their medication to the front office for Mrs Sarjant's attention next Monday 22nd May for checking and packing.

The School Nurses

PADoK News

PADoK Summer Event - Saturday 17^th June 7pm - 11pm

We are incredibly excited to say that you can now book your tickets for the Party in the PADoK!  padok@dokschool.org

Including:

Live music and dancing, Complimentary glass of Pimm’s, Hog Roast and vegetarian opinion and choice of salads, strawberries and cream, dress: festival vibe (glitter a plenty) - prize for best festival look, dancing shoes or wellies a must!

It will be a cashless bar

All for only £35 a ticket

We will begin the evening on the back terrace and lawns so why not bring a picnic blanket and enjoy your meal looking out over the amazing views on a beautiful sunny evening, British weather allowing!!!  We will then head into the PA Hall to dance the night away to the brilliant Accidentals.

Book you tickets at padok@dokschool.org with your child’s name and year group and any dietary requirements please.

Cancellation by 1^st June 2023

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Open Wednesday 17^th May – 3pm – 4pm

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursdays 08.20 – 09.00am

A great session this morning with a smaller group. We sang our regular warm ups but with a minor key twist on ‘All I Want is a Proper Cup of Coffee’ and ‘L’il Eliza Jane’. Amazing how such a small note shift can completely change the mood of a piece.

We focused on possibly the hardest 4 lines in our song, ‘Brave’ by Sara Bareilles. 3 part harmony with 3 completely different rhythms. There was some intense concentration for a few minutes and it was worth it, we got it! Next week we’ll be running through the whole piece for the first time and fine tuning. It’s been great fun getting our voices around this one. Many thanks to Nick and everyone who joins us each week, for your continued enthusiasm. It’s such a great way to start the day.

As always please do remember that there is never any pressure to perform, no set plan to unless we want to. Our focus is always on enjoying singing and getting the most out of our time together 

Huge thanks to all who come along and make the sessions so much fun. The group is a very fluid mix of past and present parents. Everyone is welcome to join at any time, and we have a WhatsApp group you can dip in and out of as you’d like to. Please feel free to contact me directly if you are interested or have any queries rhodricathy@sky.com.

We would absolutely love to have some male voices coming more regularly. If you’re out there even slightly thinking about it, please come along and give it a go! 

PADoK Core Control: Strengthen your body, Improve Your Health with our Physio-Led Stability Group.

This week Sarah ran the class as I was unable to attend and delivered a great set of standing core exercises. Sarah is a fantastic running coach and is regularly coaching kids at Horsham Athletics so is incredibly proficient at delivering core exercises to groups of enthusiastic people. She will also cover this week and has planned more training of core muscle groups. I’m envious that I won’t be there with her leading this session. As the exams are on and the weather finally is more settled we will be on the astroturf and outside for the rest of term, so please bring your own fitness mat or thick towel to lie on.

We would love to see you on a Friday morning 0830-0900 for a quick weekly input!

PADoK Walk

Next walk Friday 26^th May, 08.30 Car Park 3, Pitch Hill

We will try to find another date before Friday 26th on another day of the week. 

Everyone welcome.

PADoK Book Club  – The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce

PADoK asked our Reps for their thoughts on what should be this term’s Book Club choice and the majority voted for “The Music Shop” by Rachel Joyce.  It has been described as an unforgettable story of music, loss and hope. Fans of High Fidelity, meet your next quirky love story.  Rachel Joyce has established a reputation for novels that celebrate the dignity and courage of ordinary people and the resilience of the human spirit. . . . But what really elevates The Music Shop is Joyce's detailed knowledge of--and passion for--music.

Even if you are unable to join us when we get together at the end of June to talk about the book in person, we would love it if you read the book and sent in your thoughts for us to share when the Book Club gets together again.

Mrs Phillips

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

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