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A Message from Mrs Knox

Congratulations to all pupils from Years 3 - 10 for the way in which they have approached their exams this week. They have conducted themselves superbly, showing great resilience and positivity. Preparing for and sitting exams is extremely beneficial for students, helping them to see that they are an important part of the learning process. Right from an early age, it helps deepen knowledge, helps children think about effective revision strategies and familiarises them with exam conditions. The feedback they will receive after half term is also an essential part of the process as they set their goals for the next academic year. Thank you also to you our parents for supporting the children this week.

Information about our Parents’ Day on the 8th July has been emailed home today. Please do put the date in your calendar. It is a really special day as we celebrate the achievements of all of the pupils and enjoy a scrumptious picnic together. I wish you all a relaxing half term break and look forward to a really busy and positive remainder of the academic year. 

Mrs Knox
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Exam week has quickly come and gone, and I sincerely hope the children feel they have, by and large, done themselves justice, and shown us what they have learned over the course of the year. The process in itself is a good learning experience, and one through which we are very careful to guide them with encouragement and a strong focus on self-reflection and personal bests. This message will be reinforced when we return after half term and share results, using the exam papers as a learning tool in class to help them make more progress in their skills and understanding. Well done everyone! Much of the regular curriculum has continued around exam timetabling, to ensure the pupils have been enjoying PE, Music, Drama and other active, creative pursuits - even more important as a counter-balance to time spent in silent exam conditions. Paired Reading outside in the sunshine this week was a real treat! Year 4 have even found time to begin preparations for their assembly after the break, on 8th June.     

In Year 2, Science has allowed the pupils to explore the properties of materials in a very creative and competitive way! The challenge was for small groups to build a house strong enough to accommodate one of the three little pigs, keep him dry, and also ensure the structure was still standing in the face of some pretty strong localised winds. The pupils showed excellent teamwork skills and although everyone agreed the bricks and sand was the sturdiest option available, those groups tasked with using only sticks, straws or cardboard still showed ingenuity and determination in making their final constructions. Year 2 also had their first away fixture, playing cricket at Belmont, and thoroughly enjoying the experience. To top off a super week, they even completed their marble jar (for all their hard work and positivity over the half term), and watched 'Matilda' as a treat, having recently finished reading the novel. Likewise, Year 1 earned a class reward, and watched another Dahl classic they'd recently been reading: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. They set the classroom up as a cinema, brought in their teddies and devoured pop corn in recognition of their brilliant efforts of late. Well done, all! 

Values Certificates Awarded This Week:

Effort, for Barnes P, Charlotte L and Lottie O

Responsibility for Penny A

Aloud & Proud Readers: Norah H and Barnes P 

Stars of the Week

Nursery: Roman N for being very kind towards others and working hard to complete tasks.

Reception: Ali S for fabulous progress in reading and great effort in mental maths challenges

Year 1: Harry R for his super attitudes to the assessments.  Harry has come to school with the best attitude to learning this week!

Fred B for increased confidence in the classroom.  Fred is now always one of the first to put his hand up and participate.

William C for his fantastic attitude to his learning, especially in Maths.  William literally jumps for joy every Maths lesson.

Year 2: Ottilie H for a wonderful attitude towards her learning and greater independence during lessons!

Mr Wright

It has been a busy week here at Duke of Kent School with all Senior School pupils completing various subject tests. Whilst we all acknowledge this can be a traumatic week for the pupils, nonetheless we hope that they can develop the resolve, determination and resilience to become comfortable with such testing.

The reason for our exam week is certainly not to overwhelm or intimidate the pupils but rather to learn the skills to engage with the process successfully, so as to achieve the best they can and learn from any mistakes made. We hope this will become a norm for the pupils, an annual occurrence through which to prove their learning and reflect on any mistakes made. Since the cancellation of the 2021 GCSE Exam series not one Year 11 pupil has missed a single GCSE at Duke of Kent School, for illness or any other reason. We are proud of the work that goes into building pupil resilience in the many years leading up to the GCSE exams and continue to reflect on whether there is any more we can be doing to ensure they are able to produce their best in such situations.

Having said that, testing is not the be all and end all here at Duke of Kent School and I was particularly grateful to have the opportunity to be involved in umpiring a wonderful Years 9 and 10 House Cricket Match on Tuesday. The level of cricket was outstanding, the camaraderie between players of both sides was fantastically positive and, in a hugely entertaining game, Peregrine just pipped Kestrel to the win, progressing to the final of the competition. 

I hope you and your children all have a restful break as we look forward to another full-on second half to the term.

Mr Wilson

ISA Junior London South Athletics Regional Qualifier

On Thursday 26 prep school pupils travelled to Walton to compete in the ISA Junior London South Athletics Regional Qualifier. In total there were 22 different schools competing across all events on the hot day. Everyone performed very well and should be proud of the distance or time they recorded. 

Congratulations to the following for winning a medal; Ruby W (150m silver medal winner), Harry L (shot put bronze medal winner), Arthur S (long jump bronze medal winner), Arthur H (600m bronze medal winner). Alfie H managed to win his cricket ball throw event and therefor has qualified to represent London South at the ISA Athletics Nationals Finals in Birmingham. 

Mr Green

Mixed Cricket: Year 2 v. Belmont

On Monday, Year 2 travelled to Belmont for their first away fixture representing Duke of Kent School. Year 2 were split into two teams, the U7 Team Green and U7 Team Blue. Both teams started by fielding with some stand out performances from George F, Charlie S and Annabelle T. After these fantastic fielding displays it was time for Duke of Kent to bat, in the game for Team Green Elsie S played some great shots to start the innings off strong and George D came in later with some quick running in between the wickets to help boost the teams score. For Team Blue both Jack M and Finn H played some great boundary scoring shots which were great for all to see, it was awesome to see the Duke of Kent School pupils helping Belmont in the field due to Belmont having lower numbers, and giving their all for the other team. Well played to everyone involved, a brilliant first cricket fixture for Year 2 and big thanks to the parents for all their cheering and encouragement from the side of the pitch.

Mr Orme, Miss Vickers and Miss Arnold

Years 9 and 10 Boys' House Cricket - Buzzard v. Hawk

On Tuesday saw the semi finals of the Year 9 and 10 House cricket. Buzzard, bowling first, played Hawk on Top pitch with Kestrel playing Peregrine on Front pitch. Buzzard restricted Hawk to 114 runs with some attacking shots from Zac L and Isaac P. Buzzard managed to chase down the total with 5 overs to spare due to good batting from Toby T, Jasper B and Jack D. Well played to all of the boys as it was played in a good spirit and was enjoyed by all. 

Mr Green

Years 9 and 10 Boys' House Cricket - Peregrine v. Kestrel

This Tuesday, Peregrine and Kestrel played against each other in the boys' House cricket, Peregrine won the toss and batted first. George P and Rufus B opened the batting and starting strong, getting the team off to a really good start. Both players retired after getting past 30 runs allowing others to come into bat, Peregrine ended their innings scoring 140 runs in their 12 overs, a fantastic total and one that would be hard to chase down. Kestrel started their batting innings and struggled at the start losing a few early wickets. Will R, Dante D and Harry F all made good contributions to the score but Peregrine's total was too much leading to a win for Peregrine. Well played to all involved, with the game being played in the right way with some fantastic team work on display. 

Mr Orme 

Years 7 and 8 Boys' House Cricket - Kestrel v. Buzzard

In the glorious afternoon sunshine, the birds of prey circled with intent. Buzzard was the first to bat in a thrilling showpiece of aggressive batting, and wickets falling. Risk and reward, risk and reward. Impressive batting and boundaries galore for Paddy W, the day's man of the match, and William B. Then came the turn of Kestrel to strike back, and strike back they did. A slightly more cautious, nip and tuck approach yielded fewer boundaries, but many more singles, and fewer wickets falling. Brave batting from Jack M and Henry R kept the match alive, but ultimately Buzzard soared to victory.

Mr Green

Years 7 and 8 Boys' House Cricket - Peregrine v. Hawk

A fantastic Years 7 and 8 soft House cricket match unfolded on Wednesday afternoon between Peregrine and Hawk. In the six a side match there were wickets and runs aplenty from both sides. I cannot commend the boys enough for how they conducted themselves; encouraging each other, trying their best and creating an enjoyable afternoon for all. It was a close match, but in the end Hawk took it with a final flourish from the last pair.

Mr Southee

Years 7 and 8 Boys' House Cricket - Hawk v. Peregrine

Wednesday saw the first year 7 and 8 house cricket league matches. On top pitch it was tight contest between Hawk and Peregrine. Peregrine batted first and scored 68 off their 10 overs with Chester S retiring and wickets were shared between Jobe M, Alex B and Humph G. Hawk got off to a flying start with Hugo S retiring after 3 overs, leaving 36 runs needed from 7 overs. However, Peregrine bowled very accurately through George C and Hector W and were superbly backed up in the field by Max S. Rhys W managed to hold his never in the final over for Peregrine to win by 2 runs. Well done to all the boys involved as it was a tight contest played in the right spirit. 

Mr Allen

Boys' Cricket: U10/11 v. Ripley Court

This Wednesday, the U10/11 A team travelled to Ripley Court on a fantastic day with the sun shining throughout. Duke of Kent School won the toss and decided to bowl first, Ripley started well with some good boundary hitting shots. Duke of Kent School came back well with some great wicket taking bowling from Harry L and amazing wicket keeping from Thibaut J with a one handed catch after a strong edge from the batsmen. It was then Duke of Kent School's turn to bat, it was a tricky start losing a few early wickets but a good partnership from Arthur H and Henry O helped make it a close game towards the end. Well played to everyone involved with good improvements shown from the previous match. 

Mr Orme 

Years 9 and 10 Girls' House Cricket

On Tuesday the Years 9 and 10 girls stepped out into the sunshine for House cricket. First up was Peregrine V Hawk on the Astro and Kestrel v. Buzzard on MacRobert. The games started well with exceptional bowling from all, and many 4s and 6s scored by the batters. Peregrine came out on top in their game being 9 runs clear, and Kestrel won their game against Buzzard leading onto the second round. Next up Kestrel v. Hawk and Peregrine v. Buzzard. Communication between the wickets was exceptional leading to runs scored on wide and no balls making the games very tight. Peregrine came out on top, as did Kestrel leading to Kestrel being at the top of the leaderboard. On to the final game and it was a tense atmosphere, Buzzard v. Hawk and Peregrine v. Kestrel. With great batting and bowling the games were very close! Onto the final results: in 3rd place Hawk, in joint 2nd place Buzzard and Peregrine and the winners were Kestrel! Well done everyone!

Miss Arnold

Years 7 and 8 Girls' House Cricket

On Wednesday it was Years 7 and 8 girls turn to represent their Houses in cricket. It was Peregrine v. Hawk and Kestrel v. Buzzard for the first games. Bowling was great with many wickets being hit and balls being pitched in difficult places to strike. Hawk and Buzzard came out on top allowing us to move into the second round. Now it was time for Peregrine v. Buzzard and Kestrel v. Hawk. Batting during these games was great with multiple 4s and 6s being scored in each over. Buzzard came out on top as did Kestrel. It was time for the final matches, Peregrine v. Kestrel and Buzzard v. Hawk. The girls' teamwork in the field allowed them to minus runs from their opponents and the communication between them was amazing. In 4th place Peregrine, in 3rd place Hawk, in 2nd place Kestrel and the winners were Buzzard! It was a very enjoyable afternoon, well done everyone! 

Miss Arnold

This has undoubtedly been a busy half term! Congratulations to Hawk for winning the Senior House quiz. The group stages for the Prep School chess competitions are completed, and the Senior competition is well underway. The Prep and Senior pupils still have time to enter House Drama and House Photography competitions. The student who finishes first in these competitions will earn 100 House points, and each student who participates earns 3 House points, which will be invaluable in the final few weeks of this academic year. Buzzard has had a very productive half-term, enabling them to extend their lead over Hawk in second place. Likewise, Peregrine has also earned a considerable number of House points, keeping them within distance of catching Kestrel in third. Kestrel has earned more House points than Hawk, but it's not enough to snatch 2nd place away from them. It's still all to play for!

You can use the link to open the Google Site for Duke of Kent School House System to see upcoming events and the latest scores! https://sites.google.com/dokschool.org/dokhousesystem/home

Mr Gritton

I am sure you have noticed several articles in the news recently about the dangers and easy access to pornography. One particularly striking article on the BBC News website shared the impact of exposure to pornography on children, some as young as 8 years old. Pornography is a subject that can make adults and children very uncomfortable, but it is a very real issue that can have a significant and damaging impact. We hope that by regularly sharing information with you as parents, we will be ready to address these issues openly and effectively should they arise. While some of the content in these articles is harrowing and upsetting, we believe that it is vital that we are all well-informed and, ultimately, that we can address it practically in partnership with you.  

We are all keen for our children to grow up in protected and safe environments. As a School, we have filtering and monitoring software installed on our computers and pupil Chromebooks, preventing pupils from accessing inappropriate material. All pupil searches and keystrokes are monitored, and anything unsuitable is flagged by the software. This allows us to support and educate pupils and, where necessary, notify and work with you as parents.  

We are fully aware that monitoring devices and your children’s access to the Internet is harder at home. It can be incredibly easy for young people to access content that is not appropriate, especially from devices such as phones and iPads. To that end, please see below a helpful website to assist with setting up controls at home to ensure adequate online safety:  

https://www.internetmatters.org/

I also wanted to highlight an article from The Times, published a few weeks ago. Research shows that the average age at which children first view pornography is now 13 years old. In a recent survey of young people, substantial proportions had seen pornography at a much younger age than 13: 27% by age 11 and 10% by the age of 9. At Duke of Kent School, we address the issue of pornography specifically with our Senior School pupils in PSHE lessons, and further down the school, we teach our children the value of healthy relationships and the importance of respect and consent. 

If you have any further questions on this topic or require any additional support, then please do not hesitate to contact me at aboden@dokschool.org.

Mr Boden

Today, the majority of pupils have come to the end of a demanding week of exams. What is really important for them and the pupils in Pre-prep is to make the most of the coming week’s break from school and studies. Year 11’s will be there soon.

It can be tempting to focus on the unknown - what their final results and grades may be - but ultimately they will not know this for a couple of weeks. Therefore, trying to predict or overthink the answers and responses they gave is outside their control and not productive use of their time. 

Now, more than ever it is important to exist in the moment, letting go of the past and not trying to anticipate or predict the future. If we are always looking to the next thing, it is difficult to acknowledge our feelings right now. This is an important part of emotional regulation - accepting how you feel right now as opposed to how you felt or might feel.

I would encourage parents to avoid discussing the exams and instead focus on what opportunities the half-term break may hold. Hopefully, there will be opportunities for family, friends, social and rest times.

For parents whose children are struggling to let anxiety about exam results go, it is helpful to encourage activities of distraction such as exercise, creative hobbies, healthy sleep patterns, engagement with the senses (cooking, sharing a meal, listening to music, going for a walk, taking a fragrant bath or shower etc.) and spending time outside.

Parents of Prep School pupils may find this resource helpful. https://www.parentingni.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Coping-with-Stress-for-Kids.pdf

Parents of older pupils may find this video from Dr Sheila Redfern on coping techniques for dealing with stress at times like, awaiting exam results, helpful.

Dr Sheila Redfern gives advice on managing stress at important moments

Ultimately, it is important to allow oneself an opportunity for celebration and reward when reaching the end of something we have found stressful or challenging, so enjoy the half term and have a peaceful, fun and relaxing break.

Mrs Douglas

Further to a reported positive case of Covid 19 in Senior School this week, please be reminded of the current guidance from gov.uk:

It is not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless directed to by a health professional.

If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test, if they can. After 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults."

For full guidance including information for adults with symptoms or who test positive, please go to the gov.uk website:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19

This week we have also been notified of head lice amongst the school community.  Please see the following link for information:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/

Finally, a last call for medication for the Year 5 New Forest Trip and the Year 6 PGL trip after half term - please can any remaining medications be delivered to our front office for the attention of Mrs Sarjant on Monday 5th June.

Have a wonderful sunny half term.

The School Nurses

PADoK News

PADoK Summer Event - Saturday 17th 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 1st June 2023

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursdays 08.20 – 09.00am

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.

We would love to see you on a Friday morning 08:30-09:00 for a quick weekly input!

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

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
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