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A Message from Mrs Knox

Christmas has well and truly landed at Duke of Kent School and it even snowed today! The week started with Year 3 decorating the Christmas tree. Year 1 then read their letters to Father Christmas before I popped them up the chimney at midnight, the magical Christmas hour! Year 11 have had fun decorating the common room and the form rooms are now adorned with tinsel and paper chains. I absolutely love Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed the wreath making parent workshop this week. My wreath now proudly adorns the front door of the School. Having spent 14 years up until recently in Australia, where it was difficult to feel Christmassy cooking turkey in 30 degree heat, I just love everything about Christmas. Tonight is the Prep School Christmas concert, next week the nativity play and the Carol Service. Pure joy!!! Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Knox
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The School menu for next week

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

What an amazing week it was last week for the Senior Performing Arts Department! A cast and crew of 76 pupils, six teachers and seven visiting professional musicians created three memorable performances that saw audiences richly entertained in our production of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". It has been quite the journey for these pupils, from the workshop days at the end of the summer holidays through to the last minute Friday afternoon rehearsal on the day of the show. Putting on a full-scale musical in ten weeks is a huge ask, but once again, the cast did us so proud! They absolutely raised their game when it mattered and pulled three amazing performances out of the bag, despite illness, school commitments and external pressures.

The principal roles were portrayed with professionalism and panache, giving the audience plenty to laugh about with their superb comic delivery, the ensemble song and dance routines were joyful and full of energy and the huge chorus of  chefs, car enthusiasts, Vulgarians and "Old Bambooers" gave their all in every moment of this entertaining and memorable show.

The set, the costumes, the make up, the lighting, the incredible flying car (!) – I could go on for pages about how wonderful it looked and what an amazing job everyone did, but the audience saw that for themselves and raised the roof with each final ovation. "Truly Scrumptious" thanks are due to the amazing team of Lisa Lee, Mrs Honey, Mrs Punter, Mrs Douglas, Mrs Kerr, Mr Forrester and Miss Barnes but the biggest thanks of all are to the pupils involved – we are so very proud of you, and you deserve all the plaudits you are receiving. Now have a rest!

To view the full gallery of photos from the show click here.

Mr Rye
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Fire Engine Visit 

On Tuesday morning, our School had the privilege of hosting a special visit from the local Cranleigh Fire Brigade, creating an engaging and educational experience for pupils in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. The visit aimed not only to ignite curiosity, but also to impart essential knowledge about fire safety and the invaluable role of firefighters in our communities. Adding to the significance of the occasion, we were delighted to have Dan Dearden, a former pupil, among the firefighters who joined us for the visit.

During this visit, pupils were given the opportunity to explore the realm of fire safety, understanding the importance of having a functional fire alarm at home. Firefighters elaborated on the critical role of early detection and how a fire alarm can serve as a life-saving device.

The role of a firefighter was thoroughly explained, allowing pupils to learn about the courageous men and women who risk their lives to ensure community safety. The firefighters showcased the various tools and equipment stored on the fire engine, explaining their purposes and how they are utilised in emergencies. From hoses and hydrants to axes and first aid kits, pupils gained valuable insights into the array of tools firefighters employ to handle different types of incidents.

Equally captivating was the demonstration of safety gear. Pupils were introduced to the protective clothing and equipment firefighters wear, underscoring the importance of safety during their duties. The firefighters demonstrated the use of air tanks, showcasing how they can enter a building when there may not be a sufficient air supply.

The day's highlight undoubtedly occurred when pupils took turns operating the fire hose, directing jets of water down the hill. This not only added an element of excitement but also served as a fun and memorable way to reinforce the lesson on the capabilities of firefighting equipment.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Cranleigh Fire Station for visiting us and providing such a memorable morning for our pupils. The experience left pupils with a newfound appreciation for fire safety, a clearer understanding of the heroic work of firefighters, and a sense of empowerment in knowing how to respond in case of an emergency.

Mr Wyllie

Year 3 assembly

In Thursday's assembly, Year 3 pupils travelled back in time, through a magic time tunnel, leading them to Ancient Greece. We were greeted by Antius and Decadus, the presenters of a magnificent performance of Ancient Greece's Got Talent. Hestia, Apollo, Hades, Aphrodite and Poseidon all tried to persuade us why they were the most important gods and goddesses but they were soon interrupted by a furious Zeus, throwing his lightning bolts across the stage. Zeus reminded us all that he was the rightful ruler of the heavens and earth and creator of other gods. The children should all feel very proud of how well they learnt their lines and for their wonderful performance.

Mrs Nicholson

Years 4 and 5 Wilder Schools project

The Year 4s had an exciting, engaging and creative literacy lesson in Junior Jungle on Thursday based on the story of the ancient legend of the forest called “The Green Man”. The children were tasked with creating their own Green Man with clay and placing their masks on tree trunks or branches in the forest. They then had to add natural materials to give their Green Man a unique twist. They came up with some amazing creations which now peer out from all parts of the Junior Jungle!

 

Year 5 continued their work on the Wilder Schools project in the afternoon. They reviewed what they learnt during the “BioBlitz” completed during their previous session to inform the site survey of the School grounds. The pupils worked in pairs to plot their maps with ideas of changes that could be made to improve biodiversity and add new habitat features to the grounds. Their ideas ranged from wildflower meadows to ponds and everything in between! Once they were back in the warm, Year 5 started to form an action plan to share with the rest of the School. They also discussed how they could persuade the School community to support them in developing our Wilder Schools project and ideas to generate fundraising. I, for one, was a big advocate of the sponsored silence! A big well done to all the pupils for embracing this responsibility with such gusto.

Mr Gritton

Year 7: unlocking history

Year 7 pupils embarked on an immersive journey, crafting their own versions of Martin Luther's transformative 95 Theses from 1517. With authentic wax seals adorning their creations, pupils delved into discussions about Luther nailing his thoughts to the historic church door in Wittenberg. A hands-on lesson, igniting historical curiosity and fostering a vibrant learning experience. 

Mr Seeley

National Schools Equestrian Association

We're pleased to confirm that Duke of Kent School has established an equestrian team to compete in the National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) events. The NSEA provides inter-school competitions in disciplines such as Dressage, Show Jumping, Arena Eventing among others. If your child is interested in joining the Duke of Kent School team, please contact Jacqui Browning for further details by emailing jbrowning@dokschool.org

Baby Ashcroft

Huge congratulations to Miss Francis and her husband, Chris, on the safe arrival of Lucas Oliver Ashcroft. After keeping his parents waiting, Lucas EVENTUALLY made his way into the world on Friday 24th November at 22:16!

Despite being a little monkey about coming out, he has been an absolute angel ever since and they are ever so slightly besotted.

 

Having written their letters for Father Christmas last week, Year 1 headed to Old Hall on Wednesday, where they read them to Mrs Knox. Excitement levels were already high, but when they received personalised replies on Thursday, they were almost set to burst! We very much hope Christmas brings you some of your hearts' desires, Year 1! The flurries of snow on Thursday certainly made things feel like the festive season is almost upon us; Years 4 and 5 got to spend much of the day outside, braving the cold conditions to work in our grounds with Emma from Surrey Wildlife Trust to develop our Wilder Schools plans. All very exciting, and we look forward to hearing more about the programme in Year 5's assembly next term.

Speaking of assemblies, 3N entertained us all this week with their "Ancient Greece's Got Talent" show, hosted by the aptly named Antius and Decimus. All the Gods gave a super showing of their talents and powers, but eventually had to accept that no-one is a match for the mighty Zeus! Thank you, 3N! We also heard from some of the Year 6 boys in another assembly. Alexander gave an informative talk about the Napoleonic Wars, showing the depth and breadth of his historical knowledge when fielding some tricky follow-up questions. Arthur and Alfie then wowed us all with their talk on magic, the highlight being some of the tricks they performed, such as making not only coins but even water levitate before our very eyes! 

Elsewhere, Year 3 were investigating which types of paper are most absorbent, Reception pupils practised their maths skills counting on and back to launch some rockets, and Year 5 have been discussing the differences between rules and laws, pondering what life might be like without them to fully appreciate why they are so important. We very much look forward to seeing you at some of our exciting end-of-term events next week.

 

 

Values Certificates: Simon F for Kindness

Aloud and Proud Readers: Mac Y & Charlie S (Year 3)

Reading Certificates: Bronze for Charlie S (Year 4), Elsie S and Elsa H; Silver for Henry G and Eva W; and Platinum for George F and Millie W

Mr Wright

Stars of the week

Nursery – Cooper C for improved language skills and for fantastic motivation and enthusiasm throughout the day.

Reception – Flynn H for a consistently positive approach to his work and fabulous effort in our play practices.

Oscar B for super effort in everything and lovely progress in reading.

Year 1 – Charles L for his increased focus and for always trying to challenge himself.

Year 2 – Jenson Bo for his positive attitude towards challenge in all areas of his learning. 

Annabelle W for for learning her lines and delivering them with improved confidence and volume. 

Mrs Henry

The week began with a quite triumphant set of performances of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, quite simply the best School production I think I have ever seen. The effort, determination, resilience and camaraderie on show, both in rehearsals and during the three performances, was outstanding. I hope all of those involved are as proud of themselves as we are of them.

Year 11 have also been engaging in their Mock Oral GCSE language exams this week, a nervous energy being prevalent in the common room as much cramming and practice went on in various rooms throughout lunch and break times. The Year 10 and 11 computer science pupils also went on a trip to Bletchley Park on Friday, the former principal centre of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War. 

Whilst illness appears to be taking its toll across the School, coupled with a bout of extreme cold and the slight feeling of emptiness due to the Senior Production being over, it is important to look to the fun activities of the final week and ensure we all keep a positive outlook as we fast-approach the end of term. A lot of hard work and endeavour has been on display this term and many fully deserve a relaxing break, but before then we have Christmas fayres, Christmas jumper days, Secret Santa events, Christmas Carol services, Christmas lunches and celebratory afternoons, to name but a few of the upcoming events.

The following pupils attended Celebration Snack Break this morning, receiving a prize and lunchtime queue-jump voucher, having reached a multiple of 25 merit points; Lockie B, Norah H (Year 7), Issy N, Ben J (Year 8) and Johnny J, Ben L, Jack P (Year 9). Issy N and Jack P also received a Blazer Badge in assembly for reaching 100 merit points since the system began in summer 2022. Well done to you all!

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Mr Wilson

 

Film of the Month (Ages 5-16)

Any film, any genre any time of year.

The Film of the Month competition celebrates exceptional young filmmaking talent from across the UK. Filmmaking is more accessible than it ever has been, and that's illustrated in the quantity and quality of the entries we receive every month.

Film of the Month is open to all young people across the UK. However, if you are 17 and under and want to submit your film, a parent or guardian will need to provide their details to give consent for you to participate.

For more information please click here. 

You can enter a different film each month!

Immerse Education Essay Competition (Ages 13-16)

The Immerse Education Essay Competition provides the opportunity for pupils aged 13-18 to submit essay responses to a question of their choice relating to a subject of interest.

There are over 20 questions to choose from, which can be found in our full Essay Competition Guide. Ten winners will receive a 100% scholarship to study at a world-leading university of their choosing. Outstanding runners-up also receive partial scholarships.

For more information please click here.

Deadline for entries is 4th January 2024.

Mr Wyllie

This week started very sweetly as Monday was the turn of the Senior School for their House Bake Off Final! Four pupils; Sydney R, Poppy F, Manon A and Esme P were selected to represent their respective Houses. For this event, the pupils were tasked with creating either an illusion cake, or one that contained a hidden surprise inside.

Despite the nerves and the pressure that the pupils were under, the atmosphere was so friendly and joyful, with all the pupils encouraging and helping each other. We were also fortunate enough to have former Great British Bake Off finalist Stephen Carter-Bailey kindly join us. Stephen helped us with the difficult task of judging their final bakes, and the less difficult task of eating cake! He was so helpful throughout the baking, giving useful tips to each of the pupils and assisting them to get it all finished on time.

The final bakes were nothing short of outstanding; Sydney R created a towering six tier chocolate and vanilla cake filled with surprise maltesers, and Esme P’s chocolate Cookie Monster cake was covered with fantastic blue piped icing, and filled with cookies of course! Poppy F got us all into the festive spirit with her delightful Christmas-themed bake that contained beautiful green sponge Christmas trees nestled inside the cake. Lastly, Manon A’s brilliant imaginative and innovative idea led to the creation of the “woman in a box” magic trick, that when “sawn” in half, resulted in red skittles spilling out; a brilliantly clever twist!

After much deliberation, and munching, between me, Mr Gritton, Mrs Knox and Stephen, winning by just one point was Manon A for Kestrel. Huge congratulations to her, Sydney R (Buzzard) Poppy F (Kestrel) and Esme P (Hawk) who all receive a commemorative spoon to mark their achievement and hopefully inspire them to continue baking. All senior pupils who entered the Bake Off have received three House Points.

Mr Gritton and Mrs Vermeulen

As we head towards the end of a busy term it is important to not forget about the number of webinars that UNIFROG offer that can help guide your future choices or just be an interesting talk that you might like to hear more about.

Want to add to your CV, do something benefical and feel good at the same time? Why not volunteer to help save the planet?

Not only can volunteering help to save the planet by reversing the effects of global warming, but it can benefit your mental health as well as enhance your future applications! To learn more about how you and the world you live in can benefit from volunteering, sign up today and find out how you can get involved in volunteering programmes across the world.

This webinar is on 4th December at 17:00. Details can be found here.

Ever thought about a career in Occupational Therapy?

Join students and academics from the University of Southampton to discover how occupational therapists change patients’ lives by combining interpersonal skills and social and creative interests with skills in human anatomy, physiology, psychology, and research. As an occupational therapist, you can work with people across the life span to achieve what's important to them.

This webinar is on 11th December at 16:00. Details can be found here.

Coming up in 2024 is the UNIFROG Apprenticeship Fair on Wednesday 7th February.

More details to follow on this exciting event which will allow you to explore the latest apprenticeship opportunities and attend live sessions with top employers.

Mr Wyllie

Girls’ netball: U12/13 B and C teams v Pennthorpe and Belmont

On a chilly but wonderfully sunny Wednesday afternoon, the U12/13 teams travelled to Pennthorpe to play their first netball match of the term. With the netball season on the horizon, it was an opportunity to work within their teams to figure out their favoured position and practise the skills they've been working on over the last few weeks in lessons. For some of the girls who joined Duke of Kent School in Year 7, it was their first ever netball match! To begin, it was an all Duke of Kent School affair with the U12/13 B team playing the U12/13 C team, whilst Belmont and Pennthorpe's B teams fought it out on the other court. It was a good way for the girls to warm up and they soon began to link their passes skilfully down the court. The next matches were the U12/13 B v Pennthorpe and the U12/13 C v Belmont. Both Duke of Kent School teams started well and took the lead with great shooting from Norah H (B team) and Millie L (C team) in particular. The B team continued to dominate possession and won their game 7-0. Meanwhile, the C team were enjoying a close game with end to end play, resulting in an 8-4 win. The final matches of the afternoon were the U12/13 B v Belmont and the U12/13 C v Pennthorpe. By this time the B team had got into their stride and played some great netball with Penny N controlling the mid court brilliantly in centre. The team went on to get another win with sterling defence from Isla W and Esme W. The C team continued to fight hard despite the cold conditions but couldn't manage to bring it back after going 3-1 down at half-time. The final score was 5-3 to Pennthorpe, with some brilliant defence from Manon A and Olivia S in particular. A huge well done to all the girls for showing great determination and effort throughout the afternoon! 

Miss Vickers

Boys' football: U12/13 C Team v Shoreham College

On Wednesday afternoon the U12/13 C Team played out an exciting match against an evenly matched Shoreham College team. The game started off with possession being evenly shared and good chances failing to be converted for both teams. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Shoreham College scored a well worked goal to take a 1-0 lead into half-time. After regrouping, the boys came out strongly in the second half, scoring a few minutes into the half with a through ball from George S that Alex W latched onto and raced away shooting from just inside the box and finding the back of the net! The rest of the game Shoreham mounted a lot of pressure onto the back line and, with a corner, they put the ball into the box and it struck an outstretched arm, leading to Shoreham having a penalty with almost the final kick of the game. Jenson P in goal was very unlucky to see the ball just go under his arm with a great dive to try and save it, but the final score was Duke of Kent School 1-2 Shoreham College. The Duke of Kent School boys put on a great performance for the final game of their football season, and they can be proud of the effort they put in on the pitch! A special mention to Bob P, who excelled in his defensive role, putting in good tackles and great clearances. 

Mr Clayton

Girls' netball: Duke of Kent School v Pennthorpe School

On Thursday afternoon, the Year 3 and 4 girls welcomed Pennthorpe School for their final netball match of the term. Due to the extremely cold conditions, the matches were moved indoors and played across the hall on 1/2 a netball court. The two matches on the far side of the hall were played using the basketball hoops leading to some high-scoring matches! Duke of Kent School's light blue team were up first and the match turned out to be possibly one of the most exciting U8/9 games this term! The light blues started well and went 2-0 up. However, Pennthorpe soon got into their stride and then scored four goals in a row! The play continued at an electric pace with goals galore and finished as an epic draw! Next up were the dark blue team against a different Pennthorpe team. Once again it was great to see the girls show their skills with some lovely connecting passes and yet more goal scoring! The team worked really hard together and managed to win their match. A fantastic afternoon with lots of opportunities for learning and a great finish to the netball season. Next term, the Year 3 and 4 girls will focus on hockey and football.

Miss Vickers

Girls’ netball: U8/9 Green Netball Team v Pennthorpe School

Duke of Kent School U8/9 Green Team were relieved to be in Ness Hall for their match against Pennthorpe after winter had set in by Thursday. The teams were evenly matched and it was exciting end-to-end viewing. Duke of Kent School's passing looked fantastic, particularly the length and power of some of the passes and the team's movement into space was great to see. Pennthorpe began to work out that their opposition were mostly passing over the top of them and began to break the team's play down with some very good interceptions. However, there was never more than a goal or two between the teams, but Pennthorpe just finished ahead. As the U8/9 netball season draws to a close, it is good to reflect on how much every player has improved their individual skills and knowledge of the game. 

Mrs Dann

Boys’ football: U8/9 Panthers v Farlington

We travelled over to Farlington to play our last football match of the term. Charlie S led the team with some strong tackles and charging the ball down. He managed to carry this on and scored our goal with a long-range shot that beat the goalkeeper. Duke of Kent School displayed some good tackling skills and worked well towards the goal. Unfortunately, Farlington scored a great strike into the top corner in the second half for the game to finish in a draw. Well done to all the boys involved as they have worked hard throughout the term, improving their individual skills.

Mr Green

Boys’ football: U16 Boys v Frensham Heights School

The combined U15/16 took on Frensham Heights School on the astro under floodlights last Thursday. The boys took time to get used to the pace of the surface but soon adjusted and began to pass the ball around with accuracy. Vir O'R showed great composure on the ball at full back and Jamie P, Rufus B and Toby T started combining well to spring attacks. Goals from Toby T and Rufus B gave Duke of Kent School a 2-0 lead. Frensham Heights pulled a goal back, but the Duke of Kent School boys managed to hold on for a deserved victory in what was some of the Year 11's last football match at Duke of Kent School. Well done to all who played.

Mr Herbert

Boys’ football: U11 A Team v Frensham Heights School

In what was their last game before Christmas, Duke of Kent School’s U11 A Team travelled to Frensham Heights School for a 7-a-side match. The boys had been practising as a team each Monday lunchtime in preparation for their trip to St George's Park at the ISA National Finals in March; the extra time they have put in was very apparent. Their focus throughout was to keep possession and be composed when receiving the ball. The Duke of Kent School team executed the plan brilliantly and played extremely well, scoring six goals without reply. This was their best performance of the term; a great finish to the season! Well done to Alfie H, Oliver T, Ben W, Harlyn S, Hubert S, Arthur S and Mac Y.

Mr Herbert

What Parents Need to Know about Fortnite Battle Royale

There’s a very good chance you’ve heard of Fortnite, but what exactly is it? And why is it so popular amongst young people? Fortnite is an online multiplayer “battle royale” game developed by Epic Games and is playable on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and mobiles. It gained popularity in late 2017 and has since become the biggest game in the world, thanks to its rapid and engaging gameplay.

In this guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as gaming addiction, gaming with strangers and overspending.

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

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
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As Christmas is edging closer and the School is looking suitably festive, our thoughts were directed back to Christmas decorations created at the beginning of October. We were delighted to receive a certificate from Starlight children’s charity this week, thanking us for the Christmas bunting we decorated and made into bunting on World Mental Health Day. It is now installed in children’s wards in hospitals around the country, bringing cheer to children who will have a difficult Christmas this year. How lovely that our pupils so enjoyed an activity that is now bringing joy to others. Starlight wanted to let those children involved in the creation of the bunting know that they are all stars!

Also this week, I am so pleased to announce that Mercy M, Edie H, Emily N, Annie B, Lucy P, William B and Charlie L all completed their Peer Mentor training and received their badges. They met up with their Year 7 mentees this week and are looking forward to getting to know each other better in the coming terms.

Both examples of how, by considering others and their needs, we are able to feel the benefits for our own mental health.

Mrs Douglas

A reminder of the key notes from our School-wide email this week about recent increases in winter illness at School (please note the additional information regarding off games requests):

As is quite normal for this time of year we are experiencing a rapid increase in ill health at School; some tummy bugs, but mostly fevers and respiratory symptoms (across all year groups). Please can we encourage parents to keep pupils at home if the following circumstances apply:

1) Temperature of 37.8 or higher. (Please note that children whose temperature goes back down to "normal range" with the assistance of paracetamol or ibuprofen are not necessarily better, and still pose an infection risk – therefore their temperature needs to return to normal [below 37.8] without medication before they return to School.)

2) Feeling too ill for School – especially if very fatigued, and unlikely to be able to concentrate in class. Consider keeping children with a repetitive cough or with very runny noses at home for infection control purposes. Please be aware if your child is not feeling 100% and you send them to School but sign them "off games", they are likely to be left standing in the cold for several hours during games lessons, as we do not always have capacity to supervise pupils indoors away from their cohort. If your child is well enough to be at School it may be better to keep them on games so they can exercise and stay warm during the cold weather.

3) Episodes of either vomit or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours

Antibiotics
Pupils who have antibiotics prescribed and are well enough to return to School must hand their medication in at the front office for the School Nurse to administer if it's needed during the School day – the medication should be in the original packaging with the pharmacy label included and be accompanied with a consent form. Please email Chloe Sarjant or Maya Garside at nurse@dokschool.org to let us know you are sending antibiotics to School for your child.

Asthma
Inevitably pupils with a history of asthma may find they have a flare-up of symptoms and wheeze during the very cold spell of weather we are experiencing. Please remember that we ask pupils with a prescribed inhaler to carry a named inhaler on their person at School at all times.

Cold weather
Please can pupils come to School suitably clothed with jumpers/blazers/coats/hats/gloves etc to avoid hypothermia. Pupils are also encouraged to bring their own tissues and throat lozenges to School, if relevant, and to continue with regular and thorough hand hygiene.

Many thanks for your help – we hope that the majority of pupils will still be able to attend School and enjoy all the fun Christmas festivities ahead next week as we head towards the holidays.

Finally, please can medical forms for the Yorkshire Senior Choir Trip be returned to Mrs Sarjant by the end of term if at all possible. Thank you!

Have a lovely weekend – wrap up warm!

The School Nurses

PADoK

Please do get in touch if you would like to get involved, this can be in any capacity, you don’t need to be a class rep to be on the PADoK team. Email me at camillahja@yahoo.com for more information. 

PADoK second hand uniform shop – new premises

We were thrilled to open the new uniform shop for the first time this week. A proper celebration and more formal opening of the new shop will happen in the new year. Huge thanks to Mrs Lowe and Mrs Williams for all their hard work in moving from the old premises to the new one and bringing it all together. Thank you to the School for all they have provided to make this happen, it is much appreciated.

PADoK Book Club

Last Thursday the PADoK Book Club got together to catch up on this term’s book choice “Kayla’s Girls” by Kerry Gibb. Kerry has written many children’s books, and this is her debut novel for adults targeted very much at Mums with children still at school. It is a light-hearted entertaining story about the trials and tribulations of being a Mum to younger children and the friendships you form with parents at their school. If you are looking for an enjoyable page-turner about building friendships and chaotic school runs, this is the one for you!

Over the Christmas holidays, we have been recommended to read “The Christmas Book Club” by Sarah Morgan, a heartwarming story of friendship, family and love. Alternatively, if you are looking for a traditional haunted Christmas tale, then “The Winter Spirits” is for you. Twelve short stories that take you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret, these vibrant haunted stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights.

Our PADoK Book Club choice for the Spring Term is “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin, an exhilarating novel about two friends – often in love, but never lovers, who come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity and ultimately a kind of immortality. We look forward to catching up with you about the book when we meet up in the New Year.

Christmas Hamper raffle tickets

Thank you for supporting our annual Christmas Hamper Raffle and good luck for the draw.

A large percentage of profit from ticket sales will go to Cranleigh Food Bank, Peaslake School and Ewhurst Infant School. As with all PADoK funds, the remainder will go back into the School for the benefit of the children.

Duke of Kent School Flyers – Wednesday 08.30-09.30, Ness Hall (Tara Coles and Lois Williams)

This week we saw the fifth session of the DOK School netball team. Another great session of netball! So much fun had and so good for the soul.

Join us every Wednesday. No experience necessary!

Duke of Kent School Singers – Thursday 08.20-09.00 (Cathy Williams)

A great get-together in the meetings room on Thursday with Mr Rye. It felt very cosy with the snow starting to fall outside!

We stretched and sang a few of our trusted warm-ups, "I like the flowers" and "Si, Si, Si" (the same ones all our kids know and love!) and then went full swing into finishing off our Coldplay piece, "Yellow". The ending needs some polishing, but it’s sounding so beautiful! Not quite performance-ready for those that are up for it, but I could sit and listen to us all day! Well done everyone, thank you so much for coming along and making it such fun. Wishing everyone a warm and cosy weekend.

Any questions, please do contact Cathy Williams rhodricathy@sky.com/07813 282910 or please just come along!

A relaxed singing group run by our Director of Music, Mr Rye, who kindly gives up his time to teach us how to sing. It is always fun and uplifting rather than a pressured environment. Our focus is always on enjoying singing and getting the most out of our time together.

PADOK Core Control: strengthen your body, improve your health with our physio-led stability group. Friday mornings 08.30, Ness Hall

Core Control Class Update!

Ready for the next level of fitness? Our Core Control Class is taking things up a notch! From our early education of Core Fitness at the start of term, our parents have now progressed onto Intermediate Core Control.

Highlights

Dynamic challenges: experience dynamic plank variations, flutter kicks and V-ups to elevate your core workout.

Increased stability: master advanced static balance with longer plank holds and elevated pelvic bridges.

Full-body integration: engage your entire body with side skiing jumps and lunges for a comprehensive workout.

We were also extremely excited to have a tea or coffee up in Great Hall. Thanks to the School for generously organising this! Mrs Knox was wel-jel not to be joining us as we all glowed and bubbled with the excitement and laughter of good exercise. 

We will restart with the basics next term again, so don’t be afraid to come and join us for the first time. Don't miss this chance to push your limits and take your core control to new heights! Join us for a challenging yet invigorating session. See you there! 

Note this final week and final day of term will NOT have core control class but will be having a “no-one gets left behind” trot up to the viewpoint so those with dogs can exercise them while we chat prior to the Christmas break.

How to join: all parents are welcome!

Simply message julia@therunningspecialists.com for details and to confirm your spot.

Let's strengthen our cores and build a healthier, more connected community together! 

Click here for the WhatsApp group link.

PADoK Walk – Friday 8th December 08.30

We will be meeting for our final walk of the term. Please do join us at 08.30 at Car Park 3 Hurtwood Control (Pitch Hill). Everyone welcome.

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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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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.