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A message from Mrs Knox
On Thursday evening, we welcomed representatives from 10 other schools and colleges for our Sixth Form Information Evening. Pupils and parents in Years 9 and 10 were able to hear about the various provisions on offer from both the maintained and independent sectors, as our pupils begin to consider the next steps beyond Duke of Kent School. It was a very successful evening and thank you to the schools who attended. Congratulations also to Year 7 on a successful Charity Stalls event where we were able to learn about many of the endangered species in the world and how Year 7 are on a task to ensure their survival - a great initiative. Tonight, I am looking forward to the Ensembles Concert, then the highly anticipated Prep Production next week, as well as the truly joyful Pre-prep Spring Concert! Next week, in my role as Vice Chair of the Independent Schools Association, I am also looking forward to representing the Association at ECNAIS (European Council of National Associations of Independent Schools) in Lisbon where I hope to explore how independent schools can continue to innovate and collaborate in an ever-changing educational landscape. As we approach the final weeks of term, there is much to celebrate and look forward to across the school community. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Mrs Knox
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James Mazarelo (England and Great Britain Hockey Goalkeeper) Visit
We were extremely privileged to have James Mazarelo spend the day with us at Duke of Kent School last Friday. His assembly to the Senior and Prep school was inspirational and gave all students a great understanding of what it is like to be an elite athlete and how important it is to have a goal. His with the key points were:
- Have no regrets
- Make mistakes your superpower
- Find something you love and enjoy
After the assembly, James spent time within PE lessons giving pupils individual tuition and spent time answering some great questions from Years 3-11. James also spent time with individual year groups explaining the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. Thank you to James and well done to all pupils who asked some incredible questions.
Mr Herbert
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Pre-prep Mother's Day Parties
 On Friday 13th, the Pre-prep hosted their annual Mother’s Day parties. Classrooms were beautifully decorated with cheerful bunting and fresh flowers, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all the mothers who joined us.
Guests were invited to enjoy a delightful afternoon treat of delicious cakes, while the children proudly presented their special homemade gifts and cards. Each class created personalised cards and crafts, sure to be treasured as keepsakes of the occasion. Every mother also received a fragrant body rub and fresh flowers, making the celebration even more special.
Mrs Henry
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Year 3 Trip to Kew Gardens
 On Monday, Year 3 visited the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew to support our Topic work on tropical rainforests. Each group attended a fascinating workshop, and had the opportunity to explore a number of artefacts that came from rainforests. They were also able to examine, smell and taste some rainforest food and tried to identify various spices. We then visited the Palm House to extend our learning further on specific plants that were on display there, such as banana, papaya, annatto and cacao trees and discussed how these species were well adapted for their environment. A trip to Kew Gardens wouldn’t be complete without climbing up the Treetop Walkway, imagining what life would be like for a rainforest creature living up in the emergent layer, looking down on all that was going on beneath our feet. All the children were very brave about being so high up! It was a wonderful day out, filled with learning opportunities and, as always, we were very impressed with the children’s knowledge and behaviour that they demonstrated throughout the day.
Mrs Nicholson
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Year 3 Assembly
This week, 3N shared a wonderful delivery of their class assembly to their friends and parents. The morning started with a fantastic showcase of various musical performances, with what seemed like every musical genre imaginable! They then went on to discuss how easy and how wrong it is to judge a book by its cover. Using the example of ‘The Birdman’, from our class reader, ‘Why the Whales Came’ and also a rainforest version of The Hare and the Tortoise, they explained how our opinions about people shouldn’t be shaped by how they look but rather by the actions they take and the choices they make throughout their lives.
Mrs Nicholson
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Year 7 Charity Stalls
 Thursday afternoon marked the exciting return of the annual Year 7 Charity Stalls event! This year’s charities ranged from supporting a wide range of animals to providing sporting opportunities for those who may not otherwise have access.The stalls were brilliantly themed, with an impressive array of handmade, perfectly themed sweet treats, creative games, and enticing prizes on offer. The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the pitches delivered by each group, as they worked hard to persuade the judges to support their chosen charity. These speeches were exceptionally well researched and packed with effective persuasive techniques!
A huge congratulations goes to the ‘Happy Hog Shelter’ team for winning what was an extremely close competition. Well done to every member of Year 7; you should all be incredibly proud of your teamwork, creativity, and dedication to this topic throughout the half term. Finally, thank you to our judges, Mr Southee and Mrs Punter, as well as our Year 5, 6, and 10 visitors for helping make the event such a success!
Mrs Southee
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Senior Careers Talk - Life in the Travel Industry
On Monday we had Richard Twynham in school to host an assembly about his life working in the travel industry. He talked us through the many interesting aspects and opportunities that exist, especially in the ever-expanding world of cruiseliners, where a whole host of professions are employed! As well as getting everyone up on their feet and interacting, Richard told of his career journey, starting out with Travelbag, right through to becoming the youngest ever managing director of Virgin. Whilst Richard himself initially failed spectacularly at his GCSEs, he worked hard to overcome the fact this meant some doors were closed to him, and found a love of academic learning later in life, with Richard recently completing an MBA in marketing and an AI course from MIT, Massachusetts. Richard decided to pursue a career in an industry that he truly enjoys and talked through a fascinating and inspirational story, where his love of travel shines through and where effort and authenticity are at the heart of everything. Hugely interesting food for thought. Thank you, Richard.
Mr Wilson
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What a week Year 3 have had, kicking off with a trip to Kew Gardens on Monday and then performing their Class Assembly on Wednesday, reminding us that we should always look beyond appearances and get to know people for who they really are. Year 5 have also been focusing on people's personalities in English lessons, inferring information about characters in their new class novel, Friend or Foe. Year 4 were looking further back, to Victorian times, learning about what it was like to be in School - and they all agreed it sounds a lot nicer these days!
Science lessons this week have involved: Year 3s observing variations in soil colour and texture (with the help of some sieves); Year 4s investigating Archimedes' principle; Year 6s making use of the sunshine on the Forum to draw and compare each other's shadows at different times of the day; and Nursery looking at what birds use to make their nests. Nursery children also learnt about the letter 'n' in phonics, while Reception marvelled at Japanese culture, making blossom tree paintings and origami cats.
We look forward to seeing many of you next week at the Prep Production of 'Whittington!' It promises to be a cracker.
Values Certificates: Milly W and Alex W for Effort
Reading Certificates: Millie P (Bronze), Elodie Y (Gold) and Coralie C (Platinum)
Stars of the Week
Nursery: Charlotte A for her progress in all areas, kindness to other children and greater focus during group tasks.
Reception: Jude H for working out number bonds to 10 and clearly explaining this to his friends.
Atalanta J or greater confidence across all subjects, you are now more willing to give it a go!
Year 1: Athena dPL for your great effort in our PSHE lesson in understanding feelings. You were able to identify main features in both body language and facial expressions.
Bobby C for Maths and understanding how to add and subtract 1-digit numbers from 2-digit numbers using your knowledge of tens and units. Well done!
Year 2: William F for always demonstrating exemplary behaviour, particularly on our trip to Cranleigh!
Swimmer of the Week
Athena dPL for putting your head in the water and fantastic log rolls.
Mr Wright
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We have been fortunate to enjoy some truly lovely weather, with pupils being able to make the most of our beautiful school grounds. On Tuesday, our Year 11 Drama pupils completed their practical examinations in front of a visiting examiner. Mrs Honey was immensely proud of the commitment, focus, and quality of performance shown by all involved.
Thursday evening offered an important and informative opportunity for our Year 9 and 10 pupils as they began to consider their next steps. A range of local sixth-form schools and colleges were in attendance, providing valuable insight into the pathways ahead. It was fantastic to see so many pupils and families engaging so positively with the event.
We ended the week on a high note with a vibrant and enjoyable Comic Relief assembly on Friday, thank you to Mr Green and the Charity committee for putting this together.
Congratulations to all pupils who have been recognised this week for having reached another 25 merit points: Freddie A-F, Lauren B, Archie B, Ben D, Eddie C, Ethan N, Clara H-S, Harry L.
Special congratulations to Ivan K and Adam T for reaching 100 merits, Amelie C for reaching 200 merits, and George C for reaching 300 merits. Well done, everyone!
Mr Wyllie
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What Parents & Educators need to know about Adult Animated Content
Adult animated content is increasingly visible on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and streaming services. While the bright visuals and cartoon style may seem harmless at first glance, many of these shows and clips are created specifically for mature audiences, featuring strong language, sexual references, graphic violence and unsettling themes.
This guide helps parents and educators understand the risks, from misleading visuals and algorithm-driven recommendations to desensitisation and edgy humour. It also offers practical advice on platform settings, open conversations and building children’s critical thinking, so young people can navigate online animation safely and confidently.
Click the link to learn more about "Adult Animated Content".
Mr Monk
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Years 9 - 11 House Football Matches
On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the Year 9–11 Girls took part in their House Football Matches. The standard of play was excellent, with brave saves, strong defending and impressive one-on-one skills on show. Houses connected well with their passes, worked hard for each other and enjoyed putting a total of 36 goals in the back of the net.
Hawk finished fourth but scored plenty of goals, while Buzzard secured third despite having a very close game with the eventual winners. Peregrine were runners-up, just two points behind Kestrel, who were crowned champions.
Well done to everyone for a fantastic afternoon of football!
Mrs Dann
U13 Boys' ISA Football at LVS Ascot
On Tuesday 17th Duke of Kent School boys U13 squad travelled to LVS Ascot to take part in a 6 a side ISA Football tournament. They started the tournament brightly in their opening game and through some lovely passing and building up from the back, Duke of Kent School went two goals up thanks to Josh W. Despite plenty of impressive saves by Matthew C, the opposition came back into the game scoring three and winning the match. In the next two matches the boys narrowly lost 1-0 and then drew 1-1 with a strong school who went on to do very well in the tournament, Hubert S with the goal. Duke of Kent School were then placed in the quarter finals of the plate competition, winning 2-0 with a highlight being Ben W scored a wonderful long range goal over the keeper's head from the halfway line! In the Semi finals Orlando U and Arthur S made countless strong defensive tackles but the boys unfortunately lost which placed them in the 3rd and 4th place play off against Ipswich High School which turned out to be a thriller. We went 1-0 down but showed excellent determination right until the last whistle and were rewarded for this with Ben B scoring in the top corner to equalise in the closing seconds. Extra time could not separate the teams so penalties it was! We won 4-3 in the shootout with a perfect record from the spot; Arthur S, Josh W, Ben B and Ben W all showing great composure to score and Matthew C making impressive saves to secure 3rd place. A rewarding way to round off a fun day of football with every individual playing a vital part in the team's success. Attitude and work rate was spot on throughout the day. Well done all!
Mr Stuart
U15 Boys' ISA Football at LVS Ascot
The U15 boys football team took part in a very competitive and exciting tournament at LVS Ascot on Tuesday, showing great determination and resilience throughout the whole day. They played three group matches, making a very strong start by winning their opening game 3–2 with brilliantly taken goals from both Ollie K x2 and Patrick W in a closely contested encounter. Despite winning the opening game, they narrowly lost their next two matches by a single goal, both of which were hard-fought and could have easily gone either way. These results placed them third in the group and into the plate, but their performances demonstrated huge potential.
Progressing to the quarter-finals, the boys came up against very strong opposition and were unfortunately knocked out of the tournament. Although the result did not go in their favour, all the boys represented themselves and the school with pride, displaying excellent teamwork, commitment, and sportsmanship at all times. Their attitude both on and off the pitch made the tournament an enjoyable and positive experience for all involved.
Mr Cruttenden
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I hope that today finds people in a friday-feeling, sunny-day, hopeful-spring kind of happiness, or at least something approaching that. Today is the International day of Happiness, so declared by the United Nations 13 years ago in the hope of reminding us all of the basic human right to this precious emotion which is so important and should be encouraged, as we strive for a peaceful, sustainable and equitable world.
We can consider how we can spread happiness through acts of kindness, support and care in order to bring happiness to others and help to activate our own - it is so good for everyone’s wellbeing. Our emotions are fleeting and can change like the weather so it is important to experience, engage and allow ourselves to feel them fully. It is hopeful to recognise that even when happiness is elusively absent, the emotions blocking it will pass too and like the sun, it will reappear.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/happiness-day
Wishing you all a very Happy day!
Mrs Douglas
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Please be reassured that there is no current concern of any risk of Meningitis infection at Duke of Kent School following the outbreak in Kent. See the email sent on Wednesday 18th March for more information. For anyone who is not sure whether their child has had the MenACWY immunisation at Duke of Kent School, please check your emails - you will have received a notification from "school.immunisation@nhs.net" on the day your child received any immunisation at school (including, flu, HPV, DTP or MenACWY).
At school the warm weather has triggered more hay fever cases. Please ensure your child takes an antihistamine before school to get on top of symptoms if they are allergic to tree pollen.
A reminder that any pupil who suffers from travel nausea and uses travel nausea medication (such as Hyoscine Hydrobromide often sold as "Kwells"), should take a tablet at home before school on the day of a trip departing in the morning. This allows the medication to be effective in time for the start of the journey, and prevents delays to departure at school with late requests for medication to be given at school. (Medication requests should be made in advance and a consent form should be completed).
The School Nurses
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PADoK News
Summer Ball – Friday 12th June – Bookings Open
Why: We’re marking 50 years of Duke of Kent School with a spectacular Summer Ball!
Where: Join us at Hurtwood Polo Club for a night filled with great food, live music, and plenty of celebration.
Tickets: £35. Your ticket includes:
· Welcome drink
· Entertainment
· Wonderful food
· Live music from Mr Rye’s band
Book your tickets at padok@dokschool.org with your child’s name and year group.
PADoK Second Hand Uniform Shop
Wednesday 25th March from 3 – 4pm
The uniform shop will be open on Wednesday for the last time this term. Please note that we do sell school shoes, trainers, football boots and astroturf trainers, which are boxed in sizes.
Macmillan Afternoon Tea
Thank you to all who baked and supported our annual fundraiser for the wonderful Macmillan charity. The tables in Old Hall were groaning with such a variety of delicious bakes, it was almost impossible to choose which ones to take home.
We have raised a whopping £766 for Macmillan. Huge thanks to all who donated to this worthy cause.
Thank you to the PADoK team who organised such a great event.
PADoK Clubs:
Duke of Kent School Flyers – Netball training
DOK Flyers training on Monday late afternoons from 17.30 to 18.30 and we are looking for new players to join in this term. Come along for lots of laughter, exercise & fun. Everyone welcome! Contact Tara at padok@dokschool.org.
Duke of Kent School Singers – Tuesday 08.20 – 09.00.
Singing will return in the summer term. Mr Rye has been busy with G Live, concerts and a choir tour to prepare for, therefore we have decided to relaunch next term.
We will begin working on our chosen song when we next meet. *Come sing with us and discover how much fun singing can be! It would be lovely to have more singers, men voices very welcome, so please do come along, it is a very relaxed and welcoming choir.
When: Every Tuesday from 08:20 to 09
Where: Meetings Room off Old Hall. Contact Cathy Williams -padok@dokschool.org
Important Note: please always park at the bottom of the site and walk up to Old Hall.
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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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