House Day & Falconry Event 

This week, we celebrated five years since the introduction of our current House names: Buzzard, Hawk, Kestrel and Peregrine. To mark the occasion, we were delighted to welcome back Two Birds Experience, whose visit five years ago helped launch our new Houses. The whole school gathered to enjoy an exciting falconry display and meet the magnificent birds that inspired our House names, learning about their unique characteristics and the values they represent, including resilience, determination, teamwork and ambition.

Throughout the day, pupils also took part in a range of House activities. Years 3 to 7 put their knowledge to the test in a House quiz, exploring both the birds of prey and the historical figures after whom the Houses were originally named. Meanwhile, Years 7 and 8 competed in the House Games during their PE lessons, working in smaller House teams to complete a series of challenges. It was a wonderful day of celebration, reflecting on the evolution of our House system while reinforcing the sense of community and friendly competition that it continues to inspire.

Mr Gritton 

Year 5 & 6 Trip to Legoland 

Year 5 and 6 enjoyed an exciting educational visit to Legoland, where they took part in a hands-on roller coaster workshop linked to their science learning. Through a series of practical investigations, the children explored the forces involved in rollercoaster design, including gravity, friction and acceleration, discovering how these principles combine to create thrilling rides.

The highlight of the day was putting their learning into practice as they experienced Legoland's rollercoasters and attractions for themselves. It was a fantastic opportunity to see science in action, leaving the children with a deeper understanding of forces and engineering, as well as plenty of smiles and lasting memories.

Mr Gritton

Year 8 & 9 Production – Animal Farm 

At the end of the Summer Term, the Performing Arts Hall was transformed into Manor Farm, immersing audiences in the thought-provoking world of Tatty Hennessy’s adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm. The audience became witnesses to a revolution that promised equality but slowly descended into corruption and tyranny.

The cast of Year 8 and 9 pupils embraced Orwell’s characters with conviction, energy, and maturity. Their performances captured both the humour and darkness of the story, creating an ensemble that was disciplined and engaging. From the inspiring idealism of Old Major to the manipulative cunning of Squealer and the chilling authority of Napoleon, each performance revealed the ease with which truth can be distorted and a poignant reminder of the cost of blind obedience. Characters such as Clover, Benjamin and Clara provided moments of compassion allowing the audience to witness the wearing down of the animals' dream of equality. The cast navigated this challenging political allegory with confidence and emotional intelligence. 

Equal praise must go to the year 10 pupils Ben Jones and Erin Cruxton who were responsible for the wonderful lighting, sound and our stage Managers Pascale Evison and Lewis Scott whose work was integral to the production's success. The carefully crafted soundscape composed and performed by Mr Rye, and the imaginative staging heightened the tension throughout, while the physical storytelling choreographed by Lisa Lee gave the production a raw, immersive quality that kept the audience captivated from beginning to end. Thanks should also be given to Mrs Punter for all her help with the direction of our play and to Miss Stamp for her role in helping to create the incredible set. 

Perhaps the production's greatest achievement was the unity and commitment of the actors. Every member of the company played a vital role in bringing this timeless story to life, and  were courageous, creative, and a pleasure to direct. 

View the photos taken by Serena Shelton on the website here

Mrs Honey

Year 3 Production – Mowgli's Adventures

At the end of the Summer term our very own grounds of the school including the forest and Burrow transformed into the Indian Jungle and man village. The style of theatre being promenade ensured the audience were immersed into the jungle as they followed the characters around in our first Year 3 Production of Mowlgi's Adventures.

The cast performed a Jungle Book inspired showcase with charm and a real commitment to tell this well known story. They produced impressive and captivating performances bringing the diverse world of the Indian Jungle to life. From the frightening, feral Shere Kahn, to the cool and cheeky Baloo, the cast created an ensemble of characters that represented the animals we would find in the jungle. 

It should also be said that there was generous support from some Year 10 and 11 pupils who helped ensure the piece felt immersive by ushering audiences to their next location. They also assisted with music and singing to fill the large outdoor space with sound.

A huge congratulations to the Year 3s for pulling off this production with such a small amount of rehearsals.

Miss Elder & Miss Barnes

Sports Day & Results! 

Congratulations to everyone who took part in all three of our Sports Days. The Pre-prep started us off on the morning of Monday 26th June with throws, jumps, sprints and even a pirate obstacle race. The Prep school competed the same afternoon with great determination and superb camaraderie. Peregrine won this event with Reggie G and Violet W winning the Athlete of the Games Trophies. The Senior event took place on Wednesday afternoon. Pupils wore coloured ribbons to demonstrate the allegiance they show to their houses. There were some excellent performances on both the track and in the field events throughout the afternoon. Well done to all who took part, it was amazing to see how well everyone supported each other throughout the afternoon. Congratulations to Ethan N and Willow D for winning the individual awards and also to Buzzard for winning the Senior School event.

With the totals added together from the three events, the final positions were:

1st - Peregrine

2nd - Buzzard

3rd - Kestrel

4th - Hawk

Congratulations Peregrine!!!

Mr Herbert

Celebrating Another Outstanding Year of Sustainability 

It has been another exceptional year for sustainability across the school, with our community continuing to lead the way in environmental action. We were delighted to have received an award from Surrey County Council in recognition of our Eco Schools work and, for the second consecutive year, have achieved the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction.

One of our most significant achievements this year has been reducing the school's carbon footprint by 50%, cutting our emissions from 1,400 to 700 tonnes of CO₂e in just 12 months. This remarkable milestone reflects the collective efforts of pupils, staff and parents to make more sustainable choices across every aspect of school life.

A major highlight was hosting our first DoK ACES (Annual Children's Eco Summit), where pupils were inspired by renowned conservationist Ian Redmond OBE. Throughout the year, our dedicated Eco Committee has continued to meet regularly, driving a wide range of initiatives that have made a real difference.

Our commitment to biodiversity has grown through habitat mapping as part of the National Education Nature Park programme, the installation of bug hotels, bird feeders and hedgehog houses, and improvements to our outdoor spaces. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) work has also enhanced the front pitch, while greater use of the school grounds and The Burrow has encouraged more outdoor learning.

Behind the scenes, we've reduced our environmental impact by purchasing refurbished IT equipment wherever possible, introduced power-down routines, reduced printing through a print release system, banned microplastic glitter, reduced meat consumption in the kitchen and encouraged everyone to unsubscribe from unwanted junk emails. Pupils have also embraced simple but effective habits, such as switching off lights, closing windows and recycling more carefully.

Looking ahead, we will continue to build on this momentum by developing a regular walking bus from Walking Bottom car park over Pitch Hill, introducing a no-idling policy in the top car park supported by air quality monitoring, fundraising for a solar panel canopy to create a new outdoor learning space and investigating green roofing solutions for the swimming pool. We aim to continue to reduce food waste, expand our gardening and outdoor learning opportunities, introduce a strict laminating reduction policy and strengthen partnerships with local schools and the Wildlife Trust.

Together, we continue to show that ambitious goals and everyday actions can deliver meaningful change. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making our school one of Surrey's leading champions for sustainability—we look forward to achieving even more together.

Mrs Wilkinson

Wilder Schools Prep Fundraiser

The Prep School celebrated the completion of its Wilder Schools programme with a fantastic fundraising Fair on South Bank. Pupils showcased the creativity and teamwork they had developed throughout the project, with Year 4 selling wildlife-inspired crafts, Year 5 running a range of homemade fair games, and Year 6 organising tie-dye T-shirts, a second-hand bookshop, additional craft stalls and a raffle. Families joined us to celebrate everything the children had achieved while enjoying the afternoon together.

Thanks to the generosity of our school community, the event raised valuable funds for the Surrey Wildlife Trust Education Team, helping to support their work with schools across Surrey and local conservation projects. A huge thank you to everyone who attended, donated and helped make the afternoon such a success.

Mr Gritton

PA Bumper Term

What a term it has been - with over fifteen Performing Arts events having successfully gone ahead, from tea-time showcases to full blown production and concerts, it has been a bumper term! Well done to all the pupils, from Nursery to Year 11, who have taken part - you are all wonderful!

Guys and Dolls

Finally, you may see in the calendar that there are two workshop days for the cast of next term's Senior Musical 'Guys and Dolls' on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th August. These are for the principals only this year, not the whole cast. The cast list will be published next week on the relevant Google Classroom, once we have reviewed all the auditions - which have so far been amazing!

Grub'n'Groove

Last Sunday a bunch of our Senior musicians headed to Knowle Park to perform at the Grub'n'Groove festival. Miss Barnes' mini-choir was in great form. There were solos, duets, trios and quartets - and an eclectic and varied repertoire was on full display! Many thanks to the parents and staff who came to support this lovely event. 

Mr Rye

It's been a very busy year in the medical room, and we are happy to hand your children back into your care for a few weeks!  That said, please keep us updated on illness and injury events during the holidays, especially regarding anything which requires our attention when your child returns to school in September. Send an email to csarjant@dokschool.org or nurse@dokschool.org.  

When we return to school in September, we will only have a couple of weeks before Year 10 head off on their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition (18th to 19th September).  With that in mind, please can the last few medical forms be completed as soon as possible using the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSem4JQRY2pIumel_iWoK4Zrjnw5QMP6YHs_tANp_MfxqkeXuQ/viewform?usp=header

Flu Immunisations (Reception through to Year 11) also fall fairly early in the new term (24th September).  Please see the emails sent 23/24th June with full instructions on how to give a yes or no "E Consent".  Remember to enter your child's current year group.  Pupils who are still in Nursery in September should arrange a flu immunisation at your GP.

Finally, Benedict's Law means there will be a big focus on the safe management of pupils with allergies at school in the new academic year. It is essential that pupils with a prescription for adrenaline, provide us with a new/updated allergy plan from your allergy health professional for September.  It would also be helpful to hear from parents of other pupils with allergies (including food allergies, hay fever, allergies to plasters, penicillin, etc etc) to confirm your prefered treatment plan for your pupil should they have an allergic reaction during the school day.  Please email Mrs Sarjant (Designated Allergy Lead) with any relevant information.  A new allergy policy will be put in place in the autumn term which will be available on the school website.

https://benedictblythe.com/benedicts-law/

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy summer and best of luck to all of our departing pupils for your next steps.

The School Nurses (Chloe & Maya)

PADoK News

Thank you for all your support over the academic year.

I would like to thank all the class reps and the core committee team for their commitment over the academic year and to all those who work tirelessly to deliver the Second Hand Uniform Shop. We say goodbye to some reps and look forward to welcoming their replacements in September.

A sad farewell to Donna Lodge, who has been part of PADoK for 11 years, as rep and more recently as Treasurer - we will miss you hugely. 

Wishing you all a happy summer. 

PADoK