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A Message from Mrs Knox
We held a wonderful Remembrance Day service this week, during which past parent Mr Dunlop spoke movingly about his family’s wartime experiences. Both his father and grandfather served in the Second and First World Wars respectively, and both were fortunate to survive. Mr Dunlop reflected on how grateful he is to be here today and to have enjoyed a peaceful life. It was a thoughtful reminder of the sacrifices made by so many and the importance of remembering those who served. My thanks to all the pupils who wrote and read poems, and particularly to our trumpeters, Eddie and Florence, who played the Last Post and Reveille. It was a very special and moving moment. I also had the pleasure of attending the licensing of Rev Liz Richardson at St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Ewhurst this week. We wish Liz every success and happiness as she begins her new ministry in the local community. Have a peaceful weekend.
Mrs Knox
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Head Recruitment Update
On behalf of the Governing Body, I am pleased to share a further update on the recruitment process for our next Head.
Following the longlist interviews held on 3 and 4 November, I am pleased to confirm that three candidates have been shortlisted for the final interview stage on 19 November.
The final stage of the process will provide an opportunity for the candidates to further demonstrate their leadership experience, vision and aspirations for the future of the School. The Governing Body is committed to ensuring a thorough and considered process before making this important appointment.
We will keep the school community updated as the process progresses.
Mr Brocksom
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Remembrance Day Service
 On 11th November our School marked Remembrance Day with an assembly and the Last Post ceremony by the flagpole. As ever it was a poignant acknowledgement of the courage, sacrifice and suffering of servicemen and women, and their family and friends, on behalf of all of us all. Our visitor, Mr Dunlop, delivered a personal presentation that included the exciting, terrifying and sad experiences of his family ancestors in both World Wars. His grandfather survived the extreme dangers of commanding a tank in WW1, while his father survived the jungle, the enemy Japanese and a snakebite to survive WW2 in Burma (Myanmar). Mr Dunlop stressed they were lucky to survive, he was lucky to have been born, and everyone in the audience is lucky to enjoy the lives we have! We heard thoughtful readings by Tom N, Ottilie and Siena N (read by Tilly T) and acknowledged Ben J (Head boy) who represented the Air Cadets on parade in Guildford on Sunday. Eddie C and Florence C performed the traditional Last Post and Reveille ceremonies with aplomb (especially as it was raining) while the whole School observed the silence impeccably. We will remember them.
Mr Lodge
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Year 7 English Trip to Connaught Theatre
 It was by chance, but a very apt chance, that we went to see a theatre production of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘Private Peaceful’ at the Connaught Theatre Worthing on Armistice Day.
For a whole hour and 20 minutes, we were taken back to the days of a pre-war, carefree childhood, to then being submerged by trench warfare and the bonds that are created between brothers and soldiers alike during the year of 1916.
A poignant and emotive performance that brought to life the novel that we are studying in class. A huge thank you to Mrs Douglas and Mr Lodge for driving us there.
Today we received a complimentary email from a member of the public who attended the same showing at the pupils, which was so lovely to receive:
Good morning
I wish to make a positive comment regarding the behaviour of your pupils who attended the afternoon performance of Private Peaceful at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing on Wednesday November 11th.
As far as I am aware, their behaviour was exemplary. Having experienced school groups in other theatre settings, it was with some trepidation that I took my seat, knowing a party of school children was in the auditorium. However, that trepidation proved to be ill-founded as, had I not seen them arrive, I would not have been aware of them at all: everyone present could become immersed in the actor’s performance with no disturbance. Many thanks to your staff who accompanied the children.
Regards
Mrs Young
Mrs Punter
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Year 9 Geography Tillingbourne River Trip
On Friday afternoon, Year 9 headed out on an exciting fieldwork adventure along the River Tillingbourne, visiting two different sites to investigate how and why a river changes as it flows downstream. Armed with clipboards and plenty of enthusiasm, pupils completed field sketches before measuring the river’s width, depth and velocity, as well as recording the size of its bedload. All valuable data to bring back to the classroom for analysis!
Kitted out in wellies and Marigold gloves, the pupils threw themselves into the experience and couldn’t wait to get started at our first stop in Abinger Hammer, where many recounted nostalgic tales of childhood river splashing at the site. The water levels were surprisingly high for this time of year, and the lush vegetation made collecting accurate measurements a little more challenging than expected. However, our budding geographers weren’t easily defeated and rose to the challenge brilliantly.
By the time we reached our second site in Shere, our newly trained data collectors were old hands at the job, gathering their measurements in double-quick time. Although a few pupils were perhaps a little wetter than when we set off, spirits remained high throughout. We’re now looking forward to putting our findings under the microscope back in the classroom and discovering what our data reveals about the changing River Tillingbourne.
Mr Wilson
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Last week we had two wonderful pupil-led talks, with something of a different flavour. In one, Harry S and Maddie C shared their knowledge of and passion for Percy Jackson, the hero of many a legendary story, using the learning from their recent Public Speaking badge in Endeavour to speak with confidence, remembering to keep text on their Slides to a minimum and really directing their presentation to their engaged audience. The other talk, by Siena dPL, Charlotte J and Olivia H, charted Dolly Parton's life, influence and - of course - musical talents, even treating us to a department sing-a-long of "9 to 5". What better way to start the day?!
In class this week, Reception made salt dough fruit and vegetables for their grocery shop, vegan flapjacks (for eating!) and studied the differences between nocturnal and diurnal animals. Year 2 learnt how to take a good photograph in ICT and marked Remembrance Day with some poppy art, zentangle patterns and apple printing. Year 1's focus on the weather in Science led them to create some wind-propelled toys, which they loved testing on South Bank, whilst Nursery looked at fairy tales and made 3D models of knights and princesses. In Topic, after looking at rivers around the world last week, Year 4 zoomed in to examine the Nile much more closely, identifying its physical and human features. Still centred on water, Year 4 Science lessons applied pupils' new thermometer reading skills to track what happened to iced water and warm water over the course of 24 hours, helping them identify what 'room' temperature is. Lastly, Year 3 learnt about the history of the Olympic Games, studying illustrations painted on ancient Greek vases to discover which events took place.
Values Certificates: Effort for Josh B, Austin Y and William F,
Kindness for Hector E
Reading Certificates: Owen G (Gold); Ottilie W, Tildy T, Gracie B, Elodie Y (Bronze)
Aloud & Proud Readers: Obie M & Humphrey G
Stars of the Week
Nursery
Hattie for her continued progress and excellent focus and creativity when mark making.
Reception
Lizzy for continuing to work hard on recalling her single sounds and starting to blend.
Hector for showing great effort in the classroom, it's really paying off!
Year 1
Oscar for doing good independent work and contributing more to class discussions.
Year 2
Jakey for always demonstrating a fantastic attitude to learning, enthusiastically contributing to class discussions and challenging himself in his independent work.
Swimmer of the Week
Rory W for great enthusiasm and progress, you are trying so hard in your lessons.
Mr Wright
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Tapestry
A gentle reminder that we regularly share photos and updates on Tapestry, giving you a little glimpse into your child’s learning and activities at school. Please do have a look when you can, and feel free to like or leave a comment – the children love knowing you've seen what they have been up to!
Mrs Rigby
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 One of the highlights of the school year is always our Remembrance commemoration, when the whole school community comes together to pause, reflect and pay tribute.
On Wednesday, we were privileged to welcome Mr Dunlop as our guest speaker during assembly. He shared the stories of his father and grandfathers and their experiences in conflicts around the world. Through his personal memories, photographs and reflections, he reminded us of the sacrifices made by previous generations and encouraged us all to appreciate the peace and opportunities we enjoy today. Following the assembly, students and staff gathered together at the flagpole for a period of silent reflection, honouring those who have served and remembering the values of courage, unity and peace.
Year 7 had the opportunity to watch a theatre production of Private Peaceful, which links perfectly with their current English studies. Seeing the novel brought to life on stage gave students a valuable insight into the characters and themes they have been exploring in lessons.
Today, Year 8 visited Shere and Cranleigh as part of their Geography fieldwork, while Year 10 took part in an engaging English workshop delivered by the Guildford Shakespeare Company, helping to deepen their understanding of the text they have been studying in class.
This week has also seen many students recognised for their commitment, effort and positive attitude, with a number reaching the fantastic milestone of 25 Merit Points.
Congratulations to:
Reggie G, Charlie S, Casey J, Lauren B, Archie B, Pascale E, Ben W, Maxim D, Henry M, Elliott W.
A special well done to Caleb M for surpassing 100 Merit Points and receiving their recognition badge, and to Issey N and Esme W for achieving the outstanding milestone of over 300 Merit Points and earning their recognition badges.
Mr Wyllie
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Guys and Dolls - Senior Production
Tickets are now available to the wider school community for the Friday night and Saturday matinee performances. Please email bookings@dokschool.org
A reminder please that children must be accompanied by an adult at all performances.
Prep School Christmas Concert
Not long now also until our annual Prep School Christmas Concert on 4th December. More information will go out to those involved over the next couple of weeks.
Mr Rye
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House Swimming Galas
 On Monday, Year 7 & 8 pupils who had signed up for the House Gala, showed great determination and fantastic camaraderie throughout. There was some excellent technique on the show – this was a pleasure to witness. Between the individual races and relays, the pupils entered the Plunge (Dive and Glide) competition. This was very enjoyable, although we are still waiting for a pupil to reach the end of the pool and have their name written on the poolside!! Congratulations to Felix B, Akash M, Layla B, Logan N and Georgia C for winning the best swimmer of the gala medals. Well done to Kestrel for winning this event!
The Prep School Gala followed, with many pupils swimming in a large event like this for the first time. Each and every swimmer coped very well with the noise of the crowd and performed to the best of their ability throughout. This was a fantastic gala with some very close races. Congratulations to Henry G, Sienna N, Alfred A, Charlotte J, Charles L, Gracie B, Art C and Edie B for winning the individual medals for strongest swimmers on the day. Kestrel were also the winners in this gala! Well done to all who took part!! I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Layla B, Henry G and Charlotte J all the very best when they represent ISA London South at the National Finals on Friday 27th November.
Congratulations to Freddie G in Year 9 who has been selected to train with the National Schools Alpine Squad after his gold medal in the ISA National Skiing Competition earlier this term; well done Freddie!!
Mr Herbert
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What Parents & Educators need to know about Advertisements Aimed at Children
From sponsored posts and influencer promotions to adverts hidden within games and videos, children encounter online advertising almost everywhere. But can they always tell when they're being sold something? With young people particularly susceptible to persuasive marketing, it's important to understand how adverts can influence their choices, expectations and spending habits – often without them even realising.
This guide explores the risks of advertising aimed at children, including misleading claims, unrealistic beauty standards, inappropriate promotions and pressure to make purchases. It also offers practical advice for parents on helping young people recognise sponsored content, think critically about marketing messages, avoid unintended spending and develop healthier relationships with online advertising.
Click the link to learn more about "Advertisements Aimed at Children".
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This week I presented the Year 9 pupils who chose to take part in Peer Mentor training with their certificates to celebrate them completing their training - well done, girls! They will begin working with their Year 5 mentees on Monday, and I am really excited to see how these new friendships develop.
On Wednesday, we marked Armistice Day with a service of remembrance which offered pupils and staff some time of reflection to remember and honour those who gave their service and their life to the protection of our country and values. Remembering those who have died is an important part of maintaining bonds with those who are no longer with us; a way of keeping memories present.
Next Thursday, I will be offering the opportunity once again for pupils to come and decorate a Christmas bauble in memory of someone close to them who has died. This is an opportunity for them to perhaps talk about that person and remember the good memories they have of them. It also offers an opportunity to have them symbolically present at a time when they were, perhaps often physically present and this can be helpful to those who are bereaved.
The baubles will be displayed on the school tree when it is decorated and pupils will be able to remove their bauble and take it home with them on the last day of term.
Mrs Douglas
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It's been a busy week in the medical room with many unwell visitors, and also for office staff managing the school registers. We have experienced ill health spreading across all cohorts (pupils and staff), with the common symptom being fever/high temperature (some very high).
If your child complains of any of the following symptoms (below), please can we ask you to check their temperature (before giving any medication) before sending them to school. A temperature of 37.8 or higher constitutes a fever, which means they are very unlikely to feel well enough to cope with the rigours of the school day, and would also pose an infection risk to pupils and staff if they come in. For pupils who are unwell, rest and fluids at home are advised, with regular paracetamol and/or ibuprofen to reduce high temperatures and to manage any pain.
In particular, please watch out for:
- Headache
- Sore Throat
- Shivers (feeling either hot or cold)
- Abdominal Pain
- Nausea
- Fatigue
A reminder to please email absences@dokschool.org every morning that your child is not going to be present at school (by 08.30am if possible) so that we have accurate registers daily and can safely account for all pupils on our school roll. Thank you for your help!
The School Nurses
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Christmas Hamper Collections
Thank you to you all for donating so generously to our Christmas Hamper Raffle. If you missed our elves, then collections can be handed in to front office for the next two weeks. Ticket sales will open soon so please keep a look for that announcement.
Christmas Drinks
Join us for a festive drink on Thursday 19th November 7pm at The Richard Onslow, Cranleigh. All parents and members of the Duke of Kent School community are warmly invited. Come along, catch up with others and encourage others in your year group to join you for a relaxed evening together.
PADoK Clubs:
Duke of Kent School Flyers – Netball training
Mondays 17.00 – 18.00 in Old Hall. Please contact Tara at padok@dokschool.org if you are interested in playing. Any experience welcome.
Duke of Kent School Singers
Tuesday – 08.20 – 09.00 in the Meeting Room with Mr Rye/Mrs Williams. Come sing with us, all welcome & very relaxed.
Contact Cathy Williams at padok@dokschool.org.
PADoK Book Club
Our new book title this half term is: The Murders of Christmas Past by Andeina Cordani. Happy reading!
PADoK Pilates
Ewhurst Rec – Monday mornings – 08.30 – 09.30
Contact Alicky Moyle via padok@dokschool.org
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CHRISTMAS WREATH WORKSHOP – WE'VE REDUCED THE PRICE!
We’re delighted to share that we’ve been able to reduce the price of our Christmas Wreath Workshop from £50 to just £40 per person, thanks to some lovely free foliage we've been able to source! If you have already paid and secured your place, we will refund you the difference.
If you haven't booked your place yet, there's still time to join us for a festive evening of creativity, Christmas cheer, mulled wine and mince pies.
Join Jess Hogan and Camilla Phillips for a relaxed, hands-on workshop where you'll create your own beautiful Christmas wreath to take home and proudly hang on your front door.
Event details:
📅 Wednesday 2nd December
⏰ 19:00–20:30
📍 Old Hall, Duke of Kent School
🎄 £40 per person
All materials will be provided, although you're very welcome to bring along any special decorations or ribbons you'd like to incorporate. Please remember to bring a pair of secateurs.
To book your place, simply email lbartholomeou@dokschool.org. You'll receive confirmation of availability and payment details once your place has been secured.
We'd love you to join us for a lovely festive evening!
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