It’s been a busy week again for us at Duke’s with various trips, activities and events. We’ve also been marking Safer Internet Week with a series of interactive assemblies and activities and our parent forum on Monday 5th February included a presentation on this to inform our community.
We’ve also had….
Poetry Live!
A group of our Year 11 students took part in a trip to see ‘Poetry Live’. It was an enriching experience filled with moments of pride and admiration. Throughout the event, the students exhibited exemplary behaviour, actively engaging with the poets and taking diligent notes.
Their respectful demeanour not only reflected well upon them but also upon our school. A particular highlight was when one of our students showcased remarkable courage by posing a question to Poet Laureate Simon Armitage about his intentions behind the powerful poem ‘Remains’. This act of bravery not only demonstrated their deep engagement with the subject matter but also highlighted their confidence and intellectual curiosity
This was a fantastic experience.
Jack Petchey Speak Out
On Tuesday, 6th February, two of our students represented Duke’s at The Jack Petchey Speak Out Regional Final which was held at Fortismere School in Muswell Hill. 19 speakers from across Haringey delivered presentations on a range of subjects to an audience of over 150. Among this number was Toby who delivered a speech on using time wisely and Thayn who spoke on the dangers of jealousy. The standard in the competition was incredibly high and both speakers did Duke’s proud; speaking with confidence, enthusiasm and energy.
Well done, Thayn and Toby!
Hamilton Theatre Trip
A lucky group of 30 year 9 students went on a trip to see the annual Education Matinee of ‘Hamilton’ in the West End. The trip was a roaring success and all students came back inspired and enthused.
The students were also treated to a fantastic post show discussion which demonstrated a number of technical aspects of theatre making and the performing arts industry – every experience is a learning one for our students.
DJ Academy
Our partnership with local ‘DJ Academy’ began in earnest this week. A group of students started working with the team of musicians and artists to begin their journey into the world of DJing. This happens every Tuesday after school and the students are building their skills of spoken word, rhythm, beats and rhyme.
Principal Interviews – Student Panel
Also this week we held the interviews for a new Principal for Duke’s. Our student panel represented the student body incredibly well, having the opportunity to ask questions of prospective candidates but also answer questions on life at Duke’s. A huge thank you to the students involved in this process – they conducted themselves with maturity and integrity.
Apprenticeship Week
We are spreading Apprenticeship week over weeks commencing 5th and 19th February due to clash with Safer Internet activities. In addition to the presentations on the screens these two weeks, students in Years 7/8 and 10 have had the opportunity to link live into sessions provided by Gatwick Airport – Introduction to Apprenticeships in Engineering and Stem and with Morgan Sindall on T Levels. Students particularly enjoyed l;istening to the young people sharing their experiences and journeys. The remaining students will be accessing the sessions via a recording the week commencing 19th February.
Apprenticeships were also an agenda item at the Parents’ Forum held on 5th February, where parents were provided information in the format of a model lesson. All the adults enjoyed the competitive nature of the Do Now activity and could demonstrate their learning with the Exit Ticket quiz.
