In the first term, we have specific educational outings for each year group which are linked to the learning of their unit. For instance, the York year group who study the Animal Kingdom visits Casela World of Adventures. For our little ones in CUBS to ELY age groups, parents get to accompany their children on their first school outings. For Primary students, field trips are organised a couple of times per year.

We celebrate our local Independence Day in great style and all the staff and children prepare items to perform during the flag-raising ceremony which is often attended by a distinguished Guest of Honour. There are a great variety of typical local activities which sometimes involve grandparents or the elderly generation, from traditional games to cultural food preparation. School is usually closed at 11am on this day. Additionally, we select a couple of other nations to celebrate at school.

On the last day of term, all children come dressed up in the theme they have been working on during that particular term. For example, the YORK students would dress up as fish, crabs or mermaids for the second term’s break-up party in line with the term’s theme ‘Wonders of the Sea’. The WINDSOR students would dress up in the botany theme. It is a joyous occasion with a lot of singing and dancing, followed by a Bring and Share. School is usually closed at 11am on this day.

Music is such a fundamental thread in Dukesbridge’s fabric, and although we use music in our daily activities, we hold a special celebration for the International Music Day on 21 June. We invite various musicians on campus to play for the children. We also showcase our staff and children who display their musical talents across a variety of different genres of music and using various musical instruments.

Being an Australian school at the core, we expose children to various aspects of Australia in the week leading up to Australia Day in January. For example, with the support of the Australian High Commission, the students get a taste of vegemite, attempt to play cricket and even use the aboriginal dot painting technique for some artwork. Dukesbridge has received several official visitors from Australia over the years, including the Honourable Speaker of the Australian House of Parliament.

Dukesbridge Primary celebrates the International Day of the Book organised annually by UNESCO to promote reading and publishing. Students pick out their favourite story book and, with the help of their parents, they come to school dressed up as a character in the book. The children have a good time guessing the book which the characters come from. What is even more fun is that the teachers as well dress up for the day.

The “festival international du pain” is celebrated in May at Dukesbridge. On this day, the children find out more about bread which was central to the formation of early human societies. The students sometimes go behind the scenes at a baker’s shop or get to experience the making of a dough or even baking it in the oven and letting it rest. It is a fascinating process indeed.

In between school terms, Dukesbridge operates Summer, Winter and Easter school camp. The holiday club programmes are published a couple of weeks before the start of each period and they usually include lots of singing and dancing, water play, messy play and all kinds of creative activities. The theme days are usually a big hit. These clubs are optional for our students but also open to children from other schools who want to join in the fun.