28 February 2025

It was a real  pleasure to be part of a milestone in the history of Clifton last week and to award a cricket ball to Olivia Skead, the first girl cricketer to take five wickets in a match. On this occasion in the U11C match against Cordwalles, which saw the girls in the team take seven of the nine wickets. I hope Olivia and the other girls are paving the way to be selected for  the 1st XI in the near future.

The Mini Cricket this week was a treat to watch. The fun, focus and determination of some of the players was delightful and I hope that a number of the little girls will opt for hard ball cricket when they reach the U9 age group next year.

At the other end of the scale, our 1st XI acquitted themselves very well at the ISCF over half term, and are congratulated on winning three of their four matches. We also are proud of our boys who have progressed to the next round of the Inland Cricket Trials.

Warm congratulations to our Equestrians who continue to excel, and our tennis, squash players and swimmers on achieving solid places in the KZN trials and selection to KZN and Inland teams. Well done!

In preparation for the examinations next term, Megan Osler and the Grade 7 teachers ran a study skills workshop for the Grade 7s. They covered topics including how to study and exam techniques, which the children will be able to apply at high school too.

The Valentine's Dinner was a highlight for the boarders. Sunni, Jay and their team presented a wonderful meal in the themed dining hall and the boys and girls dressed for the occasion. Ted Forbes has my vote for the best dressed boy, closely followed by Jack Smith. Competition among the girls was far more keen with a winner being very difficult to judge, but it was lovely to see the fun get-ups parading to the hall.

The Valentine’s Market attracted much attention and trade seemed vigorous. No surprises that the school was on a sugar high for a few hours. A good day for outdoor learning! I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh mielies which I was lucky enough to secure and commend the Grade 7s for their energy and entrepreneurial spirit as well as for their diligence in clearing up after the event.

The Grade 4 farms are taking shape with crop plants growing beyond the seedling stage. All seem to be well tended and will benefit from the home-made compost in due course. Speaking of which, my own kitchen scraps, which became anaerobic and a little fragrant in the sealed bucket, caused a memorable stir when donated to the cause. A good lesson in aerating a compost heap.

Concerns have been raised about the nature and timing of food available from the caravan in the parking lot. Food which is sold at lunch time often results in children not eating the lunch provided by the school. Following discussions with Chrisze, hot chips and Boba Tea will be available only on weekends.

Also, while Michelle has kindly used her phone, or allowed it to be used by children, to call home, this prevents staff from keeping an eye out for children who need to be collected from school. If your child needs to call home, please can she/he just approach a teacher to help.

This week we were fortunate to secure Emma Sadlier to address the school regarding devices, social media, the law and the trend of moving away from smart phones to dumb phones for children. The questions and level of engagement of the senior primary children indicated that the content was informative, relevant and many aspects were of real concern to them. Please chat with your children about what they learnt. 

Emma will be hosting a webinar for parents on 27 March at 5.30pm in the EAC Theatre, and I strongly urge you all to attend. Please add this to your calendar and details will be circulated as soon as they are available.