The Art room has been abuzz with activity on a Friday afternoon with our weekly art club. Activities have ranged from tie dye to woolen pom poms, henna designs and clay pinch pots. We have loved being able to unwind together, chat, create and relax in our beautiful Art studio. We look forward to more of the same next Term.
How very exciting to continue our partnership with Silindele Primary School this term. Our weekly visits to Fort Nottingham were a highlight of the children's weeks, and it has been heartening to observe interactions between children from both schools becoming less awkward and the smiles becoming broader! We have used board games and soccer matches as vehicles for opening dialogue. Along with this has come the opportunity for group reading. Increased chatter, shared victories, and deeper understanding of the schools and community around us have been evident, and there is no question that our girls have picked up some handy soccer skills for next term!
With plans afoot for some painting and a shared veggie patch, we look forward to continuing our relationship with Mr Buthelezi and the staff and children of Silindele Primary School.
Term 2 found a few avid crochet enthusiasts rejoining the club to continue doing what they love. Crochet.
We had a few beginners but most of the ‘clubbers’ have already been taught by their grannies, aunties and other adoring adults.
We started off learning how to crochet a scrunchie. The idea was to crochet red scrunchies and spark a new uniform craze, but the red wool didn’t materialise and so the colour range rainbowed and the result was unexpected and spectacular.
After scrunchies we crocheted flowers. We learnt the ‘magic circle’ and experimented with stitches and chains to create ornaments for hats, handbags and bookmarks.
We watched Youtube tutorials together, and ‘Ooed’ and ‘Aahed’ at the endless beautiful creations. We are inspired to follow these expert crafters and teach ourselves the craft of crochet.
“Mrs. Lowe, I forgot my stick at home. May I borrow a stick?”
“It’s called a hook. A crochet hook.”
“Okay. May I borrow it?”
Tight Lines and Big Catches: A Stellar Term for the Clifton Notties Fishing Club
This term, the Clifton Notties Fishing Club reaped the rewards of having a brand-new dam to explore. Its close proximity to school proved to be wonderfully convenient, allowing our passionate anglers to maximise their time on the water and extend their casting sessions well into the afternoons!
As the seasons shifted and the weather turned colder, the challenge grew. Our main target, Bass, notoriously prefer warmer waters, making them much more elusive. However, this did not deter the intrepid fishermen and women of Clifton Notties, who braved the dropping temperatures with unwavering enthusiasm.
Term Highlights & Big Wins
Catch of the Term: Congratulations to Thomas Holmes, who reeled in an absolute whopper to claim the title for the term's top catch!
A highlight was an afternoon spent on the Headmaster's verandah. The team enjoyed a creative session designing and tying their own flies, followed by a fantastic time fishing for Bass in the garden pond.
Tight lines to everyone in the Clifton Notties community who will find the opportunity to cast a line on the side of a dam or river during the upcoming holidays. May your reels be screaming and your catches be plentiful!
The Clifton Fairway: Nurturing a Lifelong Love for Golf
There is a distinct, electric energy that fills the air just before our Clifton golfers board the school bus. It is a beautiful mix of chatter, laughter, and pure anticipation. This excitement reminds us of a conversation overheard years ago between two young boys. One was casually asking the other, "How long was your drive over the weekend?" and "How many birdies did you make?"
Those innocent questions were never meant to put pressure. Yet, fast forward years later, and that very same young man was teeing off professionally on the Sunshine Tour and European Tour. We often wonder if he still remembers that simple, foundational conversation. Knowing that a future touring professional could be sitting right now on our school bus is what makes the Clifton Golf Club so incredibly special.
Our club is built on a foundation that goes far beyond a scorecard. While we focus on skill excellence and learning how to execute crisp, confident shots, the absolute most important aspect of our club is fostering friendship through sport. We aim to grow a deep, lifelong passion for the game and feed the unique golfer spirit that drives continued personal growth.
To keep the game enjoyable and respectful for everyone, mastering course etiquette is just as vital as mastering the swing mechanics. Our golfers are reminded of these simple, essential guidelines on the course:
Do play the ball where it lies to protect the integrity of your round.
Do repair your pitch marks on the putting green immediately.
Do encourage your peers after every single shot, good or bad.
Don't ground your club inside a sand bunker before making your shot.
Don't slow down play; limit your lost ball searches to three minutes.
Don't take practice swings that delay your group or cause unnecessary stress.
Every time our players step onto the fairway, they aren't just practicing a sport; they are building bonds that last a lifetime. Let's keep feeding that incredible Clifton spirit and growing a true love for the game!
Guarding Our Hearts: A Journey with "Hearts for Jesus"
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." — Proverbs 4:23
What an incredible journey it has been at the Hearts for Jesus club! Over our recent sessions, we have gathered with a singular focus: to align our inner lives with God's word and cultivate hearts that reflect His love.
Every time we meet, we follow an intentional rhythm. We open our hands and minds in prayer, immediately breaking the ice with high-energy action games that bring out our smiles. From there, we dive into Word-based activities, digging deep into scripture. Our favourite moments always come during our shared testimonies, where we open up about God's goodness, followed by real-life application time, before finally wrapping up our fellowship in closing prayer.
Through this powerful routine, we explored four life-changing themes:
The Season of Rest: We learnt that rest is not laziness; it is an act of trust. God invites us to find true sanctuary in Him, stepping away from the busyness of the world to recharge our souls.
The "Sticky" Note of the Heart: What are we letting stick to our thoughts? We talked about writing God's promises on the tablets of our hearts so that negativity and doubt find nowhere to cling.
Faith Over Fear: When anxiety knocks, faith answers. We challenged each other to look at our giants through the lens of God's absolute sovereignty.
Self-Regulation and Self-Control: True strength is power under control. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we practiced tools to manage our emotions and reactions in everyday situations.
As we look ahead, let's keep guarding our hearts, relying on faith, and supporting one another in this beautiful community. See you at our next term!
Just a small group of riders joined the MTB club this term, but that didn’t deter their tenacity and eagerness to learn. With the skills track freshly cleared it was the perfect opportunity to learn, build confidence and have fun. Each of the sections of the track were coached in turn; concentrating on weight transfer, body position and leading with your head. Immediately it was clear that there was talent in the group and the children excelled, handling berms, drop-offs and rock gardens with poise. “There are two types of cyclists: Those who have fallen - and those who will…” Thankfully, everyone kept the rubber-side down and rode beautifully.
Term 2 marked the wonderful launch of Padel as a club this term. We were thrilled to welcome two dedicated padel coaches who worked closely with both the boys and girls throughout the term.
Under their excellent guidance, the players have learned a tremendous amount. It has been amazing to watch their growth, skill development, and overall improvement on the court from week to week. The enthusiasm and progress from all the children has made this a highly successful inaugural term.
I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far, and I look forward to continuing this momentum into Term 3 padel.
Thank you to our coaches and players for a fantastic term!
This term, the CNR Pixel Crew at Clifton transformed from casual snappers into true visual storytellers. Using Clifton iPad 11 Airs, the children embarked on an eight-week journey to explore the campus through a new lens, culminating in a high-stakes scavenger hunt and a school-wide gallery exhibition.
The curriculum challenged students to master technical skills while embracing their creativity. Each week focused on a specific "Pro-Tip" to elevate their work beyond "boring adult" eye-level shots.
The Big Picture: The children framed the iconic 1944 School Bell and Headmaster’s House using the Rule of Thirds.
Action & Speed: On the sports fields and MTB track, the focus shifted to shutter speed, freezing runners and bikes mid-air.
Nature’s Patterns: A "silent walk" through Top Woods helped the boys and girls notice the intricate textures of moss and bark.
Light & Shadow: The Expressive Arts Centre provided the perfect backdrop for moody, dramatic shots using natural window light.
Animal Portraits: The Equestrian Center provided an opportunity to capture beautiful images of Horses with Children.
The term reached its peak with "The Scavenger Hunt" Photo Competition. The children had a strict deadline of 45 minutes to take a photo, edit and then upload their single best shot across six diverse themes, ranging from "Animal Portraits" to "Macro and Colour".
The Big Picture" Composition and Legacy
Nature’s Patterns: Perspective: Getting low to the ground
Macro & Color: Focus: Finding "pops" of color in flowers
Light & Shadow: Lighting: Creating dramatic indoor moods
After a week of curation and editing (Adobe Express), the "School Gallery" was set. With over 100 votes cast by the Clifton community, the competition was fierce.
We are pleased to announce that Rachel Gunning has taken home the top prize! Her stunning entry for the Nature’s Patterns theme, perfectly nailed the "pop" of color and technical focus we practiced in Week 3. By capturing the dramatic golden sunburst piercing through the dark winter canopy and casting a vibrant ray of light across the forest path, Rachel demonstrated a brilliant eye for contrast and composition.
To celebrate her hard work, Rachel was awarded a professionally printed and framed version of her winning shot.
Congratulations also to our runner-up, Harry Lepart, and to Max Roets, who followed closely behind in third place. Well done to all of our budding photographers!
Our Friday Pickleball Club has been full of energy and enjoyment as the children develop their hand-eye coordination, ball skills, agility, and overall fitness through fun games and friendly matches. It has been great to see the children working together so well—communicating, encouraging one another, and celebrating teamwork on the court. As their confidence grows, so does their ability to control the paddle, move with purpose, and understand the flow of the game. The children are thoroughly enjoying the mix of skill-building and friendly competition each week, while also showing great sportsmanship and a positive attitude throughout.
Radio Club recorded the highest attendance in its history this term, with 22 children taking part.
The children developed a range of practical computing skills. They began by coding simulated robots to navigate virtual environments, before moving on to physical engineering by building and programming LEGO robots. To conclude the term, the children learnt how to organise and manage data using spreadsheets.
Thank you to all the boys and girls for their hard work and excellent problem-solving throughout the term.
We didn’t start with fancy, brand-new wood. We started with old, bumpy shipping pallets! If you’ve ever tried to pull a pallet apart, let us tell you - it is a true test of strength! We had to fight against stubborn, rusty nails and wood that just did not want to move.
But our awesome team didn't give up. With just a few simple tools, lots of muscle power and a lot of determination, we ploughed right through! Prying and hammering became the noisy beat of our afternoons. We weren’t just recycling wood; we were building a fantastic team.
The "Sawdust" part is definitely not over yet! Our outdoor workshop is still buzzing and humming as we keep building. Even with minimal tools, we have worked together to build:
Custom Planter Boxes: Built by us to hold our future plants!
Sturdy Seedling Frames: Little wooden homes to protect baby plants.
Our Indigenous Nursery: A special area just for local plants to grow big and strong.
Seeing those old, messy pallets turning into real garden boxes has been amazing. Things are really starting to take shape now!
The extra exciting part is starting: the "Seeds" are meeting the "Sawdust"! While we keep building, we are also shifting our focus to the soil, the seeds and the science of how native plants grow.
Get ready, because very soon we will be getting our hands dirty in the mud, planting seeds and watching our hard work quite literally prout into something beautiful.
Stitching Together Lifeskills: Our New Sewing Club
This term saw the exciting launch of our brand-new Sewing Club, born out of a desire to reintroduce a vital, timeless life skill that isn’t covered in the standard curriculum.
We have welcomed 11 enthusiastic members ranging from Grade 4 to 7. Every single child started the term as a complete beginner, but they have taken to the craft with wonderful focus and creativity. We began our journey with hand-sewing, crafting little felt needlebooks to keep our tools organised. The children first mastered the essential backstitch for joining fabric, before moving on to personalizing their books by embroidering their initials and finishing the edges with colourful blanket stitching.
The club is now about to embark on its first major project: creating fleece winter caps, where members will explore both hand-stitching and introductory machine-sewing techniques.
There is a beautiful, calm energy to this group. Gathering at 12:30pm every Friday, sitting together in the warm winter afternoon sun, listening to music, and sewing has become the perfect, peaceful way to wrap up the school week. We are incredibly proud of our novice tailors and look forward to even more creative projects next term!
Charmaine Holloway and Julietté de Reuck
This season saw the thrilling launch of our Volleyball Club, and what an incredible journey it has been! For many of our players, volleyball was a brand-new sport, meaning they had to start from scratch, learning essential terms and techniques like the bump, set, spike, and smash. However, the children across both terms picked up the skills incredibly fast. Before we knew it, the court was alive with fantastic, high-energy rallies and spectacular dives to keep the ball in play! The children were an absolute joy to coach and play with, bringing endless enthusiasm to every session. We hope their newly honed beach volleyball skills are now set for life—well done to all our keen players. The coaches had fun too.
