26 June 2026

Dear Parents,

Paces, Progress, and Peaceful Pauses

I would like to celebrate all our children who gave their absolute best at the athletics trials last weekend. There was a wonderful, competitive spirit in the air, and it is abundantly clear that we have some exceptionally talented athletes across all track and field disciplines. My sincere thanks go to our staff for their energy and enthusiasm on the day, it made all the difference.

Horsemanship and Heritage

Our riding school was once again in the spotlight with two splendid end-of-term events: the Eventing Challenger Series and our own Clifton Training Show. The skill and poise on display over both days were impressive. There is a profoundly unique bond that exists between a horse and a young rider, and it is a joy to see our children thriving in this space.

We are incredibly fortunate to have an equestrian facility on our school grounds, and it is gratifying to see our children making such excellent use of it. Our ongoing appreciation goes to our dedicated riding school staff for their expertise and for fostering a lifelong love for the sport, as well as to our parents for their unwavering support of their children.

Changing the Landscape: Campus Upgrades

Our campus transformation continues to gather momentum as we head into the winter holidays:

Each of these developments’ feeds directly into our long-term strategy: continuously leveraging our beautiful campus to provide the best possible environment for our children and staff to succeed.

Melodies and Milestones

The end-of-term Junior Primary Music Recital was an absolute delight. Seeing so many of our youngest children step up to play a variety of instruments with such confidence in front of a audience was incredibly uplifting.

They displayed a beautiful blend of bravery and skill that left everyone in the room with a collective "warm glow." The final choral piece was the perfect crescendo to the morning. Well done to our young musicians, their phenomenal music teachers, and our parents for always being their biggest fans.

Grateful for Our Custodians

I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the Parents’ Association and our Clifton Board members for the invaluable gift of their time and expertise. We are incredibly fortunate to have a Board that advises the school so generously, ensuring we remain steadfastly true to the ethos and values we proudly espouse.

Equally, our PA has been extraordinarily active this term. Initiatives like the Golf Day and the go2sea fundraiser do so much more than raise vital funds, they actively stitch our community closer together. I am thrilled to share that the PA has generously allocated recent funds toward upgrading the sound and technical equipment in both the Chapel and the Theatre. This will immensely enhance the experience for our young performers and audiences alike.

Safe in the Midlands

Thank you to our entire community for your calm, supportive response to the extraordinary decision to close the school on Friday 26 June. The precautionary measure was taken due to a planned peaceful protest march in Nottingham Road.

Happily, the march was not heavily supported, and there have been no reports of disruptions on our roads or in our beautiful village. I want to extend our sincere gratitude to our private security services and to SAPS for keeping the school expertly informed and ensuring our town remained safe and secure. While it is easy to become cynical about such events, this week proved that Nottingham Road is in exceptionally good hands.

Traits, Triumphs, and a Well-Deserved Nap

My final Chapel service of the term focused on a rather furry theme. I was wonderfully supported on stage by Nala the Golden Retriever, who played her part dutifully, welcoming children and staff with an enthusiastic wag of her tail and a gentle lick on the hand.

During the service, we reflected on how different dog breeds possess specific character traits that distinguish them. The message to our children is that we, too, have a unique blueprint of strengths and challenges. I am immensely proud of every single child for being true to their traits this term and using them to champion their own personal bests. I am even prouder of those who have recognised the areas they find difficult and chosen to put in the hard work to grow.

Chapel also had a poignant moment as we wished Sarah Goldie all the best as she leaves us for new challenges to be faced on the horizon.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wisely observed:

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

The journey to success is rarely easy, but the view from the top is always worth the climb.

As I pen this final missive of the term, Nala is currently curled up, fast asleep at my feet, providing the ultimate closing metaphor. This has been a beautifully busy, high-energy term of learning and authentic connection. But now, just like Nala, it is time for our entire community to pause, rest, and recharge.

I wish all our Clifton families a peaceful, safe, and thoroughly enjoyable winter holiday. We cannot wait to see you all back, fully refreshed, for an action-packed Term 3.

Out & About 

Congratulations to the following Senior Primary children who were awarded their Out & About Badges in Chapel on Monday.

Adventurer

Camp Craft

Capture the Flag

Conservationist

Life Skills