7 November 2025
Dear Parents,
Clifton saw two significant events last week. The Art Exhibition on Tuesday evening followed by Boeresportdag on Wednesday. Both were wonderful occasions, each very different from the other.
Read the full Art Exhibition article here...
Boeresportdag was a wonderful morning of energy and fun challenges where the boys and girls competed with enthusiasm and laughter and on even footings with each other. The variety of games of skill, agility and strength offered everyone an opportunity to shine, and the laughter and smiles reflected their enjoyment of the day. This is one of the Inter-house competitions and the winning house will be presented with the Ossewatrofee Trophy in Chapel on Monday.
This year saw Liza Borgen presiding over her 22nd and final, superbly organised Boeresportdag and the occasion was suitably marked with her being presented with a pair of little veldskoene mounted on a commemorative plaque. I have no doubt that Liza will be invited back as the guest of honour at future Boeresport days during her retirement.
Read the full Art Exhibition article here...
The long weekend was a welcome break in this short and frenetic term. Staff have used the opportunity, between some well-earned rest, to set exam papers, prepare reports and catch up with some end of year paperwork.
It was lovely to see the children bringing the campus back to life this week, their laughter and the inevitable games of tree cricket at the bell reviving the rhythms of school life. The seniors are settling into their revision for examinations and prep time is taking on a serious air. A few high school hoodies and tops are appearing in the afternoon casual wear as the Grade 7s anticipate their move to the next phase of their school journeys.
Smartphones
It has been interesting and pleasing to note the local high schools’ changes to their smartphone policies over recent years. All have significantly reduced their childrens’ access to phones, with some banning smartphones entirely.
As we prepare for a smartphone free future at Clifton, the boarders have been testing calls to their parents using Google Meet. The staff and children are familiarising themselves with the processes of using this platform for communication and the first occasion was most encouraging. A second round is planned for next week to iron out any snags, and I am confident that we will be comfortably able to start 2026 free of smartphones, with ample communication provided with calls being made using simple phones (which are unable to access the internet or allow apps to be downloaded onto the device) or Google Meet.
Besides becoming a smartphone free school, Clifton fully supports the broader Smartphone Free Childhood community. This campaign emphasises two major steps: delaying smart devices until high school and delaying access to social media until children are 16 years old.
We encourage all parents to join us in this initiative. Please click on the link to visit the website for more information or to sign the pact.
Click on the link to view Clifton’s Smartphone Policy, effective from 2026. It can also be found on page two in the App under the Handbooks & Policies section.
