CNR e-News Term 2

25 April 2025

Dear Parents,

I trust you are well and rested after a wonderful holiday with your families and that both you and the children were keen to return to school.

What a pleasure to watch the school spring back into life as the cars rolled into the car park and children headed off to meet their teachers. Their enthusiasm lifting above the damp, cold weather, the seniors looking very smart in their winter greys.

Smartphones

While last term may have drifted into the murky depths of our memories, the Emma Sadlier webinar for parents, which marked the start of our Smart Phone Free initiative, is very much in our thoughts and intentions.

Thank you to the parents who joined the live webinar or watched the recording. I have no doubt Emma brought home to us the stark realities and dangers that social media pose to our children (and ourselves).

If you would still like to watch the webinar, click here.

Thank-you also to the parents who have shown their support by registering and signing the Smartphone Free Childhood Pact. If you still intend to sign the pact, please click here and then select Clifton Preparatory School, which is Clifton Nottingham Road, NOT Clifton School, which is Clifton Durban.

Megan Osler has provided more useful information in the below documents, please click on the titles to access them.

Social Media Cheat Sheet

Cell Phone Contract for Teens

The Anxious Generation

Parenting the Screenager Tips

Staff

This holiday we welcomed Mr Ashalin and Jamie Singh with their children, Jasper and Isla James to Clifton. Ashalin will be heading up the Expressive Arts department and teaching Drama. We wish the Singh family a long and fulfilling stay at Clifton.

We also congratulate Mrs Sanka Davies on her appointment as the full-time Riding School Manager and Instructor. Sanka is highly regarded in the riding community, and we look forward to seeing our children and equestrians continue to grow in both their riding skills and their interactions with horses.

Projects

The wet weather really has hindered the building progress over the holidays. The Grade 5 classroom project is making slow, but solid headway. Fortunately the new uniform shop is now finally complete and we look forward to opening this lovely new venue, which will appropriately be called “The Hadeda”. As we anticipate this move we extend our sincere thanks to the Projects Team who have led the building programme.

From the Classrooms

It was such a pleasure to recognise the good work done by the Grade 3 and Grade 2 children when they arrived at my office with their projects and stories. They all seemed to take great delight in choosing stickers for their posters and books, a sweet…and also one for their teacher.

The Grade 6 and 7 children hit the ground running on Wednesday with an outstanding, well-structured Study Skills workshop, during which some important foundations were laid, not only for the forthcoming examinations, but also for the journey as lifelong students.

Read more here.

Sport

Our Girls’ Hockey and Boys’ Rugby squads excelled at their Easter festivals this holiday and we are really proud of their performances and achievements.

The girls were recognised for their sportsmanship and received the Fair Play Award and Anna Osler was awarded the most promising Goal Keeper Trophy.

TWC Hockey Festival

Our boys won three of their four matches and have been commended for their grit, manners and politeness. As we applaud our players, we also thank the staff who gave up time in their holiday to be with their squads and the parents who supported the teams in so many ways.

St John's Rugby Festival

Riding

Petru van Eeden competed in Johannesburg at the Gauteng 95 Championship over the holidays, riding Dragon's Lair, and we’re proud to share that they achieved 2nd place in the 75cm pony class. Well done Petru!

Swimming

Congratulations to Campbell Turner and Annabella Mitchell-Innes who achieved outstanding individual performances at the Level 3 Swimming South Africa Regional Championships during the holidays: