CNR e-News Term 2

Grade 6 Creative Writing - 25 + 26 June

Proudly South African Stories with a Midlands Twist (and a little help from AI)

This week, our Grade 6 children enjoyed a ‘Local is Lekker’ Creative Writing Day, where they crafted ‘Proudly South African’ stories infused with local flair! Using writing prompts inspired by familiar settings and events—such as the ghost at Notties Pub, the festive Hilton/MHS Derby Day, an abandoned fort in Top Woods, the Clifton Horse Show, and a trail run in the Drakensberg—their imaginations soared. The stories showcased not only their writing skills but also their ability to connect with their surroundings in a meaningful way.

Our young authors followed the writing process that we have practised in class: brainstorming, drafting, proofreading, peer reviewing, and editing. Each child typed their stories on Chromebooks and used ChatGPT to receive further suggestions and feedback. While AI assisted with spell-checking and refining grammar, the creativity, humour, and heart in their stories belonged to the children.

The classroom buzzed as the children shared ideas and imaginative plot twists, each story reflecting their personal connections to their community. These narratives evoked strong engagement from the children, as they were rooted in places that the children knew and loved. The final collection of stories was entertaining and sprinkled with humour, all as different as the children who wrote them. We look forward to sharing our ‘Local is Lekker’ stories with the children at Shea O’Connor during our Mandela Week Initiative next term.

As we continue to grapple with the role AI will play in our future, I reminded the children that while AI can polish our words, it cannot generate original ideas or replicate the spark of human imagination. Imagination and creative thought are invaluable skills that cannot be outsourced to machines; they are uniquely human gifts that we strive to nurture in our children here at Clifton. Creative Writing Day served as a poignant reminder that the real magic of storytelling lies not in technology but in the hearts and minds of our talented young authors.

Grade 6 - Termly Reflection

This term marked a significant milestone for our Grade 6s as they tackled their first set of formal exams. We kicked off the term with a practical study skills workshop, where the children explored a range of revision techniques—from retrieval strategies and note summarising to time management and stress regulation. They learned the importance of both input and output: not just absorbing information but also retrieving and applying it. These sessions provided invaluable tools as the children ‘learnt how to learn’ and laid a solid foundation for the weeks ahead.

As we moved into the heart of the term, the pace quickened. Much of our focus was on consolidating learning and supporting our children in their revision. Calm, collected, and well-prepared, the children approached their exams with maturity and focus, and their results reflect this. We are immensely proud of their efforts and the growth they have shown over the course of these exams. It was a positive learning experience for all.

Outside the classroom, it has been a bustling term on the sports fields, with boys engaged in a rugby season and the girls giving their all on the hockey field—many representing their province at a high level. Amidst the busyness, friendships have deepened, new connections have formed, and the Grade 6 group have really begun to find their rhythm. We have embraced the changing season with cosy mornings, snuggly blankets, hot chocolate in tutor group, and reading in the golden winter sunshine. As we head into the holidays, there is a collective sense of pride, growth, and well-earned fatigue. Term 2 has been about learning, resilience, and finding joy in the journey, and we look forward to returning refreshed and ready for Term 3.

Grade 6 Journaling and Nature Walk - 14 May

A Week of Wonder and Reflection

Antoinette McDonald, a familiar face to many, joined the children virtually this week to share her passion for journaling. With warmth and humour, she challenged the notion that journaling is a ‘girl thing’, presenting it as a powerful and practical tool for anyone seeking to better understand their inner world. The children all agreed, we all experience big feelings occasionally. Ant showed how journaling can offer a healthy way to make sense of those emotions, helping us process our thoughts and navigate life’s ups and downs. She shared stories and pages from her own journal, inspiring the children with her openness. A key focus of the session was the power of gratitude, and how writing down just a few things each day for which we are thankful trains our minds to ‘look for the good’ and shift our focus to the positive. Ant challenged the children to forget the rules and make journaling their own. It doesn’t matter what you write or how you write it, the magic lies in getting those thoughts out of your head and onto the page. Whether it’s a scribbled dream, a bold goal, a quiet worry, or a random doodle, journaling is a valuable coping skill: a way to listen to your heart and reconnect with yourself.

And as Ant reminded us (with a little help from Shrek), “Better out than in!"

On a golden autumn morning, the children were treated to a nature walk led by well-known naturalist, John Roff. With his deep wealth of knowledge and gentle energy, John invited the children to explore the Clifton campus with fresh eyes and open minds. At the heart of the morning’s adventure was a simple yet profound question: How does Nature do its job? A question so vast it would take a lifetime to answer.

From Yellowwood seeds and intricate bird nests to decomposing leaf litter and bright bursts of fungi, John guided the children through the forest, uncovering hidden stories and natural clues along the way. As is his signature style, John moved quietly and intentionally through the trees and he encouraged the children to slow down, notice more and treat the natural world with care and reverence.

A masterful storyteller, John infused wonder into each discovery, however small, sparking insightful questions and observations from the children in return. He spoke about the deep interconnection between all living things, including us, reminding the children that in Nature nothing exists in isolation and that we all depend on each other to thrive.

John’s message resonated with the children, who have been experimenting with sensory language in English and are currently engaged in a Biomimicry Design Thinking Challenge as part of their Natural Science curriculum. John helped the children to make meaningful links between how Nature solves problems and how we, too, can find sustainable solutions by taking inspiration from Nature.

By the end of the walk, the children were buzzing with questions, ideas and fresh inspiration, seeing their school campus not just as a place of learning, but as a living, breathing classroom filled with possibilities.

Grade 6 - Cracking the Code

Grade 6s Think Their Way to Success

In true Clifton style, our Grade 6 children were immersed in a rich mathematical thinking lesson—full of curiosity, collaboration, and challenge. What started as playful exploration soon became focused, strategic thinking, as children built on each other’s ideas and refined their approaches with growing confidence.

The room buzzed with energy—whiteboards filled with possibilities, voices articulating ideas, and children proudly justifying their thinking. As the lesson unfolded, we saw remarkable growth: more flexible thinking, greater risk-taking, and a determination to work through complexity. It was a powerful reminder that when thinking is visible and learning is joyful, children thrive—not just as mathematicians, but as creative, confident problem-solvers.

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Grade 6 Creative Writing - 25 + 26 June

Grade 6 - Termly Reflection

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Grade 6 Journaling and Nature Walk - 14 May

Grade 6 - Cracking the Code