24 September 2025

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe that Term 3 is already at the end and that this is the final newsletter. It seems like yesterday that staff gathered for our getaway, refreshing and reconnecting with our purpose as "Champions of Childhood". 

The third quarter seldom lives up to its promise of being the least pressured term. Exciting events including Literature Week, multiple theatre productions, trips, Inter-house competitions, Arbor Week, Maths challenges and so on, filled every space in the calendar.

Alongside the school programme, we have eagerly watched the forests below the Junior Primary take shape and flourish, the rebuilding of the Grade 4 classrooms begin, and the Grade 5s move into their new precinct. Preparations are also underway for the imminent second phase of the Pre-School, and at the end of the year, the Usher House (boys’ boarding) and Library renovations will commence. 

The Parents’ Association meetings and online Boarding Forum have provided constructive, positive, and supportive discussions, which are greatly appreciated. It will be a pleasure to invite boarding parents next term to view the boys’ bathrooms for the last time, before they undergo their transformation. 

Sadly we bid farewell to Mr Ashálin Singh, Head of Expressive Arts and Drama teacher. In his brief time at Clifton, Mr Singh has brought his own special personality and creativity to the theatre, the Expressive Arts department, and to Clifton. Children have loved their drama lessons and the different grades’ performances and Grandparents’ Day cameos were wonderful events thoroughly enjoyed by all.

It is not often that one finds the Drama teacher refereeing rugby matches, but Mr Singh didn’t hesitate when asked to do his time on the sports field too. We will miss Mr Singh’s sports-day commentaries, the life he brought to our early morning staff meetings, his energy, willingness to help, his can-do attitude and how he just ‘gets’ Clifton. We wish Mr Singh everything of the best as he heads back to join his family and to take up a post at St Andrew’s in Johannesburg.

We wish our U10 and U11cricketers and staff well for their festivals this weekend and we will be thinking of our equestrians as they compete in the National Championships in Gauteng at the end of the holiday.

I need to meet commitments made last year to run Biomimicry workshops at two schools in Pretoria so will not be able to be with our boys at their festivals this weekend. Thereafter the South Coast and some downtime beckon loudly.