Termly Reflection 

Several decades ago, shortly after the end of World War 2, a 6 year-old little boy boarded a train and departed for Nottingham Road from Durban, leaving his mother behind. He may have been a little nervous, or perhaps somewhat excited, a combination of emotions not uncommon in 6 year-old boys. Either way, both Clifton and the little boy were to benefit immeasurably from each other over the years to follow…

He arrived at Nottingham Road station and was ferried up to the school in a horse-drawn wagon, arriving in the evening. His dormitory was one of the rooms in the now-headmaster’s home. Unpacking his belongings and making up his bed must have been difficult for a little chap, although he would have had new friends to help him settle in and find his feet. That new Cliftonian was Reginald Dudley Forde, referred to as ‘Dudley’.

As the years passed, he became Dr R Dudley Forde, a rare breed who was a highly-respected force of Nature. He dedicated his life to shaping the face of education, the Scouting movement and youth leadership through passion and considerable research. A consummate gentleman, he referred to his time at Clifton as some of the best times of his life. His relationship with Clifton was beyond the ordinary, serving as a Board Member and Chairman of the Trust, even giving up time to come to address the children at the school’s 80th birthday celebrations, sharing a bit of his life story with the children and staff.

It was with great sadness that we recorded his passing earlier this month. A wonderful example of servant leadership and a life well-led, a tribute to Dr Forde can be found on the school Facebook page.

There is no question that Dr Forde would have been proud of the school and her people this quarter. Wholehearted effort, teamwork, and growth have underpinned the framework of the school’s activities this term, making it a very successful term, indeed. Our calendar has been awash with a wonderful array of experiences, challenges and fun activities, all designed to provide our children with opportunities to grow, stretch and be strengthened.

First on the calendar was our Grade 7s incredible adventure to Botswana’s Tuli Wilderness, returning to school wiser, more appreciative of the little things, and with an even stronger bond. They have been, and continue to be, exceptionally positive influences within the school.

The Sacco Expressive Arts Centre has been a busy place, too, hosting the Pre-School Nursery Rhyme Production, the Junior Primary’s “Robin and the Top Woods’ Hoodies”, the Grade 6 showcase and the Grade 7's “The Greatest Show” productions, all showcasing the talents and dedication of our children (and teachers!). We were also very proud to be able to host a very well-supported Grandparent’s Day as a further opportunity for the children to show their mettle. 

There has been mettle aplenty in the Old Cliftonians realm, too. David Miller has been named as captain of the Protea’s T20i  squad for the upcoming series in Pakistan, and Sebastian Negri as co-captain of Benetton Rugby for the 2025/2026 season. When next you visit the pavilion, keep an eye out for both names on our school honours board for the same sports.

Our high school colleagues have shared news of 2026 leadership positions at a wide range of high schools, a source of great pride.

A particular highlight in our calendar is the opportunity to welcome our Grade 12s - the Grade 7 Class of 2020 (I’m sure that makes sense!) back to Clifton for an evening of celebration and well-wishing before the final step of Grade12 final exams – that portal into the next phase of life. We were overjoyed at the wonderful turnout of our ‘Covid Crew’ – the resilient, brave Grade 7s who endured masks, social distancing and other trials of what was a very dystopian time in the world’s history. Their paths will be followed with interest!

Another calendar highlight was Literature Week, with a focus on storytelling. The opportunity to ‘kick back’ with a book, to explore different writing styles, to indulge in a spot of poetry, to have a ‘real live’ bookstore come to Clifton, and to learn some illustration skills was a wonderful inspiration to the children, and of great benefit to them, too!

Suddenly it was Spring! Spring Day led beautifully into our annual Spring Ball, where the opportunity to ‘bust a few moves’ was seized with glee… after the formal dances, of course! How lovely it was to see our children all looking so debonair and graceful on the dancefloor…

Spring also offered a chance to celebrate Arbor Week. Every class was involved in planting a total of over 70 indigenous trees in the ‘Terabithia’ section of the valley, adding to the several hundred young trees already in situ. We are so grateful to the generous donations which are making our 100-Year Plan come to life.

There has been further arboreal movement in Top Woods, too, where the invasive gum trees (probably planted in the time when Mr Jenks was headmaster, and as a windbreak) are being harvested. These trees are at end of life, with some already having fallen, and more in danger of dropping unexpectedly. The wonderful positive is that the Clifton Trust have earmarked several indigenous trees of around 3 metres in height to be planted once the earth moving is complete. 

The physical profile of some of the school buildings has changed of late, too. We are delighted to report that the Grade 5s are now ensconced in state-of-the-art classrooms, interestingly sited in what was, originally, Colonel Greene’s tractor shed. The Grade 4 thatched classrooms have very necessarily made way for what will be a new ‘base’ for Grade 4, and the renovations have also taken place to give the school San and some of the older buildings between the Girls’ House and Top Woods a much-needed facelift. We are so very grateful to the Trust for their vision and investment in the process – the end-results will be incredible. 

Most recently we have celebrated Heritage Day, where the children and teachers went to great lengths to represent their cultures and heritage, all proudly showcased in a special ‘Heritage Day’ assembly which led to discussions, a deeper understanding and interest in one another… a real testimony to Ubuntu. We had a special treat in a gumboot dancing display by our Estates team!

Outdoor Learning days have become a fixture in our calendar, where the children are provided with the opportunity and responsibility to add value to our campus, while learning about pressing environmental issues, too.

The Senior Primary has undertaken to work towards reducing soil erosion. They spent a good few hours strategizing and then using indigenous succulents to tackle this issue – if you get a chance, please admire the section of slope above the Des Sacco Cricket Zone… you’ll see just how hard the children worked.

Further to this, some time was spent in the valley building and repairing our series of ‘leaky dams’, also gathering frog species data in the process. It is becoming a very healthy riparian zone!

In a day or two we will be hosting an U10 Cricket festival featuring a total of 10 schools, including one team from Zimbabwe, on campus. Pop in, won’t you?

It’s been a busy, fulfilling year. Hopefully it hasn’t been so busy that we haven’t managed to step back to reflect on the blessings (and lessons) small moments can provide. Because there are so many that fill the soul.  

Dr Forde was a very firm believer in the phrase, ‘Chin up, look ahead, carry on’. A valuable life lesson if ever there was one. And so we shall…