Termly Reflection 

For some strange reason, we always seem convinced that the 3rd term is a quiet, uncomplicated affair. False. This term has been a veritable fruit salad of culture, sport, literature, new adventures, celebrating community and heritage, all topped with some excitement and even a little sprinkling of Spring snow. This is Nottingham Road, after all!

Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods: “Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder” is a great read. With the overarching intention being to convince parents to get their children into the habit of bonding with Nature by getting outside and generally a bit muddy, one cannot help but think that Louv himself would be in awe of the Clifton child. How particularly proud he would have been of the school this term.

While there have been undeniable highlights this term, with our new road probably having the biggest claim, it is the continued day-to-day adventures and ‘happenings’ that we (and the children) are fortunate enough to assume as ‘normal’ and that we take for granted that will be the focus of this missive…

Children arrived back to school with two very impressive changes – a revamped Dining Hall, which looks spectacular, showing off the original stonework, while maintaining an air of dignity and modernity. Mr. Elvis Kalika and his team, together with Capitol Caterers, have produced something just right! Also in the ‘just right’ category has been the significant amount of work put into clearing up our Clifton stream, and the beginning of unpacking and devising a 100-year plan for the riparian area and the grounds now liberated from Bugweed and Privet. The stream area has received much focus this term, with Outdoor Learning days, Arbor Day, and a good number of school days investing in building ‘leaky dams’ and the introduction of indigenous plants, shrubs, and trees to begin the creation of what will be an amazing space for Clifton children of the future (near and not so near).

Mandela Day (18 July) saw the school investing in paying homage to Nelson Mandela’s legacy with 67 minutes of service. This involved creating and providing food items for the local communities, coordinating donations of clothing, books, and toys, as well as general constructive muddiness within our grounds, too, supporting the Estates team in their efforts.

Continuing with matters outdoorsy, our Grade 7s returned from their Botswana adventure a little wiser and more appreciative of the need to care for our natural resources, and our hikers would have been able to reinforce this position, having had a wonderful overnight hike to Caracal Cave in the Kamberg. Various grade trips away continue to add value to our children’s lives. How lucky they are. 

With a revamped Project Braveheart obstacle course to show off (thanks to the efforts of the All Out Adventures team, led by Mr. Chris Mecklenborg), our children have certainly embraced opportunities to get outdoors. Barbarians retained their Interhouse Fort Building Champions status, and the thinning out of non-indigenous trees in Top Woods, led by Mr. Dirk van der Berg, has created a great deal of curiosity and adventure in the woods, and hence more children getting ‘lost’ at home time. Odd coincidence, isn’t it?

We had a very successful Literature Week (with an African theme, no less!) this year. While the children took the possible distraction of having a ‘real live’ game viewer parked outside the Chapel in their stride (thank you Indigo Fields Spa!) there was also great excitement in our literary character dress-up parade – there is nothing wrong with our children’s imagination! Speaking of the Chapel, it has been wonderful to witness the careful work that has gone into rebuilding the Chapel spire, as well as recarpeting, repainting, and renovating the building. We are truly fortunate!

There have been a number of visitors to our campus this term, too. We have hosted Southern Cross School, the Clifton Durban choir and orchestra, a fact-finding team of staff from St Leonard’s School in Scotland, and, of course, Mr. Des and Mrs. Angela Sacco, together with Mrs. Sally Dufour. Their continued generosity is humbling, and a wonderful example to our children, all of whom continue to benefit from the thoughtfulness and selflessness of the Sacco family as a whole. Anybody who has traveled on the new improved road and who is reading this is nodding enthusiastically, one feels!

There is so much to celebrate about our precious school, and this term seems to have provided ample opportunity for this. Our Spring Ball was a roaring success, with the focus on understanding and applying decorum, being thoughtful and kind… and a bit brave! Further celebrations included Heritage Day, and our Grade 12 Reunion – 2018s Grade 7s all grown up and ready for the real world! What a wonderful opportunity to reflect on happy times, to catch up with our past pupils, and to wish them well in their new endeavours. The Junior Primary also showcased their appreciation for their grandparents at Grandparents’ Day – a happy morning of hugs and smiles following a variety of songs and poems aimed at showing appreciation for those wonderful people who seem to be able to get away with providing ice cream or similar treats for small people whenever they choose!

The cogs of a ‘normal’ term have continued to turn, with respectable sports results throughout the course of the term. Hockey, soccer, equestrian, tennis, and squash teams have produced exceptional results, as well as more-rounded sportspeople, with varying degrees of muddiness! Padel has proven to be an interesting addition to racket sports. We are grateful to Michaelhouse for making the effort to allow us to expose our children to the sport.

An exceptional outing to Northern Park Primary for an interschool athletics meeting (Clifton: 2nd place), and the real pride in our 10 KZN horse riders for the provincial team, for example, proves that sport is alive and well at Clifton. With our Clubs program, children have been afforded the opportunity to extend themselves into sporting areas where they have participated bravely and wholeheartedly – lessons for life.

And if we were to use the analogy of finishing a term strongly, it would be most fitting to consider the Grade 6 & 7 production of Frostbite as an example of hard work, determination, and fun paying off – a superlative team effort making exceptional use of our new spaces in the Sacco Expressive Arts Centre.

As our stream begins to repay the investment shown in it, evidenced in the gradual arrival of the freshwater shrimps, crabs, and frogs already present in it, Clifton looks forward to more mud, more laughs, and more championing of childhood in the years ahead.