CNR e-News Term 1

27 February 2026

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to our Clifton community after half term. I trust the break offered moments of family connection, gentle reflection and the chance to rest and recharge. As the writer Anne Lamott so wisely reminds us, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” In the busyness of school life, those pauses matter.

For our 1st XI cricket team and staff, it was a particularly exciting half term as they travelled to Zimbabwe to compete in the St John’s Harare Cricket Festival hosted by St John’s College, Harare. Congratulations to the team on an excellent set of results on the field. Yet, as we so often remind our boys, tours are about far more than scorecards. They are about representing Clifton with integrity. We should all be immensely proud of the manner in which our players and staff conducted themselves. Their respect for opponents and hosts, their gratitude, their willingness to connect with a different community. They were true ambassadors for our school. Our thanks also goes to supportive parents who journeyed with the team.

read the full article here...

Speaking of representation, well done to all our SP children who swam with such heart, passion and spirit at the Inter-house gala. The colour, energy and house pride on display were wonderful to witness. While individual performances deserve recognition, these occasions are really about something deeper, about belonging to a house, about lifting one another, and about learning that together we are stronger. A special thank you to our older children who guided and encouraged the younger swimmers throughout the day. That quiet leadership is Clifton spirit at its very best. (And perhaps next year we add a parent and staff race to the programme?)

Inter-house Gala Results:

The Bates Cup Junior Relay - Trojans
The David Tayler Cup for Senior Relay - Trojans
The Beggs Cup Inter-house Medley Relay - Barbarians
The D.Dunn Inter-house Medley Relay Cup - Trojans
Nicholson Cup - Trojans

Thank you to all members of our community for your patience and support while the school roads were being resurfaced. We are pleased that this project is now complete. My sincere thanks to the generous members of our community who contributed towards this upgrade. Please do take note of the communication on the app regarding road usage for arrivals and collections, these measures are in place to ensure the safety and smooth flow of our daily routines.

There is much excitement around campus as our Grade 4 classroom build continues to progress at pace. With favourable weather assisting us, this week we saw the installation of the roof trusses - always a significant milestone in any build. Not wishing to miss a learning opportunity, some of our staff have taken the children across to observe the site, turning construction into a living classroom. Real-world learning at its best.

Similarly, the upgrade to Usher House is now in full swing. There has been a hive of activity within the building, and each day reveals visible progress. Excitement is certainly building within our boarding community. At the recent boarding dinner, where boarders join me and Mrs Brown for a family meal at the Head’s House, the dominant topic of conversation was the refurbishment. A gentle reminder that our physical environment matters deeply to our children; it shapes their sense of belonging and pride just as much as it does for the adults.

The Grade 0 Parent Workshop focused on visual and auditory perception, essential skills that support the development of reading in Grade 1. Parents learnt about how children recognise, process, and interpret visual and auditory information, and why these abilities are foundational for literacy. The session included practical strategies to reinforce these skills at home, supporting children’s confidence and readiness for reading. We highlighted the link between perceptual skills and successful transition into Grade 1, ensuring parents understood how to nurture these abilities early. The workshop was an engaging and informative opportunity to strengthen the home-school partnership in fostering strong reading foundations.

It is Friday, and one of the quiet successes of this term has been our afternoon “Clubs” programme. What a joy it is to see the boys and girls heading off in every direction to pursue an interest of their choosing. These sessions remind us that learning does not only happen within four classroom walls, it happens on fields, in art rooms, in music spaces, on the bike track and in the woods. How lucky we are to have such an amazing school site, allowing these fun activities to take place

Good luck to all our sports teams and coaches for the weekend fixtures ahead. May you play with courage, humility and great Clifton heart.

Interns

A warm welcome and introduction to another one of our Clifton Interns.

Meet Zelbrey Visagie

Zelbrey Visagie is an outgoing and energetic individual who enjoys meeting new people and forming meaningful connections. She thrives in the company of kind and positive people who inspire and uplift her.

One of her favourite pastimes is horse riding, which she finds both exciting and relaxing, and a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors. She is also passionate about netball and enjoys challenging herself to improve, working as part of a team, and striving towards her goals. Highly competitive by nature, she gives her best in everything she does, whether on the court, taking on a challenge, or trying something new.

Looking ahead, one of her biggest dreams is to become a mother one day. She feels she has a great deal of love to give and looks forward to sharing that with her own children. On a lighter note, she is not a fan of olives, but she embraces new experiences, enjoys meeting new people, and finds joy in everyday moments.

Zelbrey Visagie

Out & About

Well done to two of our outdoor enthusiasts who received their badges in Chapel.

Adventurer

Ava Bredin

First Aid

Chloe Stanley

Sport

Canoeing

Our junior canoeists have been achieving some great results recently. Well done boys!.

Two of our boys competed in the second Inter-Schools Guppy Series at Midmar Dam:

U12: Jack Ravenstijn – 6th
U10: Rex Kotze – 2nd

Three of our boys competed in the KZN Guppy League Inter-Schools Sprints at Wembley Dam:

U10: Rex Kotze and Thomas Holmes each completed their individual races and then partnered up for the K2 event, achieving 1st and 3rd place finishes respectively
U12: Jack Ravenstijn competed in a strong field, finishing 10th in the 200m sprint and 11th in the 500m event

Jack Ravenstsijn, competed in the Guppy Race in Greytown:

200m Race - 1st in the B final u12s
500m Race - 2nd in the B final u12s

Tennis

Congratulations to Finn Smith who recently took part in the Lollipop Red bull Tennis event and achieved the following results.

Played five matches, won all five, and finished top of his group

Squash

Five of our Clifton squash enthusiasts recently competed in a KZN Junior Squash event at various venues across the province and produced some great results. Well done to the following boys and girls!

U11 Boys: