15 January 2024
As the 2024 school year presents itself, and as Clifton celebrates 100 years of existence, the school opened its new boarding house, Centenary House, to its first intake of boys on Monday evening. There was an air of excitement and optimism in the air, from the staff, boys and parents alike as the recently completed addition to the Clifton campus made a hugely positive impression.
Architects’ depictions of future projects, in the vast majority of instances, prove to be markedly superior to the finished project. Not on this occasion, however! In fact, Centenary House has taken what was shown in the design and proved to be even more impressive in the flesh.
The first intake of 42 boys – Centenary House will eventually house 120 boarders – never saw the boarding house before its completion, so the decision to sign up for it, despite a slick presentation, required a leap of faith by those boys and their parents. Now that it is complete, they’ve been rewarded for that decision and, no doubt, some who have waited to see the finished product will soon add their names to the list of boarders.
Excitement and relief
The school’s Executive Headmaster, Clyde MacDonald, said he felt excitement and relief now that those boys were moving in.
It wasn’t quite a first for Clifton, though, he said: “The school had boarding until the early 1940s. Then, the boarding house moved up to Nottingham Road because of the Second World War, so today is historic because we have come full circle. Boarding is back!
“It’s a new boarding house, but it is not a new concept to the school.”
MacDonald said the fact that boarding has returned to Clifton in the school’s centenary year is “poignant”. There was some luck that the two coincided in a year of historic importance, he added.
“It’s such a landmark year, and this first group of boys, in the photograph that they’ll take later, is going to go in the 200-year book of the first boarders. Those 40-odd boys are the pioneers here.”
“A very special family within the family”
Addressing the parents, MacDonald said: “This is an evening for us to celebrate as ‘One school, one family’, and the boys have now become a very special family within the family.”
The building itself matches the aesthetic of the school; it looks like it has always been there. The fact of the matter, though, is that soil was first broken on 3 March 2023. It’s a remarkable achievement that it has been completed on time with such style and attention to detail.
MacDonald praised Project Manager Alan Michel, who has overseen many of the building projects on the Clifton campus, for his steady hand and outstanding leadership in overseeing the venture.
Facilities
Centenary House is immediately welcoming, with the dining hall, which is surrounded by windows and located in its midst, making for an airy and light centrepiece. Enjoying breakfast there, with the house’s spectacular views of Durban – some of the best to be found anywhere in the city – is going to be a special treat for the boys.
The largest rooms, which sleep four, are for grade eight boys. There are also two-bed rooms for older boys and, at this stage, before the house fill up, some boys will have rooms all to themselves.
Also included in the house is a sanatorium and accommodation for the staff. They all have previous experience of working in and overseeing boarding establishments.
The kitchen, too, has been intricately planned to allow for a smooth flow of delicious meals for the boys. Monday evening’s fare included a build-your-burger option, with a large number of tasty additions that could be added to the patty and roll. Just the kind of thing that boys enjoy.
The house includes prep rooms; common rooms, with comfy couches, pool tables, table tennis and some of the biggest televisions to be found anywhere; and pause rooms, which include couches, kitchens, microwaves and kettles.
Paul McKay, Deputy Principal – Boarding and Cocurricular, is also the Head of Centenary House. He described himself as tired but very proud now that the house has been completed and the first boys have taken up residence inside it.
Centenary House looks out towards the Indian Ocean. On the opposite end of the house, the view is of the sports fields, where a field, cricket nets and a basketball court are a short walk away. Take a bit of a longer walk and the beautiful Clifton Aquatic Centre sits ready to welcome the boys for a swim.
On Monday evening, the sports facilities were a hive of activity, with the boys enjoying a spot of touch rugby and basketball, while others simply enjoyed relaxing outdoors in the warm weather as evening crept nearer.
Among the boys running around on the field was Sphesihle “Sphe” Nxumalo, who captained the Clifton Prep 1st XV in 2023 and ran out for KZN at the Junior Craven Week and in Sevens. He is one of 18 grade 8 boys who have chosen a boarding house life.
“It feels good. There are new boys coming in, so you get to bond with them,” he said, before describing the boarding house as “quite beautiful”.
“It’s a new start for Clifton, and I want to be part of that”
At the other end of the spectrum was Ross Strauss, one of a smaller number of boys who chose to enter the boarding house in matric. “I’ve been at Clifton for my whole school career, and I have fallen in love with the school. It’s a new start for Clifton and I want to be a part of that, especially as the four of us [matric boys] are prefects,” he said, explaining that they wanted to contribute to the success of Centenary House.
“It’s very impressive,” he said of the new addition. “I have been to many other schools, and none of them is as nice as this. I’m not trying to be biased, but it is very impressive.”
Ross was part of the KZN under-18 A water polo team in 2023. That meant getting up at 04:30 to arrive at school in time for swimming training. Water polo training followed that and finished at 07:00. Now, life will become a lot easier to manage for him and his parents. Traffic, shuttling back and forth, early and late in the day, and high fuel costs are no longer an issue.
“It’s going to make my life much easier, honestly,” he said.
Centenary House is also going to make a big difference to the school. In life, some changes are positive, and some don’t quite work out, but there is every reason to believe that boarding at Clifton is going to significantly enhance the school’s educational offering.
It will not only benefit the boys who get to enjoy the boarding experience, but it will also offer an enticing and high-quality option for parents, especially those from the north coast, who have battled the demands of ferrying their sons back and forth for so long.
And it’s not just a boon for Clifton’s parents. It is also a high-quality option for other parents, who have sons in high school, to consider.
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