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The Chalfonts Community College

Success is an Attitude!
Staff Governors

South Africa Sports Tour 2018

Over a year and half in the planning and finally nine excited staff arrived at Heathrow airport to greet sixty-four students and their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters. Once the relatives had waved us goodbye, the first ever South Africa sports tour was started.

After a long plane journey to Cape Town, students arrived to a warm welcome from Sean the local rep from Edwin Doran tours. There was an emotional meeting for one Year 10 student who met her uncle and aunty for the first time ever. Once all bags had been placed on the coaches the trip of a lifetime began.

Every day was packed full of touring, sightseeing, matches, learning the local language while our two drivers, Nando & Syed, shared their knowledge of their home country. We had lunches overlooking the beautiful coast line of Cape Town, played on the beach, climbed hills to see magnificent views, met new friends and shopped in the market place.
Most evenings we ate at the V&A Waterfront enjoying amazing meals, from Italian to Steaks. One night we tasted the local cuisine at African Café, where we enjoyed tapas of local food including Springboks curry. All finished off with ice cream or fruit salad.

The last two days were spent in a five star hotel & spa game reserve. As we all relaxed by the swimming pool two elephants walked across the path in front of us. We were very lucky to go on two safari drives, one in the evening to see the animals getting ready for bed and an early morning where we saw zebras, elephants, sleeping lions, hippos playing along the river bank and the nearly extinct white Rhino with her baby.

Magical Moments

Meeting the Children from the Langa Township. Students from Chalfonts had brought gifts and donations to the township, which they handed over to the families. They were very grateful and it showed on the children’s faces with big smiles. Our students walked around the Township and learnt about how they live. The students enjoyed a home cooked meal and music entertainment at Sheila’s café where students and staff joined in with the band and some movements called dancing!

Being chased, or in our case running away from the baboons. Thankfully Toby was very brave and stood still to allow the baboon to check out his bag. Some of the girls got a surprise visitor when they were coming out of the toilets. A baboon was waiting for them! Thankfully our driver Nando chased the family away.

Zip wiring around Table Mountain included many stories of students being stuck on the wires and having to be rescued.

We got up close and personal with penguins, sea lions and a one-to-one encounter with a Cheetah, which we got to stroke.

There are not enough words to sum up how amazing the students and this trip had been. The students were great ambassadors for The Chalfonts Community College. All staff are extremely proud and want to thank them for their exemplary behaviour and fantastic attitude, making this one of the best trips the school has run.

Year 7 and 8 students look out for letters regarding the application for South Africa 2018!