We announced at the end of last year that formal boarding as we know it would close at the end of 2018. This was and is a difficult decision as boarding has been a part of life at the Prep since inception. At one stage – until about 2000 – the school had two boarding houses (Bramley – where the present Grade 3 classrooms are, and the current Van der Bijl), each housing 45 boys. When the school was smaller, boarders made up about half the pupil body. As these numbers had dwindled, Bramley was closed and all boarders housed in Van der Bijl (previously known as Birt).

Over the past 11 years, numbers have dwindled further from about 32 to 5 this year. Marketing around the Cape’s rural areas, constant encouragement of parents, even offering a number of places dependent on taking up boarding, have not seen numbers get back to where they were. These numbers have now dropped below the sustainable level.

As a community and for many ODs who boarded – some from Grade 1 and for the full term – this is very sad and an end of an era. But it reflects a worldwide phenomenon – our exchange school, Dulwich Prep outside London, with a pupil body of over 800, is down to 9 boys in their boarding house. In South African schools such as The Ridge in Johannesburg and Highbury in Hillcrest, who had flourishing boarding establishments in the past, have closed them due to lack of support. Most parents do not want boys to board at a young age any more and a whole range of independent schools have sprung up in farming areas to meet their schooling needs. While prep boarding numbers have dwindled across the world, high school boarding, including at the College, has flourished with many teenagers really wanting to board even when close enough to school to commute daily.

We still have interest though from a small number of families that live out-of-town and in other African countries wanting to start at Bishops Prep before College. Consequently we will be offering residential boarding, run on a family basis, for a small group, probably 5-8 boys. Hotel (temporary) boarding will still be available and boys in Cape Town will still be very welcome, but trends have shown that it is largely the out-of-towners that want boarding and then only a small number. We are letting prospective families on our waiting list know about this development. Applications for boarding must be submitted to Alison Cunnold prepadmissions@bishops.org.za.

RELEASE OF TEST MARKS TO MyBishopsLife – GRADES 4-7

Last term parents were notified that we are changing our reporting system for Grades 4 to 7 and that there will be no mark report at the end of Term 3. All results for tests this term will be released to MyBishopsLife and marks will be uploaded approximately one week after the completion of a test. Releasing marks to the portal will allow you to monitor your son's progress throughout the term. Boys who miss a test are required to write it on their return to school unless prior arrangements have been made with their teacher. Test papers will only be returned to the boys once moderation by the HOD has taken place. All test dates are on the Bishops calendar and your son's MyBishopsLife work schedule.

Charlton Grade 5 Outing

Venue: Grand West

Time: 18h00 to 20h30

Drop and collect at the water fountain at the main entrance

No rugby practices for boys not involved in the matches on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Rugby at SACS

SACS have asked us to pass the following information onto our parents:

"Both the High School and Junior Schools are playing Bishops on Saturday at SACS so the campus is going to be busy. Please let the parents know to get there in good time for matches or park outside the venue and walk or Uber. Also please remind them that dogs are not allowed on the campus. Sorry for any inconvenience."