Dear Parents and Guardians

The winter sports season draws to a close with our last home fixture this weekend against SACS and the following week with Bish-Bosch. For our Matrics, these are more “lasts” for them as they near the end of their winter sports careers at school. For many Matric parents there is equal pain as they watch for the last time, not quite sure what they are going to do with their Saturdays anymore!

All good things come to an end and that is right – we need to move forward into the next stage of life. This applies not just to our Grade 12s but to all boys. I ask though, that parents make a special effort to show up for our boys these next two weeks. Be there, supporting your son, his team and the school. I thank the many, many parents who have been faithfully loyal, positive and supportive. Your son has noticed you and, while he may not always express it well, he appreciates you. And Bishops appreciates you too!

The Parent/Teacher partnership

I had a staff development session with the College teachers this week at which I shared some thoughts on communicating with each other as colleagues, but also with parents and the boys. The Parent/Teacher relationship is critical for a boy to thrive. There should be no mixed messaging, steadfast adherence to a set of values and the accompanying rules, certainly no criticism of each other in front of the boy. Key to this was the concept of decision-making – who decides what when it comes to what is best for our boys?

As parents, you are experts in your field of work but also experts in parenting your children. Teachers may share advice from time to time that we have gathered over many years of teaching on how to raise boys in particular, but the decisions made in your family rest with you, the parents. You decide the rules, you decide what is acceptable behaviour at home.

In a similar vein, the teaching staff at Bishops are experts in their field – education. They may not be able to offer financial or legal advice as that is probably not their area of expertise, but education is. And decisions made by the school, are always with the best educational objectives in mind, particularly what is best for our boys. Teachers decide the rules and consequences. Teachers deal with behaviour that is not in line with our Values and our Code of Conduct.

While the separation of responsibility can often be blurred, decision-making cannot – for the sake of our boys. And if we get it right, school and home speaking the same language, the boys flourish.

World Champions!

I would like to add my congratulations to Dean Weich and Ben Honichwachs for being part of the SA team for the Space Design Competition in the USA, coming first in the world! It is wonderful to see this kind of achievement.

On a personal note…

I will be away for the next two weeks as I undergo spinal disc surgery in my neck. I will not be available to answer emails or calls and ask that you direct any matters to my PA, Mrs Shelley Windell, who will direct you to someone who can help. Mr Trevor van Niekerk will be Acting Principal in my absence.

Kind regards

Antony Reeler
Principal

This week I encouraged our boys to seek truth and not to be caught up in gossip, lies or rumours. It is reproduced below for your reading. Once again, I encourage parents to engage in these conversations with your sons as you read what is shared with him on a weekly basis.

STORIES AND THE TRUTH…

My wife cringes when I sometimes tell stories about events that have happened. Not because of the story but because there are often inaccuracies in the telling – omissions, additions, often as a result of failing memory, but sometimes because the story is just better than what actually happened! My riposte: “Don’t let facts get in the way of a good story…”

You may think that embellishment is the domain of the aged – think again. Many of you have embellished events when relaying them to your parents or your friends. Omitting certain parts because they don’t paint you in a favourable light or exaggerating to create shock.

I’ll share an example. Let us say I am walking in the corridor and accidentally bump into a boy. We apologise and move on. The boy tells his friends that the Principal shoved him in the corridor. His friend tells his mom that the Principal always hated the boy and went out of his way to deliberately push him so he was almost injured. The mom tells the story at bookclub about how the Principal assaulted this boy. And then social media blows up…from accident to assault in a few short encounters.

Stories, by their very nature, grab at our emotions. We may identify with them as a result of a similar experience. They help us make sense of a complex world and they often simplify things. People share stories that match what they already believe or want to be true so there is common identity. They may be funny, they may be sad. They may be entertaining or disturbing. They provide us with temporary comfort and relief.

Facts, on the other hand, are often hard to comprehend. They appeal more to the analytic in us. They can be cold, harsh, with no personal connection. The truth itself may be too complex to understand and often takes a great deal more brain energy and analysis to process. The truth doesn’t always appeal to the heart or soul. Truth these days is difficult to find and that is possibly one of the most important skills you will need to develop in this age of apparently unlimited information. You need acute awareness to accept or repudiate information. The truth is often a bitter pill to swallow.

I had a conversation the other day with a friend of mine where we were both badly affected by a story that is all over social and mainstream media and the public’s response to the story. Without getting specific, the public was baying for salacious titbits, speculating widely and with great “authority” on what they swear happened. Forgetting the essence of the story which was that a tragedy had occurred. People were more concerned with how the story unfolded than with the stark reality of loss of life and grieving families. The phrase he used which stuck in my brain is “it is so sad that humans love the story more than the truth”

At Bishops, we have had our share of public attention, not only this year but also in years past and, the most frustrating thing has always been the half-truths, deliberate lies, embellishment, speculative conjecture, made up by people. We have been unable to share the truth at times due to the sensitive nature thereof and often because there are minors involved. We do not want our pupils crucified in the court of public opinion. So we take the hits, the accusations, often to protect you – our boys.

So what is it I want from you in our journey of Growing Good Men? A good man seeks the truth and doesn’t lie or engage in gossip. A good man makes the effort to filter out the truth from the unbelievable. A good man is not guilty of spreading rumours, or even lies. A good man is ok with the occasional embellishment for the sake of a good story but draws the line at the point where others get hurt.

Edgar J. Mohn said: “A lie has speed but truth has endurance”

Our focus on Good Men is a cradle to grave approach. Yes we will have half of you for 13 years, the other half for five, but we want the longevity of this project to be long past school and part of that is the quest for truth. We want you all, when you have lived what we hope is a long and happy life, to have people say “He was a Good Man”

Academic Awards – June 2026

Grade 9 Academic Tie

Oliver Shaw

All-Rounder's Tie

Congratulations to Troy Stockdale on achieving his All-Rounder's Tie.

Outstanding Success in the UCT Mathematics Competition

Each year, more than 7,500 learners compete in the prestigious UCT Mathematics Competition. This year, Bishops achieved an impressive 2nd place overall, with six boys earning Gold Awards by finishing in the top ten of their respective individual categories.

Gold Award Recipients

• Jeremy Liddle – 1st Place, Grade 12 Individual
• David Douglas – 6th Place, Grade 10 Individual
• Joshua Fried – 3rd Place, Grade 9 Individual
• Oliver Shaw – 6th Place, Grade 9 Individual
• Ethan Lee Pan – 8th Place, Grade 8 Individual
• Adrian Kipps – 8th Place, Grade 8 Individual

Congratulations to all the Bishops mathematicians who participated and contributed to this outstanding team performance.

Music Ensemble Ties and Colours

Congratulations to the following music students who have successfully achieved Ensemble Ties, Half Colours, and Full Colours for Music.

Ensemble Tie

Nikolas Lowther
Tommy Winfield
Yazeed Lalkhen
Travis Turner
Felix Bagg
Frederick Pfaff
Edward Wild
Iqsaan Salie Mark

Half Colours

Dominic Kotze
Iqsaan Salie Mark

Full Colours

Derek Meyer
Travis Turner
Nikolas Lowther

Music Certificates

The following boys performed exceptionally well in their Trinity College London Practical Examinations and achieved a Distinction (a mark above 87%):

Frederick Pfaff – Grade 4 Rock & Pop Drums
Gordon Alexander – Grade 4 Tuba
Thomas McCollum – Grade 6 Piano
Enoch Chan – Grade 8 Piano
Derek Meyer – Grade 8 Singing

Double Victory for Bishops Debating

The Junior Team, comprising Joshua Fried, Aaryan Pillay, and Owen Vorwerg, defeated Parow High School while proposing the motion:
"This House Would hold all parliament meetings online."

Joshua Fried was recognised as Best Speaker for his exceptional contribution.

The Senior Team, comprising Hamaad Badroodien, Fardeen Parker, and Luca Heesom, secured a convincing victory over Blouberg High School with the motion:

"This House Would establish a legal amnesty programme granting work permits to undocumented migrants who have not committed crimes in South Africa and can demonstrate active employment."

Hamaad Badroodien was named Best Speaker.

Congratulations to both teams on their excellent results and well-deserved individual honours.

Bishops Debaters Shine at Western Cape Tournament

The team's success was matched by exceptional individual achievements, with Hamaad Badroodien being named Best Senior Speaker of the tournament and Cruz Sun finishing as the 3rd Best Senior Speaker.

Well done to the team on an excellent tournament and these well-deserved accolades.

Interhouse Hockey 2026

The annual Interhouse Hockey Competition took place earlier this week. As usual, it was filled with fun, fierce competition, and excellent hockey, with every team giving its best effort.

Junior Interhouse

Following the pool stages, the cross-pool playoffs saw Founders, Birt, Gray, and Kidd compete for places in the final. After closely contested semi-finals, Gray and Kidd advanced to the final, with Gray emerging victorious.

Final Junior Standings

1. Gray
2. Kidd
3. Birt
4. Founders

Senior Interhouse
After a series of tightly contested pool matches, Gray, Birt, Mallett, and Ogilvie progressed to the semi-finals. Once again, close contests led to shootouts, ultimately resulting in a final between Ogilvie and Mallett.
Final Senior Standings

1. Mallett
2. Ogilvie
3. Gray
4. Birt

Congratulations to Gray and Mallett on their respective victories. Please collect your trophies.

Winter Sport Final Home Matches

We welcome SACS to Bishops this weekend for our final winter sports home fixtures of the season. We wish all our boys the very best and look forward to the support of our school community from the sidelines.

While the matches will be streamed, there is nothing quite like the atmosphere and encouragement created by live support. We encourage families, friends, and supporters to come along and back all our teams as they take to the field for the final home matches of the winter season.

Live Streaming Links

Hockey: https://youtube.com/live/W8VJA4TrdGs?feature=share

Rugby: https://youtube.com/live/JVLjUK7T-B4?feature=share

Golf

Four Bishops golfers; Nicholas Axten, Zac Rosenberg, James Arkcoll, and William Verhage recently represented the school at the highest level of school golf, competing in the South African High Schools Championships held from 2 to 4 August at Umhlali Country Club in Ballito.

The course proved extremely demanding throughout the tournament, with dry conditions presenting a challenge very different from those typically experienced on Cape Town courses. Despite the testing conditions, the boys competed with determination and distinction.

More importantly, they represented Bishops with pride and integrity, proving themselves to be exceptional ambassadors for the school both on and off the golf course.
Congratulations to all four players on their achievement and representation of Bishops at this prestigious national event.

Distinction Tie

International Space Settlement Design Competition

Congratulations to Ben Honigwachs and Dean Weich, who represented South Africa at the 2026 International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC).

As members of a seven-strong South African contingent, they participated in this prestigious global aerospace simulation event held at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Team South Africa made history as the first African team to enter the competition, joining students from several nations to form an international 60-member team.

Their winning proposal, Hermes, was a futuristic spacecraft designed to transport 3,000 people across the inner Solar System. The team's achievement earned them the overall global title.

Commenting on the success, Humbulani Mudau, CEO of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), said:

"Congratulations to Team ZA on this remarkable achievement. Your success is a powerful reminder that South Africa has an abundance of young talent with the potential to compete and excel on the global stage when given the opportunity. Well done to every learner, educator, parent and partner who made this milestone possible. The future of Africa's space economy will be built by young people like these."

Coronation Top Investor Challenge

At assembly this morning, we were delighted to welcome Coronation CEO and Bishops past parent, Mr Anton Pillay, who presented a prestigious trophy to Brent Cowden and Matthew Hume in recognition of their outstanding achievement in the Coronation Top Investor Challenge.

As part of the competition, participants were given a fictitious investment portfolio of R1 million and tasked with managing it over a two-month period. Throughout the challenge, competitors navigated a series of realistic market scenarios designed to simulate real-world investment decision-making and portfolio management.

Demonstrating exceptional financial acumen, Matthew and Brent finished first in South Africa among approximately 3,000 participants. In recognition of their achievement, each received R30 000 worth of unit trusts, while Bishops was awarded the challenge trophy and a R60 000 donation.

We congratulate Matthew and Brent on this remarkable accomplishment and thank Mr Pillay for joining us to celebrate their success. Their achievement is a testament to their analytical thinking, discipline, and ability to make sound decisions in a dynamic environment. Well done, gentlemen!

Service Ties

First Aid

A Service Tie is awarded to Nikkiran Govender for three years of regular service to First Aid, thank you for your commitment to this vital school function.

Flag Bearers

Neo Thankge and Rais Liebenberg have been awarded Service Ties in recognition of two years of dedicated service as flag bearers, raising and lowering the Bishops flags throughout Grades 8 and 9. Their commitment, reliability and contribution to this important school duty are gratefully acknowledged.

Big Ideas

For the Big Ideas Pilot Project, they are partnering with Craft School South Africa, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering young people from underprivileged backgrounds through practical skills training in disciplines such as sewing, fabric work and woodworking, equipping them for future employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.

The school was founded by Justin van Breda, a former Bishops pupil, and although it has been operating for only five months, it is already achieving remarkable results. One notable success is its impact on learner literacy, with students progressing from an average Grade 3 literacy level to approximately Grade 10 level in a short space of time.

Despite this promising start, the school faces significant challenges due to a shortage of equipment and resources. We would greatly appreciate the support of the Bishops community in helping to address these needs. If you have any of the following items at home that are no longer being used, please consider donating them to this worthy cause:

• Sewing machines
• Fabric scissors
• Rulers
• Stationery
• Thread
• Trims and sewing accessories

Every donation, no matter how small, will help provide students with the tools they need to learn, create and build brighter futures.
For more information, please scan the QR code or visit:

bishopsbigideascraftschool.com

For enquiries, please contact:
Lorenzo Chen
lorenzo.chen@bishops.org.za
Thank you for helping us stitch the future, one donation at a time.

Join the VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge

Our teams have started signing up for the VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge, a special event supporting a cause that is close to the heart of the Bishops community.
Please get behind our young riders and support one of the teams’ fundraising efforts. View the teams and make a donation here.

Parents are also invited to join the fun by entering a team of their own. Teams may include up to 24 riders, with just one rule: the bike must keep moving for the full 24 hours!   If you have children at other schools, they are welcome to sign-up a team as well.

If cycling is not your thing, gather a team of four for our first-ever potjie competition. There will be great prizes and a surprise celebrity judge choosing the winning potjie.

Not participating? Please still come down to Piley Rees Field on 4 and 5 September to support the riders and enjoy the event. There will be loads of entertainment for the children, food stalls, a bar for
adults and plenty of gees.

Whether you cycle, cook, donate or come along to support, we would love to see the College community getting involved.

Find out more and register here.