Dear Parents and Guardians

Welcome back to the start of the second half of the year. I hope you managed to have a break with your family and that your son is well-rested for the term ahead. As I shared with the boys in my opening welcome last week, this is the last teaching term for our Grade 12s and the last time they will have opportunity to engage with their teachers in the classroom environment. I do hope they make the most of this time, being present both physically and mentally in these last few weeks.

The mid-year examinations are learning exams for all boys as they have a chance to interrogate their performance properly. It is not just about the result but more about how they have fared, seeing where they need to add effort and where they are doing well. I hope all boys have used this opportunity wisely to do so and have made plans for the rest of the year to remedy any areas needing attention.

Staff news

We welcomed our newest member of our teaching staff, Mr Dhiven Appelraju, to our team in the Mathematics Department. Mr Appelraju comes to us after some time at Rondebosch Boys and we wish him well for his time at Bishops. Ms Carol Alpert and Mr Peter Westwood are standing in temporarily in the English and Physical Sciences departments respectively. We also welcomed Mr Prince Matsepane, our new driver.

With Mr Marvin Bester taking over as Asst HD in Founders House, the vacancy as Asst HD in Kidd House has been filled by Ms Michelle van Zyl. We congratulate her on her appointment and wish her well for her tenure.

IBSC International Conference

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the International Boys Schools Coalition conference, hosted in Boston, USA, this past holiday. The conference theme of “Better Together” played out in all plenary sessions and breakaways and it was an inspiring time for me with 630 colleagues from over 270 different boys schools around the world.

Highlights for me included an address by General Mark Milley, former Chief of Staff in President Donald Trump’s first term, who spoke of authentic leadership and qualities of good (and bad) leaders. His emphasis on building character often through hardship and tough times resonated with me.

We had a fascinating session with Ms Shabana Basij-Rasikh who has been working tirelessly to educate Afghan girls, currently prohibited from attending school. She now runs a school in Rwanda for these girls and her stories of courage and determination were inspiring indeed.

Noubar Afeyan, biotechnologist and entrepreneur, spoke of the paradox of the advantage of the immigrant, particularly in the field of innovation as immigrants often have to struggle to survive and thrive in a new and strange place.

One of the highlights for me was listening to the Presidents of Harvard, Northeastern and Williams Universities in a panel discussion on freedom of speech and freedom of expression in universities under increasing pressure in the US from the federal government.

The final session of the conference featured Gus Worland, founder of Gotcha4Life, Australia’s leading mental fitness charity, on building resilience and social connections amongst young men.

In addition to the keynotes, there were a number of breakaway sessions I attended including ones on research on flourishing amongst boys, authentic masculinity and the gendering of emotions and career paths. All in all, it was a most worthwhile conference and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to attend.

Eisteddfod

My very grateful thanks go to all who made the Eisteddfod the success it was. From the various activities during the day to the final inter-house singing, I believe it was a great success and I wish to congratulate Mr Mark Mitchell and his team of staff for their efforts but also the pupil leaders in each House who poured so much energy into the programme. This remains one of the absolute highlights of the Bishops calendar and I am proud of the effort made by our boys.

Day of Service

The College continued what we started last year as a day’s service to honour the late Nelson Mandela. As Mandela day fell outside the term, we took this past Wednesday to have service activities in Houses at various places of need. Inculcating a sense of service in our boys is so important – they are all extremely privileged and it was a joy to see how some of the boys took to serving others with humility and grace. We will continue to do this as part of our school calendar.

Kind regards

Antony Reeler
Principal

Assembly message

Today’s message came from the experience I had at the recent IBSC conference listening to a man called Gus Worland – Aussie sports commentator and founder of an organisation that focuses specifically on men’s mental fitness called Gotcha4Life. This is an organisation hoping to build emotional resilience, enable social connectedness, and promote healthy help-seeking behaviours. I encourage you to look at their website https://www.gotcha4life.org/

I got you….

The last speaker at the conference I attended recently did an exercise with us as an audience that was quite revealing and I repeat it with you today. This is not something I want feedback on or answers – simply for yourself to answer in your own heads.

We were asked to imagine a list of people in our lives that we could not imagine living without, people we cared deeply about. We were then asked to assign a score to each person on a scale of one to ten as to where we felt our relationship currently was with that person. He then asked us a question that stunned us all…”How many of us put ourselves on that list?”

The answer in a hall of over 600 people was zero.

His point was that we need to spend more time on ourselves – finding reasons why we like ourselves, value ourselves because we are of inestimable value, each one of us. We often don’t realise the extent of that value we bring to the world and to others. I wonder for example how many of you were on other people’s lists as being someone they could not imagine life without?

Mental fitness is but one aspect of our overall wellbeing. People talk about mental health – this speaker used the term “mental fitness”. We spend time on physical fitness, intellectual fitness, spiritual fitness but how much time do we spend on mental fitness of ourselves and others? Particularly as boys or young men.

It is easy to see physical injury – a bandage, cast, set of crutches or even an obvious fever. It is very hard to see when someone is struggling mentally as there are often no outward signs of that struggle.

One of the biggest issues facing young boys today is linked to mental fitness and that is stereotyping of emotions. If we classify emotions as being “hard” or “soft” as some people do, with hardness linked predominantly to masculinity and softness to femininity, boys may feel or may be told they need to display “hard” emotion in order to be masculine and that the display of any soft emotion would indicate a lack of masculinity. Boys may hide emotions for fear of being labelled “soft”.

This gendering of emotion is, in my mind, dangerous. It makes us feel there is something wrong with being “hard” or “soft”. It makes us conform to stereotype that doesn’t allow for true human emotion. Boys need to be taught that you can be strong and kind, stoic and sensitive, tough and gentle, hard and soft, that we can laugh and cry without fear of judgement and that emotion is part of our innate humanity, not gender-specific.

Each of us brings ourselves into this space every day with the issues we have been facing either over time or in the moment. We bring our physical bodies to school but we also bring our emotions, our minds, our hearts and souls. We all need to be aware of that so when someone is showing obvious signs of trouble, we can be there for them.

But the tough thing about mental fitness is that struggles are often completely invisible. Unlike a visible injury, mental injuries mostly stay hidden. You would not think of squeezing a person’s wrist who had a cast on because you can see his injury. So then what if we cannot see an injury – one that lies deep inside that someone is battling with. Why would we say or do something nasty to someone, knowing they just could be struggling themselves with an issue you are completely unaware of.

There are four things I wish to leave with you:

• Do not gender your emotions and allow yourself to feel both “hard” and “soft” emotions – it is completely ok to cry! Emotions are human characteristics, not specific to a gender.
• Be there for each other and try not to act in a way that could hurt another – you never know what they are dealing with that you cannot see.
• Speak out if you can or need to a trusted person and try to have that difficult conversation about how you are feeling. There is someone there for you.
• Be there for yourself – put yourself on the list of people you cannot imagine life without because you are worthy, you are special and you are valued. Tell yourself that often.

There is a phrase that I hear often these days that I love: “I got you”

These three simple words say so much more – they say I am there for you no matter what, you don’t have to be showing signs for me to be there. Even if it is just sitting next to you in silence – I got you.

All-Rounder's Tie

Congratulations to John Dingley on achieving his All-Rounder's Tie.

Academic Awards June 2025

Congratulations to the following boys on their academic achievements.

Grade 9 Ties

• Milo Bonadei
• Ollie Bresler
• Cuan Cadiz
• Seanwin Christians
• James Gray
• John Hewat
• Matthew Koch
• Dominic Kotze
• Joshua Mafunda
• Aran Maharaj
• Ethan McMurtrie
• Ross Mukheiber
• Sam Nicholson
• Iyaad Pandie
• Fardeen Parker
• Cruz Sun
• Dean Weich
• Nicholas Young
• Nicholas Brits
• Max Craig
• Ismaeel Darsot

Grade 9 Jerseys

• Milo Bonadei
• Nicholas Young
• Cruz Sun
• Dean Weich

Grade 10 Tie

• Enoch Chan

Grade 10 Jerseys

• Yazeed Lalkhen
• Edward Potgieter

Grade 11 Ties

• Alec Alfaro-McLaughlin
• Samuel Clarke
• Maximilian Gräwe
• Troy Haskel
• Michael Kruiskamp
• George Ratheb
• Zac Rosenberg (Cambridge)
• Thomas Strijp
• Ryan Whiffler

Grade 11 NSC Jerseys

• Luc Dicey
• Matt Kriel
• Zac Rosenberg (Cambridge)
• Alec Alfaro-Mclaughlin

Grade 12 NSC Ties

• Joey Lwande
• Max Marr
• James Robb-Quinlan
• James Thunstrom (Cambridge)

Grade 12 Jerseys

• Brad Baker (Cambridge)
• Oliver Frankel
• Gavin Martin
• Nico Schreuder (Cambridge)
• Conor Day
• James Thunstrom (Cambridge)

House Trophies

• Most Improved Grade and House: Gray 11
• Best Grade and House: Birt 12

Ensemble Tie

Congratulations to the following boys on receiving their Ensemble Tie.

Oliver Frankel
Gordon Alexander
Joseph Phillipson
Lilitha Mavume

The following boys receive their Music Half Colours:
Travis Turner
Ben Couves
Derek Meyer
Nikolas Lowther
Yazeed Lalkhen
Michael Mafunda

Service Ties – Chapel

Awarded to students for their dedicated service to the chapel, especially in bell ringing for regular and special services over the past two years:

• Yazeed Salaam (Captain of Bells 2025)
• Alex Laspatzis
• Sebastian Du Toit
• Michael James
• Ben Myburgh

Art Colours

Congratulations to Matthew Owen for receiving Full Colours in Visual Arts! This award recognises his dedication and outstanding achievements in the subject. Matthew also participated in the prestigious 2025 Matric Exhibition titled Area Codes – Against the Grain, hosted by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Well done, Matthew!

Rugby

Caleb Clark was selected to represent Western Province in the U16 Grant Khomo Team. He participated in the 2025 SARU FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week at St. Alban’s College, Pretoria from Sunday, 29 June to Friday, 4 July 2025.

Hockey

During the June/July holidays, a number of Bishops hockey players represented Western Province in various regional and national tournaments.
Congratulations to all the boys who competed, and in particular to the following players whose teams won gold in their respective tournaments:

• Luc Dicey (18A)
• Jack Gibbon (14A)
• Macen Lesbirel (14A)
• Felix Tanton (14B)
• Henk Cursi (14B)
• Litha Maham (14B)
• Noah Maree (14B)
• Thomas Townshend (14B)

We also congratulate Litha Mbiko and Callum Anderson for being selected for the SA U17A and SA U16A sides respectively. A fantastic achievement – well done!

Solution Development Talent Search

We congratulate our students who participated in the Computer Talent Search, run at the end of the first term this year. The contest, organised by the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), attracts more than two million participants from over 50 countries annually.

It requires the use of Computational Thinking, skills essential for Mathematics, Science, IT, and Computer Applications. The contest identifies learners with these skills and provides an opportunity to develop them.

Bronze Certificates:

1. Athi Nqayi
2. Sean Bailes
3. Kayden Francke
4. Edward Potgieter
5. Aidan Edwards
6. Luca Wolfe-Coote
7. Edward Wild
8. Samuel Gibbs
9. Olothando Kobus

Silver Certificates:

1. Qasim Ghani
2. Alex Bower
3. Matt Hume
4. Thomas Jenman

Gold Certificates:

1. Zuhayr Sirkot
2. Angus Bromley
3. Naethan Mol
4. Oliver Howie
5. Kamran Naidoo

Coronation Top Investor Challenge

Matthew Hume and Brent Cowden, both in Grade 10 and members of Mallett House, participated in the Coronation Top Investor Challenge and placed 6th out of 192 teams nationwide. Starting with R1,000,000 in virtual capital, they ended the challenge with R4,306,879.92. Well done on this impressive achievement!

Exchange Students

We welcome 10 exchange students to Bishops this term:

• Jazz Oberoi – Montgomery Bell Academy, USA
• Edward Waldron – Dean Close, England
• Oliver Drake – Culford School, England
• Oscar Christian – King William’s College, Isle of Man
• Brandon Williams – Episcopal Academy, USA
• Harrison Burke – Llandovery College, Wales
• Aiden Hann – Scarborough College, England
• Raghav Chugh and Hardik Ahuja – The Lawrence School, India
• Neil Sahni – The Doon School, India

We wish you all a happy and fruitful exchange experience at Bishops.

Moulding Minds

Moulding Minds is a youth-led mental health initiative founded by Matthew Kriel, the current Junior Deputy Mayor of the Cape Town Junior City Council, and Jack Baptista-Horne, a Grade 11 student from Mallett House.

Their mission is to support children in under-resourced communities by creating safe, welcoming spaces for emotional support, healing, and growth.

They are currently raising funds to build their first prefabricated classroom in Langa—an empowering hub for therapy, mentorship, and mental wellness. This unit will serve as a dedicated mental health support space, similar to our very own BSU, offering structured emotional care and guidance.

Every donation brings us closer to transforming lives and shaping a stronger, more compassionate future for Cape Town’s youth.

For more information, visit our Instagram: @moulding_minds2025
Support us on BackaBuddy: Moulding Minds Unity Space

Join the Ride That Creates Opportunities – Brought to you by Investec

Entries for the Cycle Challenge close on 22 August - don’t miss your chance to be part of an unforgettable day that brings communities together and creates real opportunities for children in Langa. Whether you’re riding, sponsoring, or cheering from the sidelines, every contribution counts.

There’s something for everyone: we’ll be screening the South Africa vs New Zealand Rugby match, hosting live music, magic shows, and loads of entertainment for children and adults to enjoy throughout the day.
BackaBuddy fundraising pages go live later this week, so now’s the time to rally your team and ride with purpose.

For branding activations, prize sponsorships, or corporate partnerships, contact Nikki or Tarah at the Bishops Trust Office, or visit the event page for more info.

Sign up: click HERE
Sponsorship Opportunities: Click HERE
Video : Watch HERE
Read VUSA’s latest Newsletter: Click HERE

On a beautiful evening at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha last month, the Springboks took on The Azzuri in the 2nd and final test of the series. This fantastic occasion saw 2 ODs selected - Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu for the Boks and Ross Vintcent for the Italians - both of whom matriculated in 2020 from Founders.
Ross started at number 8 for Italy and had a busy game with some explosive trademark ball carries, while Sacha came on from the bench in the 2nd half and assisted Mapimpi’s try in the corner.
The two friends swapped jerseys after the game .