Dear Parents and Guardians

Our Principal, Mr Antony Reeler, remains very much in our thoughts as he continues his recovery following recent spinal disc surgery. I am delighted to share that the operation was successful and that he is recovering well, with all indications pointing to his return to school next week. We look forward to welcoming him back and having him among us once again. Thank you for your prayers and the many messages of support and encouragement that have been extended to Mr Reeler and his family during this time.

Last weekend marked the conclusion of our winter sports season. The Rondebosch fixture once again showcased the remarkable commitment, resilience and determination of our boys, who competed with pride, courage and unwavering spirit across the weekend's sporting contests. I was particularly pleased to see out 1st XI soccer side being able to play their fixture on Saturday morning.

Art Week and Cultural Highlights

From 17 to 21 August, our campus was alive with creativity during Art Week. It was a resounding success, and we were incredibly privileged to host the renowned Willie Bester as our artist-in-residence. His presence and guidance provided our boys with an inspiring and unique opportunity to engage deeply with the visual arts. In addition to our artistic celebrations, we were proud to host the 34th annual South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) interschools quiz last week, which brought together more than 120 bright minds representing 36 different schools for an evening of stimulating intellectual competition.

Parent Talk on Cybersecurity

At a recent parent evening, Jessica Shelver shared valuable insights on helping families navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Drawing on the principles of digital footprint awareness, she highlighted the importance of proactively managing online identities, understanding the information that is publicly available, strengthening privacy settings across social media platforms and fostering a culture of digital literacy at home. Parents were encouraged to adopt practical strategies such as limiting personal information online, being vigilant against scams and misinformation, verifying online communications and remaining informed about emerging technologies and AI-related privacy risks.

Campus Developments

We marked a major milestone for our school's sporting infrastructure with the official groundbreaking and sod-turning ceremony for our new hockey astro. We look forward to the many matches and memories that will be made on this new facility.

Grade 11 Leadership

As we look to the coming week, we wish our Grade 11 boys well as they embark on their Leadership Camp and Work shadow week.

VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge

Finally, a reminder that the highly anticipated VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge is just around the corner, taking place on 4 and 5 September. This special event supports a cause that is close to the heart of the Bishops community. We hope to see you all there.
Thank you once again for your continued loyalty, partnership and positive support of our boys and our school.

Kind regards

Trevor van Niekerk
Deputy Principal

Here we grow again…

This morning I would like to invite you to reflect upon a question that lies at the heart of your years at school and, indeed, at the heart of the lifelong process of becoming a good man:

What does genuine strength look like?

In a society that often rewards certainty, confidence and the ability to project an image of success, strength is frequently associated with dominance, achievement or the appearance of having everything under control. From a young age, many boys absorb the message that strength consists in always having the answer, never showing uncertainty, never admitting mistakes and never revealing vulnerability.

As we grow older, we discover that those who earn our deepest respect are seldom those who seek constantly to prove themselves. Rather, they are often those who possess a quiet confidence, a willingness to listen, an openness to correction and an ability to acknowledge when they have been wrong. They combine conviction with humility, courage with kindness, and self-belief with a recognition that they still have much to learn.

Adam Grant, in his book Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know, argues that one of the defining characteristics of wise and successful people is not simply that they think well, but that they are prepared to rethink. They understand that changing one's mind in the face of new evidence is not a sign of weakness but an indication of intellectual maturity. One of the greatest obstacles to learning is the assumption that we have already learned enough.

The purpose of education, the purpose of school, is not merely to accumulate information or to achieve examination results, important though those things are. Education is also an exercise in developing the habits of mind and character that enable us to seek truth, to evaluate evidence carefully and to remain open to growth. The student who is unwilling to be corrected, who sees every disagreement as a challenge to his status, or who regards every mistake as a personal failure, inevitably limits his own development.

By contrast, the student who can say, "I had not thought about it that way," or "I was mistaken," demonstrates a deeper confidence, because he is more committed to learning than to protecting his ego.

Such an attitude requires humility.

Humility is often misunderstood because it is frequently confused with timidity or lack of confidence. Yet humility is neither modesty nor insecurity. Rather, humility consists in seeing oneself truthfully. It involves recognising one's strengths without arrogance, one's weaknesses without shame and one's dependence upon others without resentment.

The Christian tradition has long regarded humility as one of the foundations of wisdom. We read in Micah 6:8:

"What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

The image of walking humbly with God is a profound one. It suggests a life marked neither by pride nor by fear, but by a steady awareness that we are all works in progress. It reminds us that growth is not something we complete by a particular age; rather, it is a lifelong process of becoming more thoughtful, more compassionate and more fully ourselves.

These themes have also been explored by Brené Brown, who writes about the idea of standing on "strong ground". Her insight is that genuine belonging does not arise from changing ourselves to secure the approval of others. Instead, it emerges when we possess the courage to remain grounded in our values and our identity, even when doing so is difficult.

This is especially relevant during adolescence, when the desire to fit in can become one of the strongest pressures a young person faces. It is often tempting to say what others wish to hear, to adopt opinions without examining them or to remain silent when one knows that something is wrong. Yet character is built precisely in those moments when we choose principle over popularity and conviction over convenience.

This is where the values of our school become particularly important.

Courage is not merely physical bravery; it is the willingness to act rightly when that action may carry a personal cost.

Humility is the recognition that, regardless of our abilities or achievements, there is always more to learn.

Integrity is the commitment to doing what is right even when no one else is watching.

Kindness is the decision to treat others with compassion and generosity, especially when they may be struggling.

Respect is the recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of every person.

These values are not separate virtues existing in isolation from one another. Together they form a vision of the kind of men we hope you will become. Courage without humility can become arrogance. Conviction without kindness can become harshness. Achievement without integrity becomes empty. The challenge, therefore, is not simply to possess these qualities individually but to hold them together in balance.

Perhaps one of the greatest tests of character in our age is whether we can remain both confident and humble at the same time; whether we can hold strong convictions while remaining willing to listen; whether we can strive for excellence while recognising that our worth does not depend solely upon our achievements.

The Apostle Paul offers a powerful reminder in Philippians 2:3:

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."

Those words challenge many of the assumptions of contemporary culture. They remind us that greatness is not measured solely by what we achieve but also by how we treat those around us. They suggest that leadership is not fundamentally about status or recognition but about service and responsibility.

As you continue your journey through this school, I hope you will resist the temptation to believe that maturity consists in having all the answers. Far more important is the willingness to ask thoughtful questions, to listen attentively, to learn continually and to grow steadily in wisdom and understanding.

The strongest men are rarely those who insist that they are always right. More often, they are those who possess the courage to pursue truth, the humility to acknowledge what they do not know and the integrity to live according to the values they profess.

May each of you continue to grow into young men who stand on strong ground: grounded in character, grounded in truth and grounded in a deep respect for God, for others and for yourselves.

University of Pretoria Maths Competition

Congratulations to Joshua Fried (Grade 9, Mallett) and Fardeen Parker (Grade 10, Birt), who each achieved first place in their respective categories at the University of Pretoria Maths Competition. Joshua won the Grade 8 to 9 category, while Fardeen secured first place in the Grade 10 to 11 category.

Art

Congratulations to the following boys on being awarded Colours for Visual Art:

Half Colours:

Grade 11: Alexander Horrell and Caleb Pillay
Grade 12: Kai Bacher and Joshua Whitehorn

Full Colours:

Grade 12: Naethan Mol and Jethro Wickins

Debating

Both Cruz Sun and Hamaad Badroodien have proven themselves to be exceptional debaters and have made a significant contribution to the Debating Society. Their selection for the provincial team is a wonderful testament to their hard work, dedication and outstanding talent. We wish them every success and are incredibly proud to have these two exceptional speakers representing our school and our province.

Soccer

St Andrew's Football Cup

This weekend, 28 to 30 August, three of our soccer teams; the U14s, U16s and U19s will be travelling to Makhanda to represent Bishops at the St Andrew’s Football Cup.

Our U19 team enters the tournament as the defending champions, having won the competition last year.

We wish all three teams, their coaches and managers the very best for the tournament. We are confident that they will represent Bishops with pride, commitment and good sportsmanship.

All the best, boys!

Hat-Trick Ball Award

A hat-trick soccer ball has been awarded to Lodewijk Weve in recognition of his outstanding performance against Reddam House Constantia, where he scored an impressive hat-trick for Bishops.

Road and Trail Running Colours Award

We congratulate Ben Klerck on being awarded Half Colours for Road and Trail Running for the winter season.

Cricket

Congratulations to 1st XI cricketer and Grade 10 learner, Ibraheem Taliep, on being named Western Province U16 Cricketer of the Year at the Western Province Cricket Association Pathway Awards held at Newlands on Saturday, 8 August 2026.

This marks the second consecutive year that a Bishops cricketer has received this honour, following Michael Kruiskamp's achievement in 2025.

Hockey

Callum Anderson recently represented South Africa at the Zimbabwe Youth Hockey Tournament. He captained the U17A team to a gold medal victory and was also named Player of the Tournament.

An outstanding achievement. Well done, Callum!

Rugby 7s

We are excited to be taking part in the Villager's Sevens Tournament on Friday, 28 August, at Villager's Rugby Club.

We are delighted to welcome this tournament back after a few years and encourage our community to join in the festivities and support our teams.

Bishops will field teams in the U14, U15, U16 and U17 age groups, with matches starting from 1:30pm with a round robin format against Wynberg, SACS, and Rondebosch.

We look forward to a great afternoon of rugby and wish all our players the very best for the competition.

Squash

Huge congratulations to Zayd Badroodien on an incredible weekend of squash! Coming into the 2026 Growthpoint SA National Squash Championships seeded No. 3, Zayd put on a masterclass on the All-Glass court at Makers Landing, V&A Waterfront.

After securing his spot in the Top 4 pool with a clean 3–0 win over the No. 6 seed, he took on a gruelling Round Robin stage:

Defeated Seed #2: 3–1
Pushed Seed #4: 2–3
Defeated Seed #1: 3–1

With unmatched grit, composure, and determination, Zayd finished top of the pool to claim the U15 National Title!

Bishops is so proud of his hard work and dedication behind this moment!

Golf

We are incredibly proud of Arman Patel, one of our Grade 11 golfers, who travelled to Scotland in August to compete in the prestigious St Andrews Boys Open, a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) event.

Competing at St Andrews, widely regarded as the Home of Golf, is a remarkable achievement and a testament to Arman's dedication, talent and hard work. The tournament attracts some of the world's leading junior golfers, providing an exceptional platform for young players to test themselves against elite international competition.

We congratulate Arman on this outstanding opportunity and commend him for representing both Bishops and South Africa on the global stage. We look forward to following his golfing journey and wish him every success for the future.

Rowing

Bishops Rowing welcomed prospective boys and parents for our annual Open Day, giving the Class of 2027 the chance to experience rowing first-hand and get a glimpse into life within our growing programme.

From getting into the boats to meeting our coaches and rowers, it was a fantastic opportunity for families to discover what Bishops Rowing is all about. We’re excited to welcome the next generation.

Science

Congratulations to our Grade 10 Science boys on their outstanding results at the 2026 Cape Town Regional Expo at UCT.

Competing against 235 projects from 333 students, our boys achieved 2 International Science Fair selections, 2 Gold medals, 2 Best in Category awards, 8 Silver medals, 4 Bronze medals, and 1 Highly Commended award.

The projects selected for the International Science Fair in Johannesburg in September were created by Christo Strydom, Dean Weich, and Milo Bonadei.
Our Gold medallists were Christo Strydom, and Dean Weich and Milo Bonadei.
Best in Category awards went to Milo Bonadei and Dean Weich, and Cruz Sun.
Our Silver medallists were Cruz Sun; Robbie Kirsten and James Dimitri-Kark; Aran Maharaj; Yusuf Patel and Aadam van Graan; Jamie Thomason; Ben Kombo and Kieran Nayar; Charles de Villiers and Sean Watson.

Our Bronze medallists were Fardeen Parker; Sékou O’Hanlon and Jasper Magrath; and Cameron Brown.

Second Astro Build

It’s been a long journey of careful decision-making, planning and hard work by our incredible Ops team, and today, we proudly broke ground on a hugely exciting new chapter for Bishops sport.

While we celebrate the start of our second Astro build, we also pause to acknowledge the bittersweet farewell to a much-loved cricket and rugby field. These grounds hold so many memories, stories and moments that have shaped generations of Bishops boys, and we are deeply grateful for the role they have played in our sporting history.

As one chapter closes, another begins. We are incredibly excited about what this new Astro will mean for the future of sport at Bishops and the opportunities it will create for our boys.

And this is only the beginning, with exciting developments also underway around the cricket and rugby fields, we look forward to expanding and enhancing sporting facilities across Bishops.

Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to make this possible. Here’s to honouring our past, building for our future, and continuing the proud sporting legacy of Bishops.

Architects rendering of the second hockey astro

Every year, VUSA hosts its annual 24-Hour Cycle Challenge to raise vital funds that enable the organisation to continue its incredible work in Langa.

We are proud to support this initiative once again and encourage our community to get involved. There are several ways to make a difference: sponsor the event, register a team to take part in the cycle, or make a donation.

Every contribution helps VUSA continue creating opportunities and making a meaningful impact in the lives of young people and families in the community.

Please get involved and help us make this year's challenge another great success.

LAST CALL TO ENTER YOUR TEAM – VUSA 24 HOUR CYCLE CHALLENGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY INVESTEC

The VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge takes place at Piley Rees Field on 4 and 5 September, and there is still time to get your team together.

Everyone who signs up to ride stands a chance to win a bicycle generously donated by Freewheel Cycology and valued at R40,000. If you cannot ride, you can still get behind the event by supporting one of the teams.

It promises to be a memorable 24 hours of cycling, gees, fun and community. We also have a few places remaining in the potjie competition, so gather a team of four and put your cooking skills to the test. NOMU will provide a spice pantry for each team, and there are some great prizes to be won.

The Cycle Challenge goes a long way towards keeping VUSA’s programmes running. This year’s fundraising focus is staff development and the renovation of the kitchen and dining area at our Langa programme hub. Between 160 and 200 children receive a hot meal there each day after attending VUSA’s academic, sporting and personal development programmes.

Please enter a team, support a rider or come down and be part of the day. Every contribution makes a difference.

EVENT VIDEO
SIGN-UP A CYCLE TEAM
SIGN-UP A POTJIE TEAM

Declutter for a Cause: EPIC Thrift Sale Donations Needed

The EPIC Outreach Programme is excited to announce its annual EPIC Thrift Sale, taking place on 30 October. We are asking the Bishops community to help make this year’s sale a success by donating quality second-hand items that are clean and in good condition. Boxes for donations will be placed in the Houses from 1 September.
What can you donate? Clothing Gently worn shirts, T-shirts and tops Trousers, jeans and shorts. Jackets, jerseys and coats. Sportswear and activewear. Shoes and boots. Accessories, including belts, scarves, caps and bags. Formalwear and occasion clothing. Homeware Books and board games. Kitchenware and crockery Glassware Small decorative items Baskets, storage items and organisers. Small household appliances in good working order. Linen, blankets and towels Art, ornaments and other home décor. Please ensure that all donated items are clean, usable and in good condition. We kindly ask that broken, damaged or heavily worn items are not donated.

Every donation, no matter how small, can make a difference. By clearing out cupboards and passing on pre-loved items, you can help raise funds for the EPIC Outreach Programme and support the important work it does in our partner communities.

Thank you for helping us make this year’s EPIC Thrift Sale our biggest and best yet!