Dear Parents and Guardians

Welcome back to the third term of the year. As I reminded our Grade 12 boys in my opening remarks in assembly, this is their last term of formal teaching at school after 13 years! I reminded them to make the most of their time left at Bishops and to finish strongly – with the same enthusiasm or even more than they started with. This includes them taking part fully in classes, sports and cultural commitments and their duties they may have as leaders in our school.

I would like to urge parents of Grade 12s in particular but across all Grades as well, that boys should not miss school for reasons of “studying”. They have plenty of time to study and the classes they miss would mean valuable information is lost as teachers prepare their boys for the rest of the year. Last-minute, valuable pieces of advice for the actual writing of exams are often given in the final lessons and to miss these would not be wise.

Similarly, boys are not to miss their extra mural commitments as it has been proven many times over that taking part in healthy activities such as sport, while studying, is beneficial to both their studies and the boy.

Matters of public interest
Many parents, boys, ODs and members of the public have been in contact with me regarding the issues that have been in the public domain for the past few weeks. I value each and every opinion, provided it is done so respectfully and with the boys best interests at heart, not some personal agenda.

Part of our education process in schools is to get boys to develop their critical thinking skills and to determine for themselves, what they feel about issues. What has concerned me though, is some of the content I have seen which has been aired by some who have no experience of working in or managing schools, particularly traditional boys schools such as Bishops or even attending such a school.

I wish to add that I believe this attention has been valuable for us as a school and for our country at large. I do not see this as a “bad thing” at all.

I don’t think we discuss the difficult issues often enough such as racism, sexism and homophobia. I don’t think we have the conversations we should be having such as “What is it like to be black/gay/a woman at Bishops?” Are we a community that is truly inclusive and do we put ourselves in the position of the other when it comes to these issues? Do those that are different from the majority feel they too belong in our space and what that belonging looks like?

We had a very valuable discussion at the Students Representative Forum this week about the issue of public displays of support for a matter of interest and I was pleased with the level of conversation and the degree of respect the boys had for the topic and for difference in particular. They openly admit that there are incidents that are not in line with our value system where boys have used slurs that are othering and offensive. They agree that whatever we do to highlight these issues must include further education and awareness of the boys. I know many parents have had these discussions at home and I thank you for that.

We are preparing a written policy on matters of public interest and will be presenting it to Council at their meeting in September. 

Appearance
It concerns me that I have to repeat an oft-made request to parents, but do so again after a number of complaints received by members of the public about the appearance of our boys and their hairstyles in particular. I remind you that the responsibility of ensuring our boys have appropriate hairstyles rests with parents. Just as we as parents should not expect our son’s school to teach manners as that is our role, so too, should we, as parents, insist on proper appearance. A boy should not exit our homes or our cars if they are not properly and appropriately attired with the correct hairstyle.

Please make sure that your son has a hairstyle that is acceptable to Bishops and our Hair Policy.

Final thoughts
I was privileged to be able to attend the Choir’s performance at the City Hall at the ATKV Applous competition. What a pleasure it was to see over 60 boys singing such beautiful pieces with such clear passion for what they were doing!

I also attended the Matric Mothers-Sons luncheon at which we were able to acknowledge the significance of mothers and mother-figures in the lives of our boys. While the importance of male role models must never be underestimated, the role of a significant female in the live of a growing young man is critical.

My assembly to the boys today was on the value of time and encouraging them to make the most of a commodity that is given equally to all, yet used so differently.

Kind regards

Antony Reeler
Principal

“Time is the one resource every leader receives in equal measure, yet it is often the greatest differentiator between thriving organizations and struggling ones. You cannot save time, manufacture more of it, or recover it once it has passed. You can only choose how it will be invested. The truth is that every calendar is a leadership document. It reveals what leaders value, what organizations prioritize, and what ultimately gets accomplished.”

Ovett Wilson in “Repurpose vs. Redesigning Time” in SamTastic Weekly Tip

While this quote referred to organisations and leaders within those organisations, I kept coming back to the significance of time in our personal lives and that is what I want to share with you this morning.

As far as resources go, we are different in every way. We have different financial circumstances, we are given different looks, characters and beliefs. We have different holidays, different tech to play with, different experiences to enjoy. Some can enjoy fine dining, some not. Some travel in very fancy cars, some not. Some go on extravagant holidays and some not.

But there is one resource we are given that is equally handed out, assuming of course no premature and tragic passing, and that is time.

We have time and we have choice as to what to do with that time. We cannot go back in time to change a decision. We cannot get more than others. We cannot stop time. We cannot store it up for later use. We have to use what we get as wisely as we can, knowing not what time we will have, but that it is not infinite.

The significance of moments of time is often compared and this well-known list is worth repeating:

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a parent whose son lives overseas and gets together at Christmas time.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of an online news website or a politician in a scandal

To realize the value of ONE DAY, ask the person who is employed as a daily labourer and who has a family to feed or someone who was born on February 29th.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet and one of their planes is delayed for an hour.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the subway train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Time has value. Time must be cherished. Time must not be taken for granted.

Focus on what brings true value and happiness.

Plan ahead to avoid last-minute rush and stress.

Stay present: Treat each day with care and purpose and each encounter with a fellow human being with the value it deserves.

“The reason why one man is great and another man is living in mediocrity is simply because one understood the value of time while the other did not.”

Academic Awards – June 2026

Congratulations to the following boys for their outstanding achievements in the recent examinations.

Grade 12 Ties
Kai Bacher
Matthew Fenn
Luke Hofmeyr
Rhys Jack
Azania Mogale
Connor Sara
Matthias Scheder - Bieschin
Mogamat Tyer
Dylan Vorwerg
Andrew Ward

Grade 12 Jerseys
Leo Cobbledick
Maximilian Gräwe
Benji Koch
James Koen
Max Marshall-Smith
Zuhayr Sirkot
Michael Whitelaw

Grade 11 Ties
David Brink
Sebastian Hiemstra
Jude Khoury

Grade 11 Jerseys
Nicholas Henry
James Hugo
Matthew Hume

Grade 10 Tie
Benjamin Klerck
Mikey Todd

Grade 10 Jerseys
Oliver Bresler
Seanwin Christians
Dominic Kotze
Aran Maharaj
Iyaad Pandie

Grade 9 Ties
Elijah Adams
Li -Yang Chen
Gabriel Cooke
Keanu Croy
Oliver Foster
Isaac Frankel
Joshua Fried
Adam Hendrickse
Luka Can Hutchinson
Sebastian Juchmann
Sahil Khalfey
Callum Kleye
Drummond Mackenzie
Thomas McCollum
Neo Milne
Oliver Muller
Thomas Pearce
Finn Pickard
Bonnar Richards
Umar Saloojee
Zayaan Saloojee
Jack Stansfield
Felix Tanton
Thomas Townshend
Charles Traill
Frank van der Walt
Noah Walford
Evan West

Grade 9 Jerseys
Li -Yang Chen
Joshua Fried
Callum Kleye
Neo Milne
Bonnar Richards
Jack Stansfield
Charles Traill
Evan West

House Competition

Most Improved House and Grade: White House – Grade 11

Best House and Grade: Gray House – Grade 12

Drama Colours

We would like to congratulate Bradley Christian on being awarded his Full Colours for Drama.

Final Round of the South African Maths Olympiad

Congratulations to the 8 boys who made it through to the final round of the South African Maths Olympiad which was written on Thursday 30th July. Only the top 100 students in the country were invited to write this paper and so this is a huge achievement.

Alexi Charalambous
Oliver Kipps
Joshua Fried
Isaac Frankel
Sahil Khalfey
Oliver Shaw
David Douglas
Jeremy Liddle

Space Design Competition

Wishing Dean Weich all the very best as he heads to the United States as part of the South African Space Design Competition team! This is an incredible achievement and a well-deserved opportunity to represent South Africa on the international stage.

Adding to the excitement, Ben Honigwachs will be joining the team in the USA, where they will meet up for what promises to be an unforgettable experience of innovation, collaboration and competition.

Congratulations, Dean, and safe travels. We are proud of your accomplishment and look forward to hearing all about your journey and success.

SA Hockey Selections

During the holidays, ten Bishops hockey players represented Western Province at various regional and national tournaments.

Congratulations to all the boys who competed, and particularly to those whose teams earned medals in their respective tournaments.

A special congratulations goes to:

Luc Dicey – Selected for the SA U18B team
Callum Anderson – Selected for the SA U17A team

This is a fantastic achievement. Well done to both players.

Water Polo

The holiday period provided Bishops water polo players with exceptional exposure to the international game, competing and training alongside some of the world's best young athletes.

Bishops was proudly represented by Michael Mafunda, who captained the South African team, and Tim Young, who served as vice-captain at the World Aquatics Men's U18 Championships in Rio Maior, Portugal, where the world's top 20 junior national teams competed. Tim was also named Player of the Match in South Africa's victory over Portugal.

Meanwhile, 16 Bishops boys, accompanied by Mr Firth and coaches Lwazi Madi and Jabulani Sibiya, attended a training camp at the renowned Jadran Water Polo Club in Montenegro, widely recognised as one of the heartlands of world water polo.

The tour provided invaluable learning opportunities through high-level tactical instruction, demanding training sessions and matches against exceptionally talented local opposition. Away from the pool, the boys enjoyed the Montenegrin coastline, scenic boat and bus excursions, and opportunities to experience the country's rich culture.

These international experiences provide an outstanding benchmark for excellence and invaluable lessons for both the players and the continued development of the Bishops water polo programme.

Rugby

Bishops Heatlie XV Independent Schools Rugby Festival

The Bishops Heatlie XV participated in the St David's Marist Independent Schools Rugby Festival for the first time since 2015, enjoying an outstanding and highly beneficial tour.

The team played three fixtures, recording two victories and one narrow defeat.

The festival began with a scintillating display of fast-paced attacking rugby against St David's Marist. The Heatlie XV ran in an impressive number of tries to secure a commanding 71–12 victory.

In their second match against St Stithians, Bishops produced one of their strongest performances of the festival. Despite dominating large portions of the game and creating numerous scoring opportunities, the team was unable to convert enough of its chances. St Stithians kicked a penalty in the final minute to edge the contest 16–14.

The squad responded admirably in their final fixture against St Charles, claiming a hard-fought 33–29 victory and finishing the festival on a high note.

The tour was an overwhelming success, both in terms of results and in identifying and developing exciting talent ahead of the 2027 rugby season.

A sincere thank you is extended to the coaches, medical staff and managers for their commitment and support throughout the tour.

Squash

Congratulations to Sahil Khalfey and Zayd Badroodien who competed in the 2026 Africa Junior Squash Open this past weekend. Sahil placed 1st in the U17 age group and Zayd placed 1st in the U15 age group. We are extremely proud of this achievement!

Wynberg Weekend

This weekend, our teams travel to Wynberg for another exciting round of winter sport fixtures. As we enter the final few weekends of the winter sports season, we encourage all members of the Bishops community to get behind our boys and show their support.

We wish all our teams the very best for their matches and look forward to seeing strong support on the sidelines as they represent the College with pride, commitment and sportsmanship.

Good luck to all our players and coaches for the weekend ahead.

Fencing

Alex Horrell participated in the FWP II competition on the 12th July and won silver in the U20 epee event. This places him 1st in the rankings in U20 epee in the Western Cape and 4th in U17 epee. Congratulations.

Congratulations to Alex Horrell on being awarded Half Colours for Fencing.

This recognition reflects Alex's dedication, skill, and commitment to the sport. We are proud of his achievement and look forward to seeing his continued success.

WC Rowing Selection

Congratulations to Kai Bacher and Adam Carter on being awarded their Full Colours for Rowing following their selection to represent Western Cape earlier this year.

Provincial selection is a significant achievement, recognising sustained commitment, dedication, and performance at the highest level of school rowing. The School acknowledges their outstanding contribution to the Rowing programme and extends its sincere congratulations to both boys.

We are proud of their achievement and wish them continued success as they represent both Western Cape and Bishops with distinction.

Golf news

On Saturday four of our golfers are traveling to KZN to compete in the South African High Schools Championships played from the 2nd to the 4th of August at Umhlali Golf Estate.

In April, Bishops finished second at the Western Province High Schools Regional Qualifier, securing one of the two qualifying spots for the National Championship.

This is only the second time that Bishops will be represented at these Championships, and we wish the boys well for the tournament.

The 2026 Japan Tour

Twenty-one pupils flew from Cape Town to Osaka at the start of the winter vacation to participate in the College's first-ever Japan Tour. Over the following days, they enjoyed an unforgettable cultural and educational experience in one of the world's most fascinating countries.

The tour began in Kyoto, which served as Japan's capital for over a thousand years before the title transferred to Tokyo in the nineteenth century. The boys then travelled west to Hiroshima, a city whose story remains a powerful reminder of resilience, peace and renewal.

After a four-hour journey on the famous bullet train, the group arrived in Tokyo, where the final four days were spent exploring this vibrant city of more than 30 million people.

Throughout the tour, pupils were struck by the way Japan seamlessly blends centuries-old traditions with cutting-edge innovation. Highlights included visits to countless shrines, temples, pagodas and torii gates, as well as the Golden Temple, the A-Bomb Dome and the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world.

At Mazda’s headquarters, pupils watched vehicles being assembled on a production line stretching several kilometres, with each car taking only fifteen hours to complete.

Other highlights included exceptional cuisine, a breathtaking digital art museum in Tokyo, and a shrine dedicated to rugby on the very field where the sport was first introduced to Japan in 1910.

Given the success of this inaugural tour, it is hoped that similar opportunities will be offered to future College pupils.

Every year, our boys take part in a fun afternoon of sport against the girls from St Cyprian’s to raise funds for the MENSTruation Foundation, a charity dedicated to ending period poverty in schools.
This year, Bishops is proud to host the event, and we are looking forward to an exciting afternoon on campus. We encourage the entire community to support this worthy cause as we aim to make a substantial contribution through the event.
Tickets are available via the Karri App.

The afternoon will feature:

• A variety of fun sporting activities
• Carnival-style games
• Live music
• A craft market

We look forward to seeing you there and thank you for your support in helping us make a meaningful difference.