Dear Parents

Welcome back to school. It was wonderful to greet the boys yesterday morning, all neat and fresh-faced and most looking excited for what lies ahead.

A particular welcome to all the Grade 3 families, as well as those new to Bishops, a number from other schools as well as abroad.  I hope that these families will settle in well and I have asked the boys to make a specific effort to make our new boys feel welcome.

On the staff front we welcome the following:

• Grade 4: Zuks Ncube – no stranger to us as he spent a year at the Pre-Prep before Covid and, after returning from teaching in Japan in the middle of last year, he substituted for staff at the Prep and the Pre-Prep.
• Grade 5: Andrew Dunn, who has moved from a stint at Somerset House. Before that he taught at Steyn City Prep in Gauteng for a few years.
• Intern: Chris Webster – a Foundation Phase intern. He will be in Grade 3 this year after spending last year in Grades N and R.
• Intern: Jared Schmoor – a Sports Performance and Wellness intern. He will work in the Sports and Phys Ed department. He is currently studying part-time for his Masters degree in Sports Science.

We welcome these staff members and look forward to working with them and hope that they will find Bishops a stimulating and rewarding environment.

2024 is the 175th anniversary of our founding. Our focus will be on thanksgiving, celebrating and sharing with others, service and looking forward. I feel privileged to share in this milestone year and our boys will no doubt long remember having been at school during this 175th year. I will write more about the Prep activities specifically in the next few weeks.

I wish you all a happy, peaceful and fulfilling 2024. May our boys grow and develop, learning from any disappointments or difficulties they might experience, appreciating their successes and being kind to one another, each in their own small or large way, learning and practising “to make the world a better place for all”.

Swimming and Athletics Trials

Time: 07h30
Grade 5, 6, and 7 Swimming Trials
Grade 3 and 4 Athletics Trials
Boys may come to school in their sports kit

Water Polo Trials

Time:13h30 – 14h30 (U10 and 11) and 13h30 – 15h30 (U12 and 13)
Venue: College Pool - boys may be fetched from the venue

Extra-Murals start

Please refer to the Extra-Mural Timetable on MyBishopsLife - Information Tab - Parents Communication

Grade 5 Parent Meeting

Time: 19h00 to 20h00
Venue: Grade 5 Classrooms

Grade 3 Class Pop-In (Please refer to TAKE Note below)

Time: 18h00 to 18h30
Venue: Grade 3 Classrooms

Grade 3 and New Prep Parents Cocktail Party

Time: 18h30
Venue: Stanmore Cottage

Grade 7 Experience Bishops

Time: 07h30 to 12h30
Please see further information under TAKE Note

Grade 3 House Picnics

Time: 17h30 to 19h30
Further details to be communicated

All the boys were timed and measured this week for track and field events for Sports Day on 8 February. Any boys who missed being timed or measured or want to be timed/measured again are welcome to come to their age group athletics practices at 16h15 over the next two weeks. All boys are also welcome to attend athletics practices to prepare for Sports Day as well.

The Grade 3 Teachers will be in their classrooms for half an hour before the cocktail party next Thursday. This is for any parent that has specific questions they would like answers to. The teachers will be present at the cocktail party as well so you will have a further opportunity to chat to them there.

Bishops makes use of third-party software to manage our sport and to inform you of sport fixture details, team sheets and results. Please follow these step-by-step instructions:

Please click HERE for instructions on how to access Fixtures on your MOBILE DEVICE

Please click HERE for instructions on how to access Fixtures on your COMPUTER

These instructions are available on the Parents Communication Page on MyBishopsLife for future access.

The 2024 Experience Bishops College Open Day will take place on Friday 26 January. This is compulsory for all our Grade 7 boys.

Please take note of the following arrangements:

• Boys must wear No 1s
• Boys are to be dropped off at Prep as usual.
• Boys will be walked up to the College.
• Those parents wishing to tour the College must please park at the Prep and walk up with the boys. (Parking at the College will be at a premium with the Open Day and a Cricket Festival taking place).
• Boys will be walked back to the Prep at the end of the morning and normal school times and extra-murals will apply.
• For those parents who are interested in boarding for their sons, tours of the boarding facilities will take place at 09h45.
• Please click HERE for the full itinerary. Please note that Prep boys will not have to register.