Dear Parents

As we approach the end of term, I have found myself reflecting on just how much the boys have grown over the past weeks - not only in their academic skills, but in confidence, perseverance, and learning. 
At the start of the term, I introduced the boys to “the power of yet” — the idea that even when something feels challenging, it simply means we can’t do it yet. This small but powerful shift in mindset has opened a remarkable sense of possibility in our classrooms. 
Over the term, I have watched the boys embrace challenges with a braver spirit, learn from mistakes with greater resilience, and recognise that effort is something to be proud of. They have allowed themselves to try, to stretch, and to grow — and the progress has been beautiful to see. 
It has been a privilege to guide them as they begin to understand that learning is not about being perfect, but about being courageous enough to keep going. 

Family Chapel Service – This Monday in the Memorial Chapel 8:15
We are delighted to welcome you to our Family Chapel Service on Monday. This special gathering comes at a meaningful moment in the Anglican calendar, as we move deeper into the Lenten season — a time of reflection, preparation, and renewed commitment to growth. 
Just as Lent invites us to pause and consider who we are becoming, this moment in the term allows us to reflect on the boys’ journey so far. It is a fitting time to come together as a school family: to give thanks, to reconnect, and to centre ourselves before the final stretch of the term. 
We hope the service will offer you a moment of peace, encouragement, and shared celebration of the boys’ progress. 

As we head into the final weeks of term, we will continue encouraging the boys to approach their learning with curiosity and confidence. Thank you for your support at home — your partnership makes all the difference in helping our boys flourish. 

Happy birthday to Mrs Wallace on 16 March, Ms Gammie on 1 April as well as Ms Baninzi who will be celebrating her 40th on 2 April.  

We look forward to seeing you on Monday. 

Kind regards

TARYN BAIN
HEAD: PRE-PREP

Grade 2 outing: Mrs Daames' class

Heart Matters

Heart Matters is an extra mural offered to Grade R learners. Please join us for a short talk about the programme. Click here for more information.

Friday 20 March

Monday 23 March

Grade 2 outing: Mrs Green's class

Grade 1 outing: St James Beach

Term 1 Ends

Gr N to be collected: 10h30

Grade R to be collected 10h40

Grade 1 to be collected 10h50

Grade 2 to be collected 11h00

Aftercare will close at 13:00.

Monday 13 April

Monday 21 April

Term 2 begins

Term 2 and 3 Extramurals begin.

Click here for timetable

Look out for the Term 2 and 3 sign up form under Take Note.

• Please wait on the grass outside the Brooke Chapel before the service.
• Wait quietly, as the College boys will still be in their chapel service and the noise carries into the chapel.
• Enter the chapel only once the College boys have left and our staff invite parents inside.
• Enter the chapel in silence and remain silent while taking your seat.
• No food or drink may be brought into the chapel. No coffees may be consumed.
• Please join the boys in singing during the hymns.
• The boys will lead out first, please remain seated until all the boys have left the chapel.
• Help us maintain a quiet and respectful atmosphere throughout the service

March/April Holiday Club

1. Please click HERE for further information on a Holiday Club offer from (26 and 27 March) and 07 to 10th April, hosted by Ms Rheeder.

2. Please click HERE for further information on a Holiday Club offer from (30 March until 02 April) hosted by Mrs Kingwill.

Kindness Is Something We Carry With Us

Dear Pre-Prep Families,

In chapel this week we spent time reflecting on a simple but very important message: kindness is something we carry with us wherever we go.

Our reading came from Ephesians 4:32, which reminds us: “Be kind to one another.”

While these words are short and simple, they carry a powerful truth. Kindness has the ability to shape the atmosphere of a classroom, a playground, and even a whole school community.

The Kindness Bag

To help the boys understand what kindness looks like in everyday life, I brought along a “Kindness Bag” filled with a few simple objects. Each item helped illustrate a different way we can show kindness to others.

The first item was a small teddy bear. A teddy bear is soft and comforting, and it reminds us that kindness often begins with caring for others. When someone feels sad or lonely, kindness might mean sitting with them, listening, or simply being present.

Next we took out a box of crayons. The boys quickly recognised that crayons are meant to be shared. Sometimes kindness is as simple as sharing something we have so that someone else can feel included and part of the activity.

We then looked at a bandage, which reminded us that kindness also means helping when someone is hurt. On the playground or in the classroom, a kind boy notices when someone falls, feels upset, or needs help. He stops to ask, “Are you okay?” or seeks help from a teacher.

The next item was a heart. The heart helped us think about the power of our words. Words can build people up or bring them down. Kind words sound like:

1. “You can play with us.”
2. “Are you okay?”
3. “Thank you.”
4. “Well done.”

When we choose gentle and encouraging words, we are showing kindness that comes from the heart.

Why Kindness Matters

For young children, learning kindness is one of the most important parts of growing into healthy, confident, and compassionate people. Kindness helps build friendships, strengthens trust, and creates a school environment where everyone feels safe and included.

When children practise kindness regularly, it slowly becomes part of their character. They begin to notice others more easily, respond with empathy, and understand that their actions have an impact on those around them.
Our hope as a school is that these small lessons begin to shape the way our boys think about their relationships with one another.

Supporting Kindness at Home

Parents play an incredibly important role in helping children develop habits of kindness. One of the most effective ways to nurture kindness is through simple everyday conversations and modelling.

Here are a few gentle ways families can reinforce this message at home:

 Ask reflective questions. At the end of the day you might ask your son:

1. “What was a kind thing someone did for you today?”
2. “Did you have a chance to show kindness to someone?”

These questions help children become more aware of kindness in their daily experiences.

1. Notice and celebrate kindness. When you see your child sharing, helping, or speaking kindly, take a moment to acknowledge it. Positive reinforcement helps children understand that kindness is valued.
2. Model kindness. Children learn a great deal by observing the adults around them. When they see kindness in the way parents speak, help others, or show patience, they naturally begin to imitate those behaviours.
3. Encourage small acts of care. Kindness does not need to be something big. Small gestures helping a sibling, including someone in play, or offering encouraging words can make a meaningful difference.

Carrying Kindness Into the Week

At the end of chapel we imagined what our school would be like if every boy chose kindness each day. The playground would feel more welcoming, classrooms would be filled with encouragement, and every child would feel that they belong.

This week we encouraged the boys to remember that kindness is something they can carry with them wherever they go in their words, their actions, and the way they care for others.

Thank you for partnering with us in helping to shape a school community where kindness is lived out daily.

Warm blessings

Second Hand Shop pop-up at the Pre-Prep, this time focused on winter season uniforms. We currently have quite a lot of stock of long sleeve khakis, jerseys, tracksuits, and small rain jackets.

Our Grade N boys have thoroughly enjoyed exploring their sensory worlds through mud play during the hot weather this week! Mud play is an important part of early childhood learning, helping children develop their senses, creativity, problem solving skills, and fine motor control - so you may have been greeted by a very muddy shirt or two at home time!

Alongside this sensory exploration, we focused on kindness and sharing. Mrs van Zyl shared the beautiful story The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister during morning ring time. The boys then worked together on a large Rainbow Fish collage and created their own individual Rainbow Fish artworks. We spoke about how they can show kindness to their friends at school as well as to their families at home, and the boys shared some lovely ideas.

We also loved celebrating Bishops’ 177th birthday last week. The highlight was a humorous magician who delighted and amazed the boys with his incredible tricks and plenty of laughter.

In our micro groups, the boys enjoyed collaborative work as they created Shape Monsters using a variety of shapes. They proudly named their creations and demonstrated great teamwork and creativity.
We are looking forward to learning all about the Easter story over the next week and a half.

This week in Grade R we continued exploring our exciting 5 Senses theme. The boys have been showing off their wonderful creativity by discovering the different senses through a variety of art activities.

A great deal of effort went into making their own rainmakers, linking to our sense of hearing as well as the letter sound of the week, “r.” The boys were fascinated by the sounds their instruments made and were very proud of their creations. They also created bright and colourful rainbows, either through painting or by carefully using the mosaic technique. To tie in with the “n” letter sound, the boys learned all about the unique narwhal, often called the “unicorn of the sea,” and had great fun creating their own versions.

With the sweltering heat this week, there was plenty of enjoyment during water and sand play. The boys worked collaboratively to plan and build impressive dams and waterways, showing great teamwork and problem solving skills.
We look forward to another fun-filled week ahead as we wrap up our Senses theme and begin learning about the Easter celebration.