Dear Parents

What a wonderful start to the week we had together at Monday’s assembly. Mrs Fernandez and her class spoke about gratitude and saying thank you. This class spoke about being thankful for what we have and being grateful for what we can give. They also addressed the impact it has on someone else when you show gratitude for that person. This led to a discussion with the boys about the importance of manners and the simple but powerful impact of a kind greeting—and I want you to know how proud I am of all the boys this week.

I have been absolutely delighted to see such a noticeable change in the way our boys arrive at school each morning. So many of them have walked through the gate with big, confident smiles, greeting me warmly and even taking the time to ask how I am. It might seem like a small act, but those friendly words and cheerful greetings have made a big difference—they show kindness, confidence, and respect.

Throughout the week, their good manners have really stood out. I’ve seen boys saying “please” and “thank you,” waiting their turn, listening carefully, and showing respect to their teachers and friends. These small actions speak volumes about the wonderful young gentlemen they are becoming.
Their good manners make Bishops Pre-Prep an even happier place, and I am a very proud Head of this special school.
If you have a son at College, I apologise in advance as much of what I write about below was included in the Principal’s newsletter last week.

Happy Birthday to Sharon Alberts for the 21st and Nathierah Essa for the 23rd May.

Kind regards

TARYN BAIN
HEAD: PRE-PREP

A big thank you to all the Bishops Pre-Prep families for your generous Easter egg donations! Your thoughtful gifts were shared with the children at our three VUSA creches—Nomonde, Gege, and Likhwezi, as well as our staff and children in our afterschool programme. Your kindness added sweetness to their day and reminded them that they are seen, supported, and celebrated. We’re so grateful for your continued care and support. Thank you from everyone at VUSA.

As part of the Sports Performance and Wellness Programme, under the guidance of Kinderkineticist Jeanne Botha, we have designed this questionnaire to help us better understand your child's schedule, commitments, and overall well-being. We kindly ask you to answer each question with your child as accurately as possible. 

The information you provide will allow us to offer the best possible support and guidance tailored to their needs.

Please click here for the questionnaire.

“Nurturing Purpose in a Season of Freedom”

As we return from our holiday break, we are mindful of the special days South Africa has just observed Freedom Day (27 April) and Workers’ Day (1 May). These national moments remind us of the courage, sacrifice, and dignity that built our country’s democratic foundation and celebrate the value of every person’s work and contribution.

In our Pre-Prep chapel last week, the children were introduced to a simple but powerful message: Jesus makes us clean and helps us become the best version of ourselves. Through a playful but meaningful illustration using Fanta and Jik, we explored how our hearts, though sometimes messy, can always be restored by love, forgiveness, and grace. The children grasped this message with wide eyes and open hearts.

As I shared with the boys, the Bible reminds us:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

As parents, your influence in shaping these early understandings of freedom, purpose, and love cannot be overstated. Every bedtime story, every morning hug, every word of encouragement you offer—we see it mirrored in the way your boys arrive at school: confident, curious, and kind.

We want to encourage you this term to continue walking this journey with intention. Take time to speak with your child about what it means to make good choices, to say sorry, to forgive quickly, and to believe they were made with a purpose. These are big ideas for small hearts—but you’d be amazed how deeply they understand when it’s shown through love.

At Bishops Pre-Prep, we believe in nurturing not only bright minds but also strong character and gentle hearts. And we are deeply grateful to have parents like you walking beside us in this mission.

May this term be filled with growth, joy, and meaningful moments as we guide our boys to be all they were created to be.

With gratitude and hope.

The information below was included in the Principal’s newsletter last week.

Planning has been underway for the last year to completely upgrade the main water polo pool. Serious problems with filtration had caused us to take a very careful look at the pool and its infrastructure. This resulted in the decision – involving a number of role players – to completely “re-do” the pool with a state-of-the-art filtration system, a slight enlargement of the pool and a significant increase in seating. The demolition is well underway and construction should commence shortly. The final product has been very carefully designed, sympathetic to the surrounding architecture and space: a great asset for water polo. Provision has also been made to future-proof the facility so that the project can be added to over time, depending on the needs.

Practical completion is set for mid-November with handover mid-December. Arrangements will be made for home fixtures to be played away in the 4th term and practices will alternate between the old pool and our Prep pool for the duration of the 4th term. Access to the campus has been blocked on the Sandown Road side, although Pre-Prep boys have pedestrian access. We ask for everyone’s patience once more over the balance of the year.

At the start of last year, we commenced our first year of the alternative for boys to study the Cambridge curriculum instead of our National in Grades 11 and 12. Nearly 10% of the class signed up and completed their AS-levels in 2023, including Afrikaans, so last year was the first Grade 12 class to sit their A-levels. We were very happy with their results and last week Tony Reeler attended the annual awards evening for Cambridge pupils in South Africa. One of our boys achieved the highest result in South Africa in Mathematics A-level and another the highest in IGCS Economics.

Significantly a former Prep pupil, Jacob Fried, was recognised as the top pupil in the world in A-level History! A remarkable achievement.

Our Grade N boys have thoroughly enjoyed exploring our new outdoor play area! The monkey bars, fireman’s pole, slide, and wobble bridge have been clear favourites—especially with the soft landings adding to the fun and safety.

During our micro activities this week, we focused on patterning using a variety of materials such as sucker sticks, pegboards, bead threading, and small counters. These hands-on activities helped develop fine motor skills and early mathematical thinking.

A special highlight was making bath salts for Mother’s Day. The boys followed a sequence of instructions carefully, using their listening skills and attention to detail. This is a great skill to reinforce at home—try giving your son a simple series of instructions to follow to help build his confidence and independence.

We hope all our Grade N moms had a very happy and relaxing Mother’s Day!

Over the past two weeks, our Grade R boys have been immersed in the fascinating world of Cycles in Nature. This theme has sparked plenty of curiosity and hands-on learning as we explored how our Earth works in beautiful and predictable patterns.

We began with the Water Cycle where the boys learned about how water moves through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Through engaging discussions and visual activities, they discovered how important water is for humans and for all living things on our planet. The concept of water conservation was also introduced, helping the boys understand why it’s important to use water wisely.

In addition to learning about water, we’ve also been exploring two Life cycles: the life cycle of a butterfly and the life cycle of a plant. Beloved stories like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Tiny Seed helped bring these concepts to life. The boys especially enjoyed retelling the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, using their sequencing skills to recall what the caterpillar ate and how it transformed into a beautiful butterfly. With The Tiny Seed, the boys were inspired to create beautiful artworks that reflect the journey of a seed growing into a flower.

We look forward to the next couple of weeks where we will explore the world of Reptiles!

It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the term! The Grade 2 boys have been busy and buzzing with excitement.

In Mathematics, they’ve been learning new ways to double and halve numbers. These strategies build mental maths skills, support logical thinking, and lay the foundation for future problem-solving.

Coding lessons have taken off as the boys designed and coded planes! This creative task boosts sequencing, spatial awareness, and critical thinking—all while having loads of fun.

For Mother’s Day, the boys wrote touching acrostic poems, allowing them to practise vocabulary, express emotions, and celebrate the important women in their lives.

Our new playground has been a big hit, encouraging physical activity, imaginative play, and social interaction during break times.

We’re so proud of the effort and enthusiasm the boys have shown—and we’re excited for what the rest of the term holds!