Dear Parents

We look forward to welcoming the boys on Monday, dressed in clothing that reflects their heritage. This is a wonderful opportunity to remind them that their heritage is an important part of who they are. Boys may wear clothing that reflects their own heritage. 

Heritage Day is a special occasion in our country, celebrating the rich traditions, languages, customs and stories that make South Africa so unique. For our younger boys especially, it is an opportunity to develop a sense of belonging and pride in who they are, while also learning to appreciate and respect others' diverse backgrounds. Through these shared experiences, we help nurture curiosity, understanding and a deep appreciation for the vibrant tapestry of cultures that make up our school community. 

While we understand the appeal of supporter jerseys for many of our boys, this is not the purpose of the day. 

As we celebrate Heritage Day, we are reminded of Nelson Mandela's words: "Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our nation."  

ISASA Deputy Heads' Conference 
Next week, I will be attending the ISASA Deputy Heads' Conference at Uplands College in Mpumalanga. These conferences provide valuable opportunities to collaborate with colleagues from independent schools across the country, share best practice, and continue learning in ways that ultimately benefit our boys and our school. 

While I am away, Mrs Daames will step into the role and be available to assist with any day-to-day matters (ldaames@bishops.org.za)

TARYN BAIN
HEAD: PRE-PREP

Waka WakaSoccer Tournament

Time: 08h00 to 15h00
Venue: Lutgensvale

Last day of school collection times

Grade N to be collected at 10h30

Grade R to be collected at 10h40

Grade 1 to be collected at 10h50

Grade 2 to be collected at 11h00

Time: 15h00 to 21h00
Venue: Rossall Field

God Is Faithful, Our Promise-Keeper

In our Family Chapel this week, we began with a simple question: “Who do you trust?” We reflected on the words of Numbers 23:19: “What He says He will do, He does. What He promises, He keeps.” People sometimes make promises and, even with the best intentions, may forget or find that they cannot keep them. God is different. God is faithful and remains with us in happy times, difficult times and whenever we feel afraid or uncertain.

The boys heard the story of Pip, a tiny star whose responsibility was to shine over the Great Forest each night. When a storm covered the sky with dark clouds, Pip worried that his light was too small to make a difference. His older brother reminded him that he did not need to be the biggest star; he simply needed to be faithful and keep shining. When a little bear cub became lost in the darkness, Pip shone his light through a gap in the clouds and helped the cub find its way home.

Pip’s story reminded us that even a small light can make a big difference. A kind word, a helping hand, telling the truth, keeping a promise or including someone who feels left out can bring light into another person’s day.
As we approach the end of the term, may our boys remember this simple message: Trust God. Keep your promises. Be a light. God is our Promise-Keeper, and Jesus, the Light of the World, teaches us how to share His love wherever we are.

Music Awards
We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of some of our boys who recently participated in the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod and Paarl Eisteddfod. Their dedication, preparation and love of music were evident in their excellent results across the individual instrumental categories.

Piano: Alex Pedlar, James Motlanthe, Ranav Naidoo and Xavier Kennedy-Farrington
Descant Recorder/Fife: Christian Fuchs, Luke Bester, Isa Allie, Rehan Naidoo and Ranav Naidoo

A huge well done to each of these talented young musicians! We are incredibly proud of the commitment and perseverance you have shown in developing your musical skills.
We are also thrilled to share that the Pre-Prep Choir made history by entering the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod for the very first time. The choir delivered a beautiful and confident performance, earning High Honours — a wonderful achievement for their debut appearance! Congratulations to all our young choristers and to everyone who helped prepare them for this special occasion.

Finally, congratulations to James Motlanthe, who achieved Distinction in his ABRSM Piano Examination last week. This is a remarkable accomplishment, particularly at such a young age, and reflects the hours of practice, discipline and dedication he has put into his music.

Well done, James!

The Grade N boys have loved finding insects and bugs in our garden and enjoying mud play during the warm weather last week. We also had a wonderful outing to Kirstenbosch. The boys enjoyed exploring the Braille Trail, the Boomslang, the Dell and Colonel’s Bird Bath. They used a checklist to find different items in the gardens, ticking them off as they went. We ended our outing with a picnic on the lawns.

We have been exploring sequencing in our micro groups this week using The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Sequencing helps the boys develop their understanding of order and time, while also supporting language, memory and comprehension as they learn to retell a familiar story in the correct order. We have continued to learn through hands-on experiences – the basis of play-based learning. Whether investigating the garden, discovering something new or working together, the boys are constantly learning through their curiosity, imagination and experiences. Wishing all our Grade N boys a happy holiday next week.

The past two weeks have been filled with exciting themes, adventures and special events in Grade R!
Last week, as part of our Fire theme, we learnt about the many uses of fire, as well as the dangers it can pose and the importance of fire safety. The boys were thrilled to go on a very exciting and adventurous outing to the Roeland Street Fire Station. They had the wonderful opportunity to meet real firefighters and learn more about what it means to be a firefighter. They explored the different equipment used by the fire department, watched the impressive 54-metre ladder truck in action, and, of course, the highlight of the morning was getting a ride in the fire engine! It was certainly an experience the boys won’t forget.

This week, our learning has taken us beneath the surface as we have been discovering the wonderful world of oceans. We have learnt about the importance of our oceans, the dangers they are currently facing and the ways in which we can all help to protect and preserve these precious ecosystems. Working in pairs, the boys put their imaginations to work and designed their very own machines and mechanical contraptions to help keep our oceans clean. They showed great teamwork as they worked together to create their designs and then proudly explained what their machines could do and how they would help our oceans.

This week also marked the Grade R boys’ final Tag Rugby practice for the year. To celebrate the end of a wonderful season, we held a mini Tag Rugby tournament, giving the boys the opportunity to put all the skills they have been learning throughout the year into action. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm, teamwork and growing confidence on the field. A big thank you to all the parents who came along to watch their boys in action and cheer them on.. your support made the afternoon even more special!
We are now looking forward to next week as we begin to wind down the term, enjoy some final moments together and get ready for a very well-deserved holiday for everyone!

It is hard to believe that we have less than a week left of term 3. The days really have flown by and have been jam packed with learning opportunities that have presented themselves in various ways. In phonics, our Grade 2 boys have continued to learn new long vowel sounds. This week we learned about Annie Apple and Walter Walrus who walk through Letterland together. Unfortunately, as they walk Walter has a terrible habit of splashing Annie with salty water. Annie Apple then shouts our ‘aw!’ as she gets salty water in her eyes. The ‘aw’ sound is found in letters like jigsaw, dawn and lawn.

Our boys have managed a tricky term of phonics, but stories such as this one help them learn to make the correct spelling choice. In Maths we have learned new strategies to help add and subtract bigger numbers. We have also taken a deeper dive into sharing (division) and grouping (multiplication) as well as fractions. The academic demands of the grade have continued to increase steadily, and our boys have been up for the challenge. The boys have particularly enjoyed learning about natural disasters this term and have created lovely works of art with swirling skies and gusting winds. In keeping with this theme, they have had the opportunity to attend a First Aid course and are well-equipped to deal with an emergency. We are incredibly proud of our Grade 2 boys as they have managed the term with such enthusiasm. It is really lovely to witness their ever-increasing love for learning.