Dear Parents

Over the last few weeks, I have sat in a few parent and team feedback meetings. A common thread amongst many of these meetings was the dilemma of screen time.

While technology has made a remarkable impact on education, communication and the ability to access knowledge instantly, excessive screen time can impact a child’s cognitive, language and social-emotional development.

Research suggests the following screen time recommendations

• No screen time for children younger than 18 months
• High quality educational media with parental engagement for children 18 – 24 months. The child should not be left alone in front of the screen.
• Ages 2 – 5 years, no more than 1 hour a day while engaging in conversation with an adult about what is being viewed
• Ages 5+ year, no more than 2 hours a day while engaging in conversation with an adult about what is being viewed

We have noticed that our boys that have had exposure to screen time from a young age, and/ or for extended periods of time have exhibited challenges with emotional regulation, , understanding and managing social situations, less classroom discussion engagement, weaker gross motor and fine motor skills, difficulty maintaining attention and so much more.

With the above said, I will highlight what the research says…

The Cognitive Impact
Devices can be both beneficial and detrimental to cognitive development – interactive educational apps and digital books can enhance literacy skills and creativity. However, excessive screen time has been associated with lower executive functioning (planning skills), decreased ability to recall information and poorer academic performance. High levels of screen time at an early age can lead to attention span and problem-solving skills later in life.

Language Development
Children learn through real-life interactions with parents, caregivers, siblings and peers. Some digital content can support language learning, but excessive screen exposure especially when passive can hinder language development. Children ages 12 to 24 months, that spend 2 hours a day in front of a screen are six times for likely to have a language delay. More screen times results in fewer opportunities to develop vocabulary, communication skills and comprehension abilities.

Social Emotional Development
Excessive screen time can have an influence on children’s emotional health and social skills. Increased screen exposure is associated with a higher likelihood of anxiety, depression, and poorer emotional regulation. Children’s ability to read social cues, develop empathy and manage emotions can also be impacted by increased exposure. Additionally, excessive video gaming has been linked to an increase in aggression, while overuse of social media can contribute to a lower self-esteem.

At Bishops Pre-Prep we aim to develop well rounded gentlemen. Unfortunately, we have seen the negative impact screens can have on the development of our boys, however, we have also seen the positive impact the reduction in screen time can have. We encourage you all, especially during the holidays to limit screen exposure and to engage in activities with your children. Allowing children to experience boredom can foster creativity, problem-solving skills, resilience and so much more.

Finding a Healthy Balance

• Set Screen Time Limits – if you cannot manage this on your own make use of apps and device controls to assist.
• Encourage Co-viewing – watching and discussing content together fosters interaction and critical thinking skills.
• Prioritise Real-Life Interaction – promote play, reading and face-to-face interactions to strength language and social skills.
• Create Tech-Free Zones – keep bedrooms and mealtimes free from screens.
• Model Healthy Screen Use – children mimic parental behaviour

In a world where screens are inevitable, balance is the key. By being proactive and mindful about screen use, we can help children develop a healthier relationship with technology – enhance learning and protect their cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.

Mrs Fraser has found this poster which is also useful for parents.

Kind regards

Nathierah Essa

Educational Psychologist

End of Term 1 extracurricular programme

Term 2 extracurricular programme will start on Monday the 14th of April. The term 2 extracurricular sign up will close on 10 April which allows you plenty of time to make choices.

Human Rights Day - School Holiday

Human Rights Day in South Africa, observed on March 21st, commemorates the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, where peaceful protesters against apartheid pass laws were tragically killed. This day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made for democracy and equality, encouraging all South Africans to uphold and protect human rights. At Bishops Pre-Prep, we take this opportunity to teach our boys about respect, fairness, and the importance of standing up for what is right.

Parent / Teacher Feedback continues

End of Term 1

Closing times for the end of term are as follows:

Grade N - 10h30

Grade R - 10h40

Grade 1 - 10h50

Grade 2 - 11h00

Aftercare will close at 13h00.

Second Hand Shop Opening Times

The Second Hand shop will open as usual in the last week of this term.

In the first week of next term, the opening times will be as follows:

Monday 7 April: 07h15 - 08h30 and 12h15 to 14h00

Thursday 10 April: 07h15 - 08h30

Thereafter, normal opening hours will resume

Please click Holiday Club for (31st March until 3rd April), hosted by Mrs Kingwill.

Dear Bishops Pre-Prep Families, what a joy it was to gather for our Family Day Chapel Service! Seeing boys, moms, dads, and families worship together was a beautiful reminder of the community we share.

Made in God’s Image
During our time together, we explored a powerful truth from Genesis 1:27—that each of us is made in God’s image. To illustrate this, we imagined a beautifully crafted sandcastle on a Cape Town beach, built with care and attention. If someone were to come along and destroy it, we would feel upset because it was made with love. In the same way, God has created each of us with love, giving us equal worth, no matter our differences.

Human Rights Day – What Does It Mean?
As we approach Human Rights Day on March 21st, it’s important to reflect on what it means for us as a community. This day reminds us that every person, regardless of their background, should be treated with dignity, kindness, and fairness. Jesus set the perfect example of this by welcoming and caring for those whom society overlooked. We, too, are called to show this same love in our daily lives.
Living Out Kindness
At chapel, we discussed simple ways our boys can reflect God’s love at school and beyond:

• Including others – inviting someone to play when they are alone.
• Helping hands – offering assistance when a friend drops something.
• Welcoming new friends – greeting a new classmate with warmth.

Family Kindness Challenge
As a school, we are taking on a Kindness Challenge! This week, we encourage every family to complete one act of kindness each day—at home, at school, or anywhere in the community. Whether it’s sharing a toy, helping a sibling, or writing a kind note, small actions can make a big difference. Parents, we invite you to join in as well—our boys learn best by seeing kindness in action!

A Prayer for the Week
Loving God, thank You for making each of us in Your image. Help us to see others the way You do—with kindness, love, and respect. May we be people who share Your light in the world. Amen.
Wishing you all a blessed and joyful week ahead!

Blessings.

Our Grade Ns have been learning about ocean life in our Under the Sea theme as well as all about our emotions and feelings. Jo Ashwell from Jingles with Jo came to visit us with her kelp horns, her guitar and some sponge and sea creatures. The boys sang and danced and had lots of fun! Mud play, water play and sand play have been very popular activities with the hot weather we have had. These activities help children process different textures and provide tactile stimulation. Sensory play also has a naturally calming effect which helps children regulate their emotions.

Another highlight is 'baking' or creating with food in the art room at the end of each week. Yum! 
We are so proud of our boys walking themselves down to their class independently in preparation for Term 2! Well done Grade Ns!

This week in in Grade R, we celebrated the joy of friendship! The students engaged in fun and meaningful activities such as creating friendship bracelets. These hands-on projects helped develop fine motor skills, especially with threading beads or Oatees onto pipe cleaners, or cutting paper, colouring and gluing our special creations. Not only have the children had a blast making these colourful bracelets, but they also learned the value of kindness and sharing as they created these special keepsakes for their friends. We explored paired drawing and box construction, where boys worked together to build and imagine, further strengthening their teamwork and cooperation skills.

It was a week full of friendship, creativity, and fun!

We also welcomed Mrs Venter back from her maternity leave and bid farewell to Ms Potterton. These two teachers have been teaching side by side this week to ease the children into the transition.

It’s been a busy and exciting end to the term! The boys have been preparing for Family Chapel, reflecting on kindness and how they can show it in their daily lives. In Design Tech, they created caterpillars that grow, bringing their ideas to life with creativity and enthusiasm. Break times have been filled with the challenge of designing and testing marble runs, with plenty of teamwork and problem-solving on display. On the sports field, the boys have wrapped up their summer season with some fantastic cricket, channelling their inner T20 stars. With all this activity, we’re sure everyone is looking forward to a well-earned holiday!