Dear Parents

This is the last newsletter of the year, but I will be writing a letter to you all next week. 
These past few weeks have been filled with energy, pride, and meaningful moments across the Pre-Prep. 
Our Grade N and R boys and their parents stood for one minute of powerful silence in The Theatre and our Grade 1 and 2 boys and the staff formed a circle and stood for 5 minutes, supporting Women for Change in their stand against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. The response from both staff and boys was “loudly silent,” and we could not be prouder of our young boys for the respect and solidarity they showed. 
We are looking forward to the Pre-Prep Carol Service tonight. A warm thank you to Fr Monwabisi, Rev Bengani, the Mrs Swanich, all the teachers, and all the boys. I am looking forward to gathering with our community in a spirit of joy and celebration as we look toward the Christmas season. 

FAREWELL 
Linda Dinan, our Prep ICT Manager, moves across to College next year to take over the position of IT Director for the whole school, so it is not really farewell, but rather congratulations on her well-deserved promotion and a thank you for her years at the Prep and Pre-Prep. The school is fortunate to have Linda taking over.  A teacher herself, Linda has a passion for integration of tech to enhance learning; she is process-driven and end-user focussed. We wish her well. 

WELCOME 
Gillian Gouws will take over as Prep ICT Manager and Edtech Integrator from 1 March. She comes from St Stithians where she works as their ICT Curriculum Integrator. With her great experience too in robotics and curriculum, we look forward to having the advantage of her experience and passion. 

STAFF CHANGES 
After 23 happy years in Grade R, Mrs van Zyl will be moving to Grade N next year. Mrs Nolte will be joining the Grade R team. We are excited about this change in our lower grades and wish them both a successful year.  

TERM 1 LEADERSHIP 
With Lester Lalla arriving in the second term, Chris Groom will be Acting Headmaster for the first term. Mark Erlangsen has therefore been appointed as Acting Deputy Head for that period. His portfolio will include discipline and day-to-day school management at the Prep. Karen Dallas and myself with continue to support this executive team.  

I look forward to seeing you at the various end-of-year events over the next few days. 

Happy Birthday to Mr Chris Webster 3rd, Ms Noluvuyo Tandwa on the 12th and Carron Merrick on the 21st December.

Best wishes 

TARYN BAIN
HEAD: PRE-PREP

Thursday 27 November

Pre-Prep Carols at 18h00

All Parents are invited to join us in the Memorial Chapel. It is compulsary for all Grade 1 and 2 boys. They must be dressed in full summer uniform. Doors will open at 17:45 for parents to be seated. More information for the boys will follow.

Blessing of the Ties at 11h00

Grade 2 Parents are invited to join us for tea on the Chapel lawns after the ceremony.

Grade 2 Camp out at 5pm

Parents have been emailed.

Term 4 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.

Please click HERE for further information on a Holiday Club offer from (04 and 05) and 15th to 19th December, hosted by Ms Rheeder.

Please click HERE for further information on a Holiday Club offer from 8th till 12th December hosted by Mrs Stuart.

Please click HERE for further information on a Holiday Club offer from 5th till 9th January hosted by Mrs Van Zyl.

Morning Care

A reminder that all boys who are dropped off between 07h00 and 7h30 must attend morning care. No boys may be in their classrooms before 07h30.

Second-Hand shop

The second-hand shop will be open on:
12 January 9h00 - 11h30
13 January 9h00 - 11h30

The opening times also change for 2026 
Monday 7h15 - 8h30
Thursday 7h15 - 8h30

School Shop
Please note that the School Shop based on the College Campus will be closed from 16th December 2025 to 3rd January 2026, reopening on Monday 5th January 2026.

A gentle reminder that we require boys to wear hats when outside.  The sun is extremely hot during the morning when the boys are outdoors.  Despite sunblock, the glare is quite intense and these hats provide much needed protection for both skin and eyes.  Please ensure that your son has his hat at school so that he is able to play outside.

The Light We Are Waiting For

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1:5

Dear Parents, Boys, and Staff,

As we come to the end of another rich school year and step into Advent, we are reminded that Christmas is more than rest and celebration. It is God’s promise that His light finds us, even in our busy, uncertain, or tired moments.

When Jesus was born into a world that was far from perfect, God chose that moment to shine His light. And here at Bishops Pre-Prep, we see that same light in our boys every day. Their laughter, their courage to try again, their small acts of kindness, their honesty, and even the way they look out for one another, these are sparks of God’s light alive in our community. They remind us what hope looks like.

To our parents carrying so much, Christmas whispers: God is with you. To our teachers and staff who give so much of themselves, Christmas reminds you: Your light changes lives. And to every family who has faced challenge or pressure this year, Christmas says gently: The darkness has not overcome the light.

As we prepare for Christmas, may we each choose one simple act of love every day: kindness, forgiveness, generosity, or even a moment of stillness. These small choices make room for the light of Jesus in our lives and in the lives of our boys.

As this holy season approaches, may peace steady you, may hope strengthen you, and may joy find you in unexpected ways. Thank you for the love, trust, and warmth you bring to our Bishops Pre-Prep family. It is a blessing to walk this journey with you.

May God’s light surround your families and shine gently in your homes this Christmas.

In light of the imminent release of reports, please may we ask that you check your access to our parent portal, MyBishopsLife Prep. Navigate to the Prep Intranet and login via the first icon entitled MyBishopsLife – Parents or use this direct link.

Grade N to 2 Academic Reports will be released to your son’s profile on MyBishopsLife on Monday 8th December.
Should you have difficulty accessing your son’s profile, please email portal@bishops.org.za for assistance. This inbox will be monitored daily, and assistance will be provided until close of business on Thursday, 11th December 2025 and then again from Friday, 9th January 2026.

VUSA

VUSA continues to flourish thanks to the extraordinary Bishops community, whose steadfast support and generous spirit transform the lives of our children. Your commitment nurtures their confidence, sparks their imagination and empowers them to reach beyond the limits they once knew. As you explore our Annual Impact Report, we hope you recognise the profound impact of your involvement and feel proud of the hope and possibilities you help cultivate every day.

Our Grade N boys have been absolute superstars, practising and performing so beautifully for our Nativity concert. We are so proud of them!
The hot weather has brought lots of joy too - endless fun with sand, water and pipes, filling containers and bottles, and getting deliciously wet to keep cool! Some of us even wrote letters to Father Christmas and posted them right here at school. We hope he receives every one.
We’re also looking forward to Sensory Day next week - please remember to pack a spare set of clothes.
It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of a fantastic year of play in Grade N. What a year it has been, and what fun we’ve had together!

As we reach the final pages of our Grade R journey, the past two weeks have been filled with festive cheer as we explored our Christmas theme. The highlight, without a doubt, was welcoming all our parents to enjoy the boys’ Nativity Play. Our young stars shone brightly on stage, each one performing with joy, confidence, and pride. It was a truly heart-warming moment to see their hard work come alive.
Our classrooms have been transformed with Christmas artwork and carefully written letters to Father Christmas, adding to the excitement of the season. The boys have loved expressing their creativity and sharing in the magic of Christmas.
With just a few days left of Grade R, our playgrounds are filled with happy chatter, laughter, and treasured moments with friends. It is a special time of reflection, celebration, and soaking up the last bits of fun before the year ends.
As we prepare to say goodbye to our Grade R boys, we do so with full hearts. We are incredibly proud of how much they have grown, learned, and shared this year. We wish each one of them a joyful and restful December holiday filled with family, love, and festive sparkle.
Farewell, Grade R and thank you for a truly memorable year!

It’s hard to believe that I am writing this blurb for our final newsletter of 2025. Times surely has flown by, and we have certainly had fun! Every day is full of learning and play, even in in these last days of Grade 2. Our boys enjoyed a fun gala during their last swimming lesson on Tuesday. Our corridors are filled with Christmas tunes being sung or played on a musical instrument by our budding musicians and choir. It was such a treat to watch our Music Concert last week Tuesday. Our boys have so much to look forward to as they continue their Music journey at the Prep School. Break times are filled with soccer, cricket, last moments on the jungle gym and finding dragonflies that visit our garden and water feature. There is definitely something for everyone to enjoy. Our Grade 2 Gentlemen are officially ready to move over to the Prep school. We are so very proud of how much they have grown during their time at the Pre-Prep and wish them well as they begin the next part of their journey.