OD11 digital HR - Flipbook - Page 9
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
The class of 2024
photographed by
Craig Watson (1979S).
musicians from Grade N to Grade
12, and a group of young ODs, took
part. This glorious celebration in a
sacred space was breathtaking. We
also held another first, a trilingual
public-speaking competition for
high-school pupils. And our art
department collaborated with
the ODU to put on a wonderful
display of the artistic talent of
pupils and ODs (see p58).
Our sporting programme saw
numerous events, including the
College hosting the Peninsula
Cricket Festival as well as the
175 Rugby and Hockey Festival.
The Prep hosted rugby, hockey,
tennis and cricket festivals, and
the Pre-Prep held a successful
Colour Run, which added funds
to the Brooke Chapel window
project. All were part of the 175
year, with the 175 logo featuring
prominently. Designed by College
art teacher Husain Essop, the
logo was a talking point, placing
Bishops within the Western Cape
through skilful use of iconography
such as proteas, wheat and the
Chapel bells.
While it was not an intended
project for 175, the rowing
fraternity opened their stateof-the-art indoor rowing facility
on the side of the Frank Reid field.
This is the first of its kind in South
Africa, made possible thanks to the
generosity of rowing parents who
donated the funds for the project.
The last 25 years of the school’s
history were skilfully penned by
former deputy principal Michael
King, and now appears as an
electronic record on our website.
Also running throughout the
year was a 175 wine project, made
possible with the kind assistance
of four ODs, who each produced a
wine to be used at social functions.
The wines were also available
for purchase. Our thanks go
to all involved. (See Issue 10
of The Old Diocesan.)
The school had a good academic
year, and the final results of the
class of 2024 were pleasing. It has
become difficult to make year-onyear comparisons, or comparisons
to other schools, as we now have
two parallel curricula: the National
Senior Certificate and Cambridge
A Levels. However, our boys did
very well, in particular our first
cohort of 19 boys in the A Level
programme. (See next page.)
Extramurals remain important
at Bishops, and we saw excellent
results from a number of sporting
codes: rowing, cricket, hockey and
water polo, in particular. While
some results were disappointing,
we have plans in place to improve;
hopefully, they will bear fruit in the
years to come.
We are eternally grateful to
the many parents and ODs who
actively support the school. We
are constantly striving to improve,
with a specific future focus on
culture in boarding and in our
junior grades. My thanks also go
to the staff who work tirelessly
to support all our students, and
who provide wonderful facilities
and opportunities for our boys.
Confidence in the school remains
high, with extensive waiting
lists, particularly in boarding.
We are facing life beyond 175
with anticipation and eagerness.
THE OLD DIOCESAN | 7
