The Old Diocesan Issue 13 - Magazine - Page 14
The measure of a good man
Even when Bishops is thriving, we can still strive for improvement in how
we do things, reflects Principal Tony Reeler as he unveils the school’s new
strategic focus on raising boys into good, values-led men
T
o report that all is well
in the “State of Bishops”
is relatively easy, because
largely it is. The academic
programme is as strong as ever,
as is the cultural programme
and almost all sport. Opportunity
abounds for the boys, which they
grab with both hands. We have
taken up use of the finest water
polo facility in the country and will
shortly open our second Astroturf.
Both projects have been financed
primarily by our school building
fund, which is created from the
placement fees paid when a boy
joins Bishops. In this way, the
joining families are investing in
their son’s future and the future
of many other boys to come.
The school is financially strong,
with a fraction of the outstanding
fees and bad debt that many
other schools face. We are oversubscribed in every grade at the
College, with long waiting lists.
The boys are happy – as is clearly
shown in the recent satisfaction
survey performed at the College.
With an 83% response rate, those
surveyed reported being both
happy and safe at pleasingly high
levels – 96% and 97%, respectively.
I can safely report that they, our
most important stakeholders,
are doing well.
So why the hesitancy in my
opening sentence to state that
everything is going well?
In the past six months, we have
had three instances where small
sections of the wider Bishops
community have actively and
publicly voiced their opposition
10 | THE OLD DIOCESAN
Principal Tony Reeler in front of the Brooke Chapel. Bishops is one of two South
African schools ranked in the Carfax Education World’s Best Schools Index.
