20th March 2020

Dear Parents

In a world that appears to be in a state of apparent madness and confusion, instances of extreme hope, pride and pleasure are most precious and make all the efforts worthwhile.  I have been extremely fortunate to have experienced such moments this week when watching our choirs, as the only person in the audience, singing at the Eisteddfods.  Our choirs sang beautifully with the Grade 1 and 2 choir awarded a 1st +, the Grade 3 choir awarded Honours and the Trophy, Grade 4 choir awarded Honours, the Grade 5 choir awarded Honours and the Senior Choir awarded Honours and the Trophy. The Adjudicator, from the UK, could not have praised our choirs more highly and used expletives such as ‘polished’, ‘dramatic’ and ‘outstanding.  Congratulations go to all our Choirs and especially to our Music Teachers, Mrs. Bosha and Mr Hartnack.  The Adjudicator described Mrs Bosha as ‘fabulous’, which she most certainly is.

Our most grateful thanks must go to the organisers of the National Institute of Allied Arts Eisteddfods for their incredible efforts in re-arranging the format to make it possible for the choirs to sing in complete safety.  As Head, I was allowed to be the only person in the audience and only to watch our choirs so was able to see and assess, first hand, their measures, which were most impressive.  Those schools that withdrew from the Eisteddfod prematurely, before the measures were announced, missed out on a wonderful opportunity for their choirs to be assessed by an international Adjudicator, even if singing to an empty auditorium.

The elation I felt has certainly not detracted from the seriousness of the world crises that we find ourselves now in.  The situation is evolving daily with our having to adapt on the run. As I am sure you will all be aware by now, Term will end at lunch time on Tuesday next week, 24th March. There will be no formal Final Assembly with parents invited on Tuesday.

Our Inter House Sports Day, scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed and will be held next Tuesday morning but without spectators. The Infants Sports Day will be incorporated so as to give all our pupils the opportunity to take part.
Please note that parents are not allowed to come and watch this event.

Our Parent/Teacher consultations next week have been postponed until a date to be announced.

The Eisteddfod Concert has sadly been cancelled. However, we will hold an internal Concert on Monday, without parent spectators, which will be videoed for parents.

As the situation evolves there may be further measures taken, cancellations etc. which will be forwarded to parents by SMS.

Inter-House Public Speaking

Congratulations also go to all our pupils who represented their Houses at the Inter House Public Speaking competition on Tuesday.

1st Knightbruce   2nd  Gaul   3rd  Beaven  4th  Paget

Congratulations go to Mutsa Maposa and Alaiya Esat who will be representing Bishopslea at the Inter-Schools competition at a date to be announced.

Eisteddfod Results
Flute
Kinsani Mamba  2nd   Tinevimbo Muzunde  2nd  Tadiswa Mazike 2nd+

Choirs
Grade 1 & 2   1st    Grade 3  Honours & Cup
Grade 4   Honours   Grade 5  Honours
Grade 6 & 7   Honours & Cup

Infant Certificates
1B Aarya Max, Sana Mussa, Matipa Motsi
1G Manuella Munyanyi, La-Verne Nyamayaro, Chengeta Muguti, Simangaliso Zimba
2B Hareem Mahmood, Tawananyasha Mawunga, Michelle Chiguvare, Ropafadzo Marowa
2H Soleil-Jane Mahachi, Dadiso Kanhukamwe, Kudiwa Katema, Sofia Mutendera

Merit & Effort Badges
3H Merit: Naomi Langeveldt  Effort: Tanaka Jambwa
3O Merit: Anenyasha Nebarwe  Effort: Saffiyah Adam
3C Merit: Patience Benesi
4C Merit: Thembi Charasika  Effort: Ella Boka, Angel Kovhiwa
4T Merit: Kait-Lynn Kuveya, Ashley Majula, Angel Makuchete
4S Effort: Lailah Mudge
5M Merit: Tadiswa Mazike  Effort: Kudzwaishe Madando
6B Merit: Lynelle Mutimusakwa  Effort: Anashe Kudenga
6H Merit: Takunda Bawa, Zaara Kassim  Effort: Zion Mupamhanga
6M Merit: Sienna Pole
7M Merit: Mikayla Makwabarara  Effort: Paige Manuel
7O Merit: Naledi Sikala  Effort: Emily Muzembe

Class Captain & Vice Captain
3H Captain: Faithful Masendeke  Vice Captain: Tawana Maunganidze
3O Captain: Victoria Kuster  Vice Captain: Unathi Mhlanga
4C Captain: Marium Firoz  Vice Captain: Hailey Nhira
4T Captain: Kait-Lynn Kuveya  Vice Captain: Nyasha Munyaradzi
5M Captain: Munashe Kazingizi
6B Captain: Samuela Chibaya  Vice Captain: Tawana Mhembere
6H  Captain: Tara Fachet  Vice Captain: Naseerah Hoosein
6M  Captain: Charity Benesi

Yours sincerely

R J Crook
HEADMASTER