What we stand for
Supporting a Progressive Bishops brings together Old Diocesans (Bishops alumni), parents, staff and friends who want to see Bishops thrive as a force for good in South African society.
We are diverse in background and belief, united by the conviction that the School's mission to inspire individuals calls for diversity, respect for difference, and equity of opportunity. We believe Bishops belongs to everyone in its community, and that it can lead by quiet example in the wider life of our country.
Why we came together
Supporting a Progressive Bishops came together in 2026 because the School was doing things that made us proud, and was being pressed to stop.
The Pride flag. For several years the School has flown the Pride flag for a few days each June, a small and gentle sign to every pupil that they belong. In June 2026 the Old Diocesan Union Committee wrote to the School Council asking for a flag policy that would end the practice. We supported the School's freedom to keep making that gesture, and more than 1,300 Old Diocesans, parents, staff, pupils and friends have since put their names to our statement saying so. Read the statement and add your name
The Bishops Rhodes Scholarship. When the Rhodes Trust set out to open the four South African School Scholarships to a wider pool of candidates, the School Council chose to accept a settlement that keeps the Bishops Rhodes Scholarship alive while widening who may compete for it. We supported Council in that choice. A working group of the Old Diocesan Union chose instead to raise money and prepare legal action against it. Read more
An inclusive School. Bishops is an Anglican school that welcomes pupils of every faith and those without one. With the blessing of the Anglican Diocese of Cape Town, whose Archbishop is the School's Visitor, it has hosted an Iftar for its Muslim pupils and their families during Ramadan. We support the School in continuing to do so, and in every initiative that lets each pupil know that no matter their background or tradition, they have a place here.
In each case the pressure on the School to stop, or to undo what it had done, came from the same direction: the current Committee of the Old Diocesan Union, and some Old Diocesans aligned with it, who have sought a say in how the School is run that the Union's own constitution does not give them. The Union belongs to all of its members. It exists to bring Old Diocesans together and to support the School, not to interfere in its governance. Much of our work over the past year has been to help it return to those basics, and that is why 122 Old Diocesans have now requisitioned a Special General Meeting of the Union. Read more
The numbers
Join us
Supporting a Progressive Bishops is open to anyone who cares about the School: Old Diocesans (Bishops alumni), parents, staff, pupils and friends. Members hear from us when there is something worth knowing, and every member is asked to vote in our ballots, which guide the route we take on each decision. We never share your details, your email address is never shown, and you can leave at any time.
Check your inbox
Check your inbox and click the link to confirm your address. If you are already on the roll, there is nothing more to do.
Get involved
Our WhatsApp group is where members keep one another informed, organised and encouraged. It is not a debating space. The persuading happens outside it, in the wider Bishops community, and everyone who joins agrees to our Community Norms.
Once you have joined above and confirmed your email address, we send you the link to the group. Joining it is entirely optional: everything important, including ballots, reaches members by email. Questions at any time to [email protected].