From the pens of principals

OWN CORRESPONDENT

Lorraine Srage, principal King David High School Linksfield

All 147 students passed matric, with all except two receiving a university entrance. A total of 552 distinctions were obtained – 3.75 distinctions per student. Twenty-one percent of our students achieved seven distinctions or more.

Twenty-six students were placed in the top 1% in the country in certain subjects. Four students were placed on the IEB Outstanding Achievements List (within the top 5% in six subjects or more and 80% or more for life orientation). Six students were placed on the IEB Commendable Achievements List (within the top 5% in five subjects and 80% or more for life orientation).

What is particularly outstanding is that all of our students in the educational-support programme obtained a university entrance. These are students who did not believe that they could pass matric, and did. They did not believe that they could obtain a university entrance, and did. These students didn’t even believe that matric was a vague possibility for them, but they did it.

These achievements are testament to hardworking students, supportive parents, and dedicated professional teachers.

Our students were able to reap the benefits of a privileged education. My wish is that they will all go into the world and make their mark, as well as make a difference. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate all the 2019 matriculants.

Andrew Baker, principal King David High School Victory Park

Being a community school, we have a wide range of academic diversity within our student body. The matrics were adamant that not only our top achievers be recognised and praised, but also those who have worked to fulfil their potential.

We have a large number of students who come to King David High School Victory Park from remedial primary schools. They have spent the past five years working relentlessly to matriculate within a system that features a high academic standard.

Considering the high number of students with barriers to learning, it’s significant that all students achieved a university entrance pass (bachelor degree pass), and that 90% of all subjects written resulted in achievements of 60% and above. So, in a nutshell, we had a 100% bachelor degree pass and 18 placements in the top 1% in various subjects. There were 228 subject distinctions out of 562 subjects written, which is 40.57% of all subjects written. So, there was an average of 2.96 distinctions per candidate, and 89.86% of all candidates achieved above 60% in all subjects.

Marc Falconer, principal Herzlia High School

Each 2019 Herzlia student, irrespective of their distinctions, deserves to be commended for their dedication and hard work, sometimes under difficult circumstances.

Of our 114 matric candidates, we had a 100% pass rate and 99% were awarded a university exemption. Our matriculants achieved 421 individual subject distinctions, an average of 3.7 distinctions per candidate. Fifty-six percent of candidates achieved four or more distinctions, and the average overall subject aggregate was 76%.

For many who are part of our inclusive school, their matric results need to be understood in their specific context, and we are proud of these achievements.

It’s also important to recognise the hard work, commitment, and expertise of all the teachers, and to make particular mention of the education support department, which has made a significant difference to the lives of so many students. This is one of the great privileges of Herzlia’s offering.

All 16 students on the education support programme passed with not one subject failure.

We would like to thank all our parents for the vital role they played in supporting, encouraging, and nurturing their children.

Education is about these results, but also about the values, skills, and relationships our students take out into the world.

Rob Long, academic director Yeshiva College Schools

We at Yeshiva College could not be more proud of our 2019 matric group’s achievement in the final IEB exams. In spite of the exceptional average of 3.9 distinctions per student, what we are most proud of is the type of young men and women they have become.

The 100% pass rate, 100% university entrance, and 186 distinctions from 48 candidates certainly speaks to their positive attitude and dedication to their studies. It also speaks to the relationship between parents, students, and teachers.

We are proud of the young men and women who leave our school as menschen due to their well-rounded general studies and Torah learning, their deep involvement in community service, and their commitment to sport and cultural extra-murals. I thank all our teachers for the role that they have played in our students’ success.

As the Class of 2019 departs to play a significant part in their communities, I wish them well.

Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, dean Torah Academy

Torah Academy is delighted to have been recognised as the fourth highest achieving school in the National Senior Certificate examinations in South Africa.

We are proud of the 100% pass rate, and the average of three distinctions per candidate that was achieved.

The achievement of multiple distinctions (including eight distinctions) is all the more exceptional, considering the fact that the students simultaneously complete a comprehensive Torah studies programme.

The dual programmes complement each other, and afford students the opportunity to continue their studies at the finest national and international yeshivot, seminaries, and universities. We are proud that the vast majority of students will pursue advanced tertiary Torah studies – the majority of them in Israel.

This year, partly motivated by the students, we have decided not to publish individual results. We celebrate the hard work and achievements of every student.

Joseph Gerassi, executive head Redhill

It’s both exciting and incredibly encouraging that Redhill School’s matric class of 2019 received the school’s best-ever results. Not only did we once again have a 100% pass and 100% university entrance rate, but the school’s distinction rate has also risen by an astonishing 58% in the past five years.

Redhill School is clearly doing something right, which is encouraging for a school that continues to create innovative ways for our students to excel, but not at the expense of their social and emotional well-being.

In fact, it’s because of our focus on their well-being that Redhill students excel. Our high school not only prepares students to write their final exams, but also gives them the option to write either the South African IEB matric or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. This allows our students the opportunity to qualify for any international university.

Rabbi Steven Krawitz, secular principal Hirsch Lyons High Schools

Hirsch Lyons High Schools achieved wonderful results in the 2019 IEB matric exams. Our students achieved an average of 3.6 distinctions, well within our historic band of between three and four distinctions per student. More than 50% of all results were distinctions; 78% of all results were As and Bs.

All students studying Hebrew and Life Orientation achieved distinctions in those subjects, and in our English, Maths, Life Sciences, and Business Studies departments, 40% of students achieved distinctions. For the fifth year in a row, Hirsch Lyons has a 100% pass rate with entry to degree study.

All these academic results were achieved within a structure of kedusha (holiness) focussing on the love, study, and practice of Torah, commitment to chesed (compassion), and service of Hashem, with a focus on derech eretz (orthodox Judaism) and character development.