Johannesburg - The matric class of 2018 at St John’s College produced excellent results, the Johannesburg based private school said on Thursday.
"This has been a truly exceptional year," headmaster Paul Edey said.
"More than 40 percent of the St John’s class of 2018 achieved an academic average of at least 80 percent. Seventy-one percent of St John’s College students achieved an average of at least 70 percent."
He said the 141 St John’s matriculants returned 433 distinctions in the 2018 Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exam, and of the 122 boys who wrote the Mathematics exam, 70 achieved an A.
In English, 51 candidates achieved an A and in Physical Sciences, 40 of the 103 candidates achieved a distinction. The college achieved its best Mathematics results in ten years with 57 percent of 2018 matriculants achieving an A for Maths. More than 86 percent of the class of 2018 got an A, B or C symbol in Mathematics.
"In all the key academic subjects, the results of St John’s students eclipsed the national IEB averages. We’re delighted with the achievements of our inspirational staff and the commitment of our young men to excellence," said Edey.
He said St John’s was not simply about academic results: "We aim to produce boys who are capable of holding their own on the global stage with well developed social consciences. St John’s young men go out to make a difference.
"The vast majority of these young men were involved beyond the classroom with their love for the arts, sport and involvement in community programmes. The final two years of school are focused on preparing for the best possible results at the end of the matric year, but it is the formative years that go before which develop not only academic competence, but the social and emotional skills so necessary for young people to play their role as global citizens and to be aware of the immense challenges that face us locally."
Nicholas Moschides was the St John’s College top achiever with nine distinctions in Advanced Programme Mathematics, Mathematics, English, Afrikaans, French, History, Life Orientation, Physical Science and Trinity Music. He is taking a gap year in 2019 and has a job lined up with a commercial diving company in Cape Town.
He would also spend part of this year in Kenya and Botswana pursuing his wildlife photography hobby. He is considering his career options, but is interested in following a career in teaching.
Joshua Bailey, Zander Drotskie, Sibongakonke Kubheka, Michael Kurzewski and Alexander Scriba achieved eight distinctions each. Raymond Barrow, David Brown, Matthew Chamberlin, Nicholas Ching, Zak Coetzee, Lukhanyo Kwini, Cameron Lengacher, Benjamin Macqueen, Jamie Rosengarten, Zachary Sennett, Bastiaan van Wamelen and Christopher Williams each achieved seven distinctions.