In a year marked by academic pressure, global uncertainty, and rising expectations, St John’s College has delivered a performance that firmly reinforces its reputation for excellence.
The school’s Matric Class of 2025 has achieved a 100% tertiary pass rate in the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) examinations, with all 149 students contributing to the result. Of these, 146 learners secured a Bachelor’s Degree pass, underscoring both depth and consistency across the cohort.
But beyond the headline figures lies a story of sustained effort, academic rigour, and meaningful growth — the hallmarks of the St John’s journey.
Excellence across demanding disciplines
The results reflect exceptional performance across large subject cohorts, including Afrikaans, Dramatic Arts, English, Geography, History, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences. In these subjects, distinction rates and averages were well above IEB benchmarks, pointing to years of deliberate teaching, disciplined learning, and a culture that values intellectual stamina over shortcuts.
Importantly, many students showed significant improvement in 2025, moving up symbols and overcoming real academic challenges.
“We celebrate that growth,” the school noted — a reminder that excellence is measured not only by results, but by progress.
Rigour by design, not by chance
Deputy Head: Academics Vanessa Govender says the achievements of the Class of 2025 reflect a system that deliberately avoids the easy path.
“We are proud of the Class of 2025, with 138 students earning at least one distinction,” she said. “This reflects well on both our students and their teachers.”
“At St John’s, we do not take the easy path. Our academic framework is rigorous by design, requiring every student to take either Physical or Life Sciences, and often both, alongside Mathematics, Languages, and the Humanities.”
“This breadth matters because we’re not just producing high achievers. We’re developing independent thinkers with the intellectual stamina and skills to succeed at university and beyond.”
Leadership, legacy, and continuity
Executive Headmaster Dale Jackson, marking the beginning of his tenure, paid tribute to the leadership that shaped the cohort.
“The Class of 2025 has achieved something special,” he said. “As I begin my journey at St John’s, I want to acknowledge former Executive Headmaster Stuart West, under whose leadership these young men have flourished.”
“I congratulate them and our exceptional teaching staff, and I’m grateful to our parents for their partnership. This is the kind of excellence that defines St John’s.”
By the numbers: a remarkable academic profile
The Class of 2025 produced results that speak to both scale and distinction:
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149 students achieved 558 distinctions
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3.7 distinctions per candidate
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One student achieved 11 distinctions
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Three students achieved 10 distinctions
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Five students achieved 9 distinctions
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11 students achieved 8 distinctions
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12 students achieved 7 distinctions
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93% of students achieved at least one distinction
Strength in Mathematics and the Sciences
Mathematics and Science — often decisive for university access — were areas of particular strength:
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Mathematics:
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87.25% uptake (130 students), far exceeding the IEB uptake of 58.8%
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Average: 79.6%, which is 14.23% above the IEB average
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78 distinctions, with 76.5% of students scoring above 60%
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Luke Brickhill achieved 99%
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Physical Sciences:
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74.5% uptake (111 students) compared to the IEB’s 38.2%
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Average: 72.4%, 11.36% above the IEB average
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38 distinctions
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Life Sciences:
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61.1% uptake (91 students)
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Average: 74%
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35 distinctions
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Breadth across the curriculum
Academic excellence extended well beyond core subjects:
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Information Technology: Average 84.8%, with 40 distinctions
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English: Average 76.2%, 47 distinctions
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Afrikaans: Average 74.5%, 44 distinctions
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isiZulu: Average 71.1%, 12 distinctions
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Life Orientation: Average 79.5%, 87 distinctions
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Dramatic Arts: Average 89.1%, 31 distinctions, with Siza Gule achieving 100%
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History: Average 77.8%, 59 distinctions
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Geography: Average 70.5%, 8 distinctions
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French: Average 80.2%, 9 distinctions
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German: Average 79.5%, 1 distinction
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Latin: Average 87%, both students achieved distinctions
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Music: Average 85.8%, 4 distinctions
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ABRSM Music: Average 82%, 2 distinctions
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Visual Arts: Average 82%, 6 distinctions
Further Studies and international recognition
In the International Secondary Certificate (ISC) subjects:
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49 students achieved distinctions, including:
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24 in Further Studies Mathematics Extended
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12 in Further Studies Mathematics Standard
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8 in Further Studies English
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5 in Further Studies Physics
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IEB recognition further highlighted the cohort’s national standing:
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Five students were placed on the IEB Outstanding Achievement List
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Five students were placed on the IEB Commendable Achievement List
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36 subject results (including six in Further Studies) ranked in the top 1% of all IEB candidates nationally
Top achievers set the pace
Students achieving overall averages above 90% included:
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Luca van Tonder – 93.8% (11 distinctions)
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Ruhan Gosai – 94% (10 distinctions)
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Siza Gule – 94% (9 distinctions)
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Luke Brickhill – 93.5% (10 distinctions)
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Ethan Wilcocks – 93.3% (8 distinctions)
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Tom Dewar – 92.9% (8 distinctions)
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Jack Logan – 92.7% (8 distinctions)
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Cayde Bricknell – 92.3% (10 distinctions)
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Menzi Bongwe – 91.8% (9 distinctions)
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Jason Aspoas – 91.4% (9 distinctions)
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Leo Chen – 90.6% (9 distinctions)
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Tsiamo Mabiletsa – 90.4% (8 distinctions)
Notably, Siza Gule and Menzi Bongwe have already secured acceptance to Harvard University through the Early Action Program.
A cohort that defines St John’s
The Class of 2025 has not only excelled academically — it has embodied what St John’s stands for: breadth, resilience, discipline, and intellectual ambition.
In a competitive national landscape, these results position St John’s College not just as a high-performing school, but as an institution committed to producing graduates ready to think, adapt, and lead.
