Reddford House shines with 99% matric pass rate

In the wake of the International Examination Board (IEB) matric results release, the Reddford House school is beaming with pride following an achievement of the 99% pass rate from its Class of 2023.  

The Reddford House, boasting three Johannesburg-based campuses in Northcliff, Blue Hills and The Hills, has collectively obtained an overall 86% bachelor pass rate, 197 subject distinctions and 14 top achievers from the 166 students. 

Priding themselves on ensuring all their students reach their potential, the schools, which fall under the globally renowned Inspired Education Group, provide a “nurturing yet disciplined environment that ensures exceptional academic standards and results”. 

Inspired Education Group Africa CEO Ravi Nadasen is pleased to have been part of the journey of the students. 

“Congratulations to the incredible class of 2023 matriculants. Their outstanding results are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and resilience and a reflection of the exceptional education provided by the entire team at Inspired Schools.  

“We are immensely proud of their achievements and know that they have a bright future ahead. We are honoured to have been a part of their journey,” said Nadasen. 

The Northcliff-based campus has also taken pride in the remarkable achievement of one of their students, Matthew van Rooijen, who managed to attain four distinctions following severe dyslexia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and later suffered Asperger syndrome.

Speaking to Sowetan on Thursday, Van Rooijen said from an early age, he had been struggling with fitting in with his peers. 

“I have always struggled with fitting in, in school or at the playground. I never had friends when I was that young. I struggled with talking and I was always awkward. Making friends was my biggest challenge. 

“It was my mom who helped me get through everything because she understood what the issues were. And there was bullying from both teachers and other learners, I would get bad marks, I had to move into homeschooling.  

“But the fact that I could not play any sports frustrated me as I was passionate with all the sports. But my marks had also improved, so I decided I would go to a mainstream school again,” said Van Rooijen.

He also participated in the Curro athletics team after getting a bursary. Rooijen has been highly involved in sports but last year he had to focus on his academics. 

“There were times when I was up quite late in preparation of my portfolios and exams. I would mostly wake up and go to school, then train and come back to focus on my books again. My days were very long. It was a difficult year; I knew it was just for a year,” said Van Rooijen. 

Van Rooijen is poised to pursue a professional athletic career, aiming for the SA under-23 and open teams, with aspirations to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Amid his outstanding accomplishments, he remains focused on his future in athletics, planning to pursue studies at a later stage. 

ratsatsik@sowetan.co.za