Redhill School attains its best matric results to date

While private school pupils who wrote the National Senior Certificate (NSC) through the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) achieved an impressive 98.46% pass rate in the 2023 exams, the pupils at Redhill School in Sandton marked a historic milestone as the school attained its best-ever matric results.

The school obtained a 100% bachelor's degree pass, a total of 292 distinctions with an average of four distinctions per student. Of the pupils, 21% received a full house (seven or more distinctions), which is a 4% increase from the school's 2022 matric results.

Redhill's top achiever and DUX scholar is Samuel Hertz, who received a 96% average with 11 distinctions, of which 10 distinctions were 90% or above. 

HOD of music at Redhill School, Dr Angie Mullins, described Hertz as an exceptional and well-rounded student.

Mullins said in addition to his role as vice president, Hertz's contributions extended to the arts and culture committee, where he served as chairperson during the 2021-2022 term.

"His creative vision and organisational skills greatly enriched our school's cultural events and activities.

"Samuel's talents extended beyond his leadership roles, as he also excelled academically. He's chosen a demanding subject package consisting of English home language, Afrikaans first additional language, mathematics, life orientation, accounting, physical sciences, dramatic arts, music, ABRSM 7 (external option music), further studies mathematics, and further atudies English.

"Samuel earned academic colours in both 2021 and 2022, and an academic honours award in 2023, a testament to his consistent commitment to academic excellence," she wrote in his testimonial.

"In summary, Samuel Hertz is a truly exceptional student whose leadership, academic, and cultural achievements have left an indelible mark on Redhill Senior School. His dedication to the arts, music, and drama, coupled with his academic excellence and leadership qualities, make him a standout individual and a role model for his peers," she said.

Redhill's other top achievers in the IEB results are:

Zahra Mitha – 7 distinctions

Emma Laws – 7 distinctions

Sinhle Sigwebela – 6 distinctions

The school also offers an International Baccalaureate diploma programme (IBDP). The class of 2023 achieved outstanding results and outperformed the international average. Redhill’s average for 2023 is 36.13 (surpassing the world average by 7.07 points). Four students achieved either 42 or 41 points (out of a potential 45 points).

"It is crucial to emphasise that the IBDP is a demanding and rigorous programme, making the achievement of scores in the 40-42 range a remarkable accomplishment," executive head Joseph Gerassi said.

"Although precise percentile rankings may fluctuate annually, students attaining these scores are typically acknowledged as top performers on a global scale.

"Such exceptional achievements often serve as a pathway for admission to some of the world's most prestigious universities, frequently opening doors to scholarship opportunities."