Top Achievers

Pictured are some of the top WBHS achievers in the NSC public exams (left to right): Asil Motala (Top Matric pupil in SA 8 A’s), Bandele Mbele (7A’s), Steffen Wies (7A’s), Hermann Tapamo (8 A’s), Gareth Kieck (9A’s), Graham Taschner (9A’s), and Dilan Koovarjee (8A’s). Not pictured: Nikhil Nundlall (10A’s).

Congratulations to the 246 boys in the 2013 Matric group who exceeded all expectations and performed so well in the NSC exams. These exams are internationally bench-marked against the leading the exam bodies such as Cambridge, Scotland and New South Wales, and were generally regarded as challenging.

Special accolades go to 2013 Dux, Asil Motala, for his exceptional achievement of being placed 1st in South Africa. The national rankings are done per ‘quintile’, and WBHS is placed in Quintile 5 which covers the most affluent schools. His marks ranged from 94% to 99% with an average mark of 98%. This places him as the top candidate in the country as his marks are significantly higher than those of the top ranked pupils in other quintiles.

We are very pleased that 222 of our boys achieved Bachelors passes (i.e. 90% of the group).

Another major factor to take into account is that:

  • 92% of our boys undertake core Mathematics, and
  • 86% undertake Physical Science.

 

This indicates that they undertake challenging courses in order to keep their career options open, which makes their achievements very impressive indeed. It is WBHS policy not to encourage our boys to choose softer options.

Some notable statistics for the group of 246 boys were:

  • 100% pass rate (2012: 99%)
  • 222 boys achieved Bachelor passes i.e. 90% of the group (2012: 86%)
  • 9 boys achieved 8 or more distinctions (2012: 6)
  • 24 boys achieved 7 or more distinctions (2012: 13)
  • 37 boys achieved 6 distinctions or more (2012: 23)
  • 54 boys achieved A aggregates (2012: 35)
  • 127 boys achieved B aggregates of better (2012: 101)
  •  193 boys achieved C aggregates of better (2012: 169)
  • 603 subject distinctions were achieved in total (2012: 432)
  • 92% of the group undertake Maths rather than Maths Literacy while 86% undertake Physical Science (2012: 83% & 77%).

Nikhil Nundlall achieved 10 distinctions. Graham Taschner and Gareth Kieck achieved 9 distinctions. The boys who each achieved 8 distinctions were: Asil Motala, Michael Baxter, Yusuf Bhabha, Aneet Daji, Dilan Koovarjee and Hermann Tapamo. Those who achieved 7 distinctions were: Mahomed Bharoochi, Nicholas Clarke, Michael Field, Richard Hill, Ethan Hitchcock, Yusuf Khan, Aury Livingstone, Nikhil Maharaj, Bandile Mbele, Jesse Mills, Yuvan Naicker, Kyle Pillay, Naeem Shaikh, Azahar Valiallah, and Steffen Wies. Those who achieved 6 distinctions were: Stephen Coombe, Adriaan de la Rey, Dylan de Charmoy, Nicolas Finn, Yashil Ghazi, Alexi Kalamoudacos, Akshay Maharaj, Guy Moody, Kalin Naidu, Mahomed Osman, Wian Prinsloo, Zane Stenning and Rudi Wies. 

 

The success achieved last year in academics, sport and the arts reinforces WBHS’s commitment to the holistic approach and our mission of nurturing all-round excellence. It is very true that the more a boy puts into his School, the more he gets out of it. The boys mentioned above were certainly not one-dimensional academics, and they added value to the School over a number of different areas: in sport, performing arts and service.