19 February 2021

Statement on the Cedar House Grade 12 National Senior Certificate Results 2020

During 2020, we, the teachers of the class of 2020, realised that our students had transformed sometime between the end of term 1, when our first hard lockdown and online learning began, and when they were preparing for their prelim exams. Their focus was intense, their maturity palpable and their agency remarkable. These young people may have faced adverse events entirely beyond their control, but they had dug deep and risen above the myriad challenges and obstacles put in their way. We are in awe of their response and their outstanding academic achievements in their final Grade 12 examinations. Although they had to forego many traditional rites of passage, this group of Grade 12s has emerged proudly victorious.

On an individual level: Jacob L achieved a total of 9 distinctions and Erin J 8 distinctions.
Gili-Jo F, Alice K, Maya M and Elbereth P achieved 7 distinctions.
Zachary B, Ella M, Zachary M, Mia M, Alex T and Eleanor V achieved 6 distinctions.
Jack H and Zoe M achieved 5 distinctions.
Erin J and Alice K were placed in the top 5% in five subjects and achieved a Level 7 (distinction) in Life Orientation.
Erin J was in the top 1% of candidates in Dramatic Arts, English and Visual Arts and Jacob L was in the top 1% of candidates in Physical Sciences.

While Cedar House revels in these outstanding individual achievements, true recognition must go to each of these students, who worked hard and displayed deep resilience and courage on their individual roads to such prestigious academic success.

On a group level: All but one of our students completed their exams this year and, as a group, our Grade 12s of 2020 achieved outstanding results.

Of the 60 students who completed their exams, 55 (91,67%) of them achieved entry into degree study. The remainder all qualified for entry into diploma study. These are the best composite results ever achieved by a Grade 12 group at Cedar House.

Across the Grade, students achieved 143 distinctions. In 60% of all examinations written, our students achieved 70% or higher. This is testimony to high levels of academic aspiration and many hours of dedicated work.

On a subject level: Cedar House students acquitted themselves particularly well in the following subjects (with % of candidates obtaining distinctions given in brackets):
Advanced Programme English (57,1%)
Dramatic Arts (65%)
English (36,1%)
History (51,4%)
isiXhosa (66,7%)
Life Orientation (35,4%)
Mathematical Literacy (58,3%)
Visual Arts (50%)

Ultimately, we all know that a stark set of numbers is an inadequate account of individuals and the group that those individuals constitute. More than anything, we would like to salute the people of our class of 2020 – their quirks, humour, sense of fun, implacable sense of justice and the strength of their voices.

We wish them well and acknowledge a deep debt of gratitude to their teachers and parents, too.

Gail Gubb

Acting Principal