Who Really Topped the Class? Inside South Africa’s Best-Performing Private Schools in the 2025 Matric Results

A record year, but private schools still stand apart

South Africa’s matric class of 2025 will be remembered as a record-breaker, with the national pass rate climbing to 88%, the highest ever recorded by the Department of Basic Education. But while public attention often settles on that headline number, a different story is unfolding quietly and consistently within the country’s top private schools.

Independent schools writing through the IEB once again delivered exceptional outcomes, posting an overall pass rate of 98.31%. While slightly down from last year, the figure remains one of the strongest indicators of academic stability in the system.

For many parents, these results reinforce a long-held belief: that private schooling, despite its high fees, continues to offer measurable academic advantages.

Why private schools keep performing

Smaller class sizes, better-funded facilities and access to highly qualified teachers remain the backbone of private education in South Africa. Add to that structured academic support, enrichment programmes and strong parental involvement, and it’s easier to see why these schools consistently outperform national averages.

IEB CEO Confidence Dikgole has cautioned against overreacting to marginal year-on-year changes, noting that small fluctuations are normal in mature assessment systems both locally and internationally.

On social media, the response has been largely celebratory, with school communities sharing distinction tallies and dux announcements, while education commentators once again debated whether excellence should be judged by access or outcomes.

Girls’ schools dominate the top rankings

One of the most striking trends in the 2025 results is the dominance of independent girls’ schools. With the exception of St John’s College, nearly all of the highest distinction averages came from all-girls or co-educational institutions.

Roedean School for Girls led the pack nationally, recording an impressive average of 4.21 distinctions per candidate. Close behind were St Mary’s Waverly, Durban Girls’ College, Kingsmead College and Herschel Girls’ School all long-established institutions with reputations for academic rigour.

This pattern has reignited conversations about learning environments, subject choice confidence and whether girls’ schools are better positioned to nurture consistent academic excellence.

Boys’ schools: One clear standout

Among all-boys schools, St John’s College in Johannesburg emerged as the strongest performer, averaging 3.7 distinctions per candidate. Traditional powerhouses like Michaelhouse, Hilton and Kearsney followed, though with lower averages compared to their girls’ school counterparts.

While these schools remain highly respected, the numbers suggest that boys-only institutions may be facing unique challenges in keeping pace with evolving academic demands.

Co-ed schools make a strong showing

Co-educational schools delivered some of the most impressive results of the year. Redhill School topped the national list with an average of 4.30 distinctions per candidate, followed closely by Midstream College and Somerset College.

Johannesburg-based schools dominated this category, reinforcing Gauteng’s reputation as a hub for high-performing independent education.

The top 10 private schools overall in 2025

Based on average distinctions per candidate, the best-performing private schools this year were:

1. Redhill School (Co-ed)

2. Roedean School for Girls

3. Midstream College (Co-ed)

4. St Mary’s Waverly

5. Somerset College (Co-ed)

6. Durban Girls’ College

7. Kingsmead College

8. Herschel Girls’ School

9. King David Linksfield (Co-ed)

10. St John’s College (Boys)

Beyond prestige and price tags

It’s worth noting that this comparison focused on some of South Africa’s most expensive and well-known private schools. High fees clearly correlate with strong academic outcomes but they also raise uncomfortable questions about inequality and access.

As debates around education reform continue, the 2025 matric results once again highlight a divided system: one where excellence thrives, but not evenly.

For now, these top-performing schools remain the benchmark, not just for pass rates, but for what sustained academic investment can achieve when resources, structure and support align.

{Source: Business Tech}

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