Kearsney celebrates high achievers, top-notch overall IEB results

12 January 2026

(Feature photo: First team sportsmen and the recipients of eight distinctions each: Nic Comrie, Jason de Gryse, Liam Oets, and Hayden Dunsdon)

Kearsney College is celebrating another year of exceptional IEB matric results, which includes a 100 percent pass rate, eight boys achieving eight or more distinctions and four boys with an overall aggregate above 90 percent.

Crucially, Kearsney’s excellence extended a long way, with over 30 percent of the boys receiving four or more distinctions. Over half achieved three or more, and above 70 percent of the boys were rewarded with either A or B aggregates.

The Bachelor Degree pass rate was 99 percent, while 10 boys – Jason de Gryse (accounting), Liam Oets (Afrikaans first additional language), Joel Steyn (dramatic arts), Hayden Dunsdon and Raine Scoular (engineering graphics and design), Oliver Tubb (English home language), Josh Robertson and James Hastings-Brown (geography), Kaylin Moodley (life orientation) and Oagile Dingake (mathematical literacy) – finished in the top one percent of a subject in the country.

Headmaster Patrick Lees said Kearsney’s number one priority is academics: “Kearsney boys are immersed in an academically rigorous and inspiring environment from day one, and quickly develop academic ambition and drive,” he explained.

“This culture of academic striving, in a disciplined environment, supported by our highly qualified, professional and dedicated teachers, empowers the boys to reach their true potential.”

Among the top achievers was Joel Steyn, the Kearsney 1^st XI hockey captain, who helped KZN Coastal win the Inter-provincial indoor title in December and earned himself selection for the SA Schools B team.

He achieved seven distinctions and was one of five boys included on the IEB Outstanding List for finishing within the top five percent in the country in six or more subjects. His highest mark of 98 percent was achieved in Drama.

Steyn was awarded the Best All-Rounder in the Sixth Form, and received subject trophies for Drama, Life Sciences, English and English Literature at Kearsney’s Annual Speech Night.

Another first team captain, Jason De Gryse, who skippered the cricket 1^st XI, also made it onto the list. He was one of the eight boys with eight or more distinctions.

His achievements in mathematics-aligned subjects were outstanding. He received 96 percent for accounting, 91 percent for mathematics, and 84 percent for advanced programme mathematics.

The Dux, Liam Oets, who plans to study actuarial science at Stellenbosch University, achieved eight distinctions and six of those marks were at 90 percent or above, including a finish in the top one percent in the country for Afrikaans. His overall average was 91.3 percent.

His success wasn’t limited to the classroom, however. Oets also earned KZN colours for downhill mountain biking and turned out for the Kearsney first hockey and football teams.

Haydon Dunsdon, like Liam Oets, plans to head to Stellenbosch University for actuarial science and, like Oets, he made it into the nineties, averaging exactly 90 percent, which included 99 percent for Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD). Unsurprisingly, that placed him in the top one percent in the country. He also played first team football.

Another 90 percent-plus achiever, Nic Comrie – he finished with a 90.3 percent average – has his sights set on a Bachelor of Accounting at the University of Pretoria. He received eight distinctions, with a best of 96 percent for EGD. He also demonstrated his all-round ability by playing for the cricket 1^st XI.

Others who achieved eight distinctions included Josh Robertson, Oliver Tubb, Kaylin Moodley, and Josh Griffiths.

Thayuren Pillay received seven distinctions, while Head Prefect Luca Sandri, Madimetja Kgomo, Raine Scoular, Othandwayo Mvelase and Kade Rencken each received six distinctions.