A massive honours roll takes pride of place at the entrance to Spine Road High School in Mitchells Plain.

The gold letters read: “First 100% Matric Class in Mitchell’s Plain” and underneath are the names of all of the matrics of 2014 who helped make history at the Cape Flats school.

The class of 2015 just missed it, coming in with a 99.3% pass rate, but principal Riyaadh Najaar will take it.

“Out of 280 candidates, close to 80% got a bachelor’s pass,” he told News24.

And, between them, they notched up 191 distinctions and 373 B’s.

“A big group is going to university and are putting their foot in the door of lucrative professions,” he said proudly.

Many who thought they would not be able to afford to study “now have bursaries running after them”.

In the census of 2011, a population of 310 485 was recorded for Mitchell’s Plain. Forty eight percent had only some secondary school education but the classes of 2014 and 2015 are changing all of that. The school has been included in a poverty alleviation programme where food and other resources are provided to those who need it.

Teachers also worked Saturdays and Sundays to help pupils prepare for their exams, and after all that, only two pupils did not pass.

This year, seven pupils will go on to study medicine at Stellenbosch University and two at the University of Cape Town.

Forty five will study towards a Bachelor of Commerce and two will study astrophysics.

Only two pupils did not pass and so their parents have been contacted and options will be discussed.

This includes a chance to rewrite or ask for a remark.

The school’s success, says Najaar is due to its dedicated teachers, and its full programme of extra activities to make the school more competitive.

Outside competition is not too far away. Further afield in Beacon Valley, the pupils of Oval High School are ready to beat them with their own stunning 95.1% pass rate and an honours board. News24