Beyond matric: Preparing for the future starts long before Grade 12

By the time a child reaches high school, most parents have become reasonably familiar with the machinery of academic achievement. Parents have subject choices to consider, marks to monitor, examinations to prepare for, and the occasional school report that requires a strong cup of coffee before opening.

For parents whose children learn differently, the questions often begin considerably earlier. Will my child manage high school? Will they be able to write matric? What subjects should they take? And what happens afterwards?

These are real concerns, particularly when a child's school experience has involved challenges with learning, assessment, or managing classroom demands. Yet a child's academic performance does not always tell the full story of their abilities, interests or potential.

Renie Sutherland, Principal of The Bridge Assisted Learning School Morningside, believes education must recognise and respond to each student's individual needs.

“The world is not a ‘one-size-fits-all ’,” she explains. “Education must be flexible enough to address the needs and characteristics of the students we serve.”

“This philosophy becomes particularly important when we consider what happens after matric. Our responsibility as a school is not only to prepare students academically, but also to help them understand themselves, develop practical skills and build the confidence to take their next steps.”

When marks tell only part of the story

A student may understand a complex concept during a classroom discussion but struggle to organise a written explanation under examination conditions. Another may have strong mathematical reasoning skills yet lose track of a multistep problem because of working-memory demands.

These difficulties can affect marks, sometimes considerably. Over time, they can also shape how students see themselves and what they believe they can achieve.

Of course, there may be genuine gaps in subject knowledge that require attention. Understanding the difference between what a student knows, what they can demonstrate and what support they need is an important part of effective teaching.

The Bridge's assisted-learning approach supports students with average to above-average cognitive ability who face learning barriers. We combine specialist teaching with a mainstream academic curriculum, with the longer-term aim of preparing students for the IEB National Senior Certificate.

Families may have assumed that assisted learning means giving up on the possibility of university or college; this is an important distinction. Further study can remain a realistic goal, although the teaching approaches, pace and support needed to get there may look different.

Sutherland advocates for inclusive classrooms that recognise that students do not all learn in the same way. Visual schedules, predictable routines, multimodal instruction and opportunities to demonstrate understanding in different ways can help remove unnecessary barriers to learning.

These strategies support students throughout their school years, but they also help them understand how they learn best. That self-awareness becomes increasingly valuable as they move towards greater independence.

Understanding the road to tertiary education

The Bridge's Road to Tertiary programme gives students and their families the opportunity to explore future qualifications, career interests and admission requirements well before matric.

As part of the ADvTECH group, The Bridge has an established connection with The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), a private higher education provider whose educational brands include IIE Emeris, Vega School of Design, Rosebank College and Capsicum College.

Students’ Road to Matric journey begins in Grade 9.

Through aptitude and skills testing, individual consultations with the Principal and parents, and careful subject selection, The Bridge School helps students make informed decisions about their academic journey and potential tertiary pathways. These conversations matter because Grade 9 subject choices can shape the qualifications available to a student after school.

In Grades 10 and 11, students are progressively introduced to tertiary institutions through campus tours, career guidance, personality assessments and engagement with tertiary administrators. This allows them to explore their interests, understand admission requirements and begin considering which pathways may suit them.

By Grade 12, the focus shifts to monitoring academic progress, tracking admission scores and identifying suitable tertiary programmes. Each family is supported by a dedicated tertiary assistant who provides personalised guidance throughout the application process, helping them navigate admission requirements, deadlines and the necessary documentation.

The aim is to make what can feel like an overwhelming process more manageable for students and their families. A degree, diploma or higher certificate may offer different opportunities, and each has its own admission requirements. Sutherland says that through this structured, collaborative approach, the school aims to ensure every student and family feels informed, supported, and confident in planning the transition from school to tertiary education and beyond.

Getting in is one thing. Managing once you’re there is another.

Much of the conversation around tertiary education focuses on admission requirements. Understandably so. Without the necessary marks and subjects, certain qualifications may be out of reach.

But academic eligibility is only part of being ready for tertiary education.

At school, much of the working day is structured for students. Teachers explain assignments, monitor progress, remind students about deadlines and notice when someone is falling behind. Parents often provide another layer of support at home, particularly when organisation, homework and studying have become ongoing challenges.

At university or college, students are generally expected to manage far more of this themselves.

Suddenly, remembering that an assignment exists is only the beginning. There may be several assignments, different submission platforms, overlapping deadlines and a lecturer who reasonably assumes that students have read the course information.

For students who experience executive-functioning difficulties, these demands can be exhausting. Planning, prioritising, initiating tasks, organising materials and managing time all require effort. A student may understand the academic work perfectly well and still struggle to keep up with the administrative demands surrounding it.

This is why preparing for further study needs to include practical learning skills, not just academic results.

When we teach a student to break a large assignment into smaller tasks, use a planning system that works for them, or recognise when they need clarification, we give them skills that extend well beyond the classroom. These abilities may need to be taught explicitly, practised repeatedly and supported in different ways as students mature.

Self-advocacy is equally important. At school, teachers and therapists may already understand a student's difficulties and recognise when additional support is needed. At a tertiary institution, the student may need to approach a support service, explain their needs and participate in arranging appropriate accommodations.

There is also an important distinction between school-based concessions and tertiary accommodations. A student who receives extra time, a reader, a scribe or other examination support at school should not assume that exactly the same arrangements will automatically apply at university or college. Each institution has its own application procedures, documentation requirements and processes for determining reasonable accommodations.

For students who choose to continue their studies at an IIE tertiary institution, The Bridge works collaboratively with the relevant tertiary support team, with the family's consent, to facilitate the transition of appropriate learning accommodations and support strategies. While accommodations remain subject to the receiving institution's assessment and approval processes, this collaboration helps promote continuity of support and prepares students and families for the next stage of the journey.

Building the skills before they’re needed

The transition to tertiary education is unlikely to succeed if preparation begins only after a student receives their matric results.

At The Bridge, preparation for this next step is part of a broader approach to teaching and learning. Alongside teachers, therapists support each student's individual learning pathway by identifying areas for development, implementing targeted strategies, and recognising progress.

Sutherland highlight the importance of project-based learning and practical activities to encourage engagement, problem-solving and different ways of demonstrating understanding. Through creative projects, collaborative activities and opportunities to develop communication and social skills, students can build abilities that will serve them in different settings.

As students progress through school, the balance between adult guidance and student responsibility are carefully considered. One student may be ready to manage their own deadlines using a visual planner. Another may still need reminders, structured check-ins or help identifying the first step in a complicated task.

Both are part of the learning process.

The aim is not to remove support simply because a student has reached a particular age or grade. It is to build independence gradually, providing the right support while creating opportunities for students to take increasing responsibility for their own learning.

Keeping the possibilities open

There is another part of tertiary preparation that deserves attention: allowing young people to participate meaningfully in decisions about their own futures.

Parents understandably want certainty. Unfortunately, adolescence has never been particularly interested in providing it.

A child who announces an ambition to become a veterinarian at eleven may discover a passion for graphic design at fifteen. Another may have a clear career goal but need help understanding the subject requirements, qualifications and practical demands involved.

For students who have experienced academic difficulties, adults may sometimes be tempted to narrow the options too early. Equally, some young people face pressure to pursue qualifications that do not reflect their own interests or strengths.

Sutherland emphasise that understanding a student's individual needs, strengths and aspirations must remain central to these conversations, including when planning for life beyond school.

Families can start these discussions long before subject choices become urgent. What does your child enjoy? Which subjects hold their attention? What kinds of activities allow them to use their strengths? What support do they need to manage difficult tasks, and how are those needs changing?

The answers may develop over time, as they should.

For parents approaching the high-school years, a useful starting point is to speak to the school about both academic pathways and practical readiness. Ask how subject choices connect to possible qualifications, what independence skills are being developed and which supports your child may need when moving into further education.

The Bridge’s Road to Tertiary programme provides a structured starting point for exploring post-school qualifications and admission requirements. More importantly, it reflects a broader commitment: ensuring that students have the knowledge, skills and support to make meaningful choices about what comes next.

Matric is an important achievement, particularly for students who have worked hard to overcome barriers throughout their schooling. It deserves to be celebrated.

But matric results are not the end of the journey. They mark the beginning of another chapter, with new decisions, opportunities and responsibilities. The Bridge School believes that preparing students for this next step starts long before Grade 12. It means equipping them academically and practically while helping them develop a deeper understanding of who they are, what they can do, and where they want to go.

Because success is not simply about getting through matric. It is about helping each student find a pathway where they can continue to grow, learn and thrive. Whatever the next chapter holds, The Bridge School’s message to every student and family remains the same:

We have got you!

For more information, parents are welcome to contact The Bridge Schools to discuss their child's educational pathway.