With the 2026 second term in full swing, the June exams are close, bringing with them lots of pressure that might get shrugged off until September.
As the first major checkpoint that truly counts, IIE Rosebank College’s campus head, Dr Alucia Mabunda, says this is an important time to build momentum. The midyear exams cover the bulk of terms 1 and 2 work, which feeds directly into the school’s progression report.
“Nail them, and your APS [admission point score] starts looking strong, your confidence skyrockets, and your university options strengthen. Slack now, and you’ll spend July to November firefighting instead of flying. These next few months are your non-negotiable window to build an unbeatable foundation,” she says.
Other than forming the first official record of matriculation performance that universities and bursary providers review, strong June results reveal foundational gaps early, giving students time to fix them before final NSC exams. Mabundla also says that good midyear marks improve a learner’s overall APS and can help reveal whether a learner’s current plans for post-Matric study are realistic, allowing time to reconsider or adjust before it’s too late.
Mabunda says there are three solid moves matrics can make now to perform to the best of their ability in the upcoming and, ultimately, final exams.
1. Build an exam-stimulation timetable that treats June exams like the finals
Stop “studying when I feel like it”. Aim to block three focused hours every single weekday (and more during weekends) using the exact DBE/IEB or Cambridge weighting of each subject.
Put your phone in another room; use the Pomodoro 50/10 method of working for 50 minutes, then resting for 10 minutes; and schedule full-time mock papers. The students who smash June exams are the ones who already train like it’s October. This habit alone will make the actual finals feel familiar instead of terrifying.
2. Master the core concepts in every subject before doing past papers
June papers expose who actually understands the work versus who crammed. For maths and physical sciences, solve every single example in the textbook until you can explain it out loud without notes. For languages and history, build your own one-page mind maps of key themes, quotes, and sources.
3. Turn weak subjects into performance drivers
Be brutally honest and identify the two subjects that are currently dragging down your average. From this moment until the June exams, give those subjects serious, non-negotiable daily priority. Book extra lessons with a teacher or tutor, make full use of reliable free online resources, or form a small, focused study group with only two or three equally committed students.
Turning even one weak subject around can dramatically lift one’s overall percentage and significantly improve the chances of securing access to your preferred course or bursary.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.