Elite Aussie school to offer all-online classes

One of Melbourne’s most prestigious colleges is seeking to become the state’s first private online school under an ambitious new venture called Haileybury Pangea.

Elite private school Haileybury, which already has four campuses across Melbourne and a site in Darwin, will offer a program that allows a student to complete their entire high school education from behind a screen.

While the school is yet to receive Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority approval, Haileybury Pangea is already being promoted online and expressions of interest are open for 2023.

Its main feature is an online high school for years 5 to 12, but two other learning options will also be offered – more than 20 single VCE subjects for years 10 to 12 over the course of two semesters and one-week online numeracy and literacy school holiday learning programs.

Haileybury Pangea’s website says the school will give students “the best possible opportunities for development and improvement”.

“Haileybury Pangea is a uniquely rewarding educational experience. Our world-class education employs proven teaching and learning methods to give high school students the best possible opportunities for development and improvement,” the description reads

“Our brilliant teachers leverage the advantages of online learning to deliver rigorous academics based on the Australian curriculum and Australian (VCE) accreditation, enabling access to an extraordinary range of post-secondary pathways in Australia and globally.”

It is not known what Haileybury Pangea will cost, but it is not expected to match the more than $34,000 annual fees the school charges for its in-person years 7 to 12 programs.

No textbooks will be required, but students must have a computer with at least 8GB of RAM, a 720p HD webcam, and Windows 10 or latest version of Mac OS.

The online classes will use a program that allows for “a high degree of interactivity” with voice, chat, polling, and other options.

These classes will allow students to learn alongside other year levels and will be recorded for anyone who misses them.

Like all Victorian schools, Haileybury offered online learning over the last two years during the state’s lockdown.

In 2021 the school posted produced “one of the best set of VCE results” in its history, with eight students achieving the highest possible ATAR of 99.95 and 51 per cent finishing in the top 10 across Australia.