Haileybury, one of Australia’s leading independent schools, has a 130-year history of shaping education with a focus on innovation and adaptability. With multiple campuses across Melbourne, a school in Darwin, and a partner school in China, Haileybury is a global institution committed to making high-quality education accessible to diverse communities.
Recognising the transformative impact of digitisation on the K–12 sector, Haileybury didn’t wait to react to disruption—it embraced it. In 2023, the school launched Haileybury Pangea, a fully online campus, designed to meet the needs of students regardless of location or circumstance.
Named after the ancient supercontinent, Haileybury Pangea is bringing the world back together through education. This bold initiative reimagines what schooling can look like in the digital age, while strengthening teaching and learning frameworks across its traditional campuses. By creating an integrated model of education, Haileybury has positioned itself as a leader in both online and in-person learning.
Preparing For A Digital Future
Haileybury identified a significant shift in the education landscape towards online and blended learning models. To remain at the forefront of education, the institution recognised the need to innovate, ensuring its offerings met the demands of a digital-first world.
This proactive mindset set the stage for the development of Haileybury Pangea.
We knew we were going to be disrupted, so we thought we may
as well disrupt ourselves.
Anna Sever
Deputy Principal (Teaching and Learning)
Haileybury Pangea’s Launch
Haileybury Pangea offi cially launched on 30 January 2023, becoming Victoria's first private online school for students in Years 5–12. The platform was developed over five years and is positioned as Haileybury's fifth campus. Its aim is to offer flexible, personalised learning while maintaining a strong sense of community among students and teachers.
Haileybury Pangea serves a diverse cohort, including rural students, those temporarily interstate or overseas, homeschoolers, those who prefer learning online, neurodiverse learners, and school-aged professionals, including athletes.
Haileybury Pangea also provides full-time schooling; part-time Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) pathways, and single VCE subjects for students who can't otherwise access them; immersive experiences; and skill-building courses.
By investing in a robust online learning framework, Haileybury created an adaptable model designed to benefit both online and traditional students.
We firmly believe that there should be no geographical boundaries to high-quality education.
Anna Sever
Deputy Principal (Teaching and Learning)
Benefits From Transforming The Traditional School
Elevating Teaching Standards
The development of Haileybury Pangea’s sophisticated online learning framework enhanced teaching practices across Haileybury’s traditional campuses. Course templates and guardrails, designed for online consistency, were adapted to improve classroom delivery.
Teachers developed new skills through the creation of dynamic online content for Haileybury Pangea, including video production, lesson curation, and leveraging digital tools for engagement. This professional growth enhanced their teaching capabilities while helping them bridge the gap between traditional and digital methodologies.
Additionally, students responded most positively when the online materials featured their own teachers. This familiarity helped foster trust and stronger engagement, ensuring the digital experience remained personal and connected.
"Many of the incredible courses designed for Haileybury Pangea are now benefiting our traditional school programs," said Sever. For example, chemistry teachers have integrated advanced digital resources originally created for Haileybury Pangea into their on-campus lessons. This is true for all subject areas at Haileybury.
Enhanced Teacher Training, Flexibility, Wellbeing
The launch of Pangea required significant investment in teacher training, particularly in blended learning methodologies. To ensure that this evolution of pedagogy was supported by evidence of best practice, the school consulted with researchers. This training improved teacher skills and increased engagement.
The flexibility of the online model also allowed Haileybury to attract a diverse teaching workforce, including those seeking hybrid or fully online roles.
Teachers are time poor, so we made sure every initiative was intentional and focused on long-term skill development.
Anna Sever
Deputy Principal (Teaching and Learning)
Cost-Effective Innovation
Haileybury’s investment in custom-built recording studios enabled teachers to create high-quality content quickly and effi ciently. "Teachers can walk into a studio, hit a button, and have their content ready without needing high-cost solutions," Sever said. "The solution must be must be seamless and easy to use to increase adoption."
Stronger Governance and Policies
The transition to an online model prompted Haileybury to revise its governance structures and policies. Updated child safety protocols, designed for online learning, have been applied across the entire school, ensuring a safer environment for all students.
"The same child safety parameters we use online are now applied across our traditional schools, making Haileybury a better school overall," Sever noted.
Looking Towards The Future
Today, Haileybury Pangea has over 100 courses and now serves more than 150 students—and the online school shows no signs of slowing down. The success of Haileybury Pangea has inspired aspirations to extend its reach across other states and territories while developing new educational products.
Haileybury has secured approval for Haileybury Pangea in the Northern Territory and is currently progressing through the application process in Queensland, driven by a commitment to enhancing access to high-quality education across all states and territories and benefitting not just the online campus, but all of Haileybury.
How Haileybury Pangea Built An Online School Using Canvas
When Haileybury set out to create an online school, Haileybury Pangea, it was about more than adapting to a digital platform; the school wanted to reimagine how education could be delivered. Canvas became the cornerstone of this effort, enabling teachers to deliver personalised, student-centred learning experiences. Here’s how they did it.
1. Creating Engaging Courses
The Digital Learning Team developed reusable course templates, ensuring each subject was organised and easy to navigate. These templates included pre-built modules, interactive quizzes, and discussion boards to foster engagement.
Teachers infused content with real-world examples, making lessons relatable and dynamic. For example, maths students explored practical applications like carpentry, while other subjects delved into unique topics such as AI and birdwatching.
2. Onboarding Students
The "Pangea Passport" module welcomed students into the online learning environment. Through videos, quizzes, and self-paced activities, students familiarised themselves with Canvas, Microsoft Teams, and OneNote, building confidence from day one.
3. Monitoring Progress
Canvas analytics provided teachers with insights into student engagement and performance. They employed a tra c-light feedback system which allowed staff, students and parents to follow student progression through the self-paced content. This allowed for early intervention and support for students.
4. Empowering Educators
A crucial element of Haileybury Pangea’s success was its focus on teacher training and collaboration. The transition to online teaching required a shift in mindset, and the school invested heavily in preparing its staff through professional development.
The "Ready to Blend" series introduced teachers to blended learning techniques, combining asynchronous tutorials with live demonstrations, while weekly “greatest hits” videos celebrated innovative course designs, sparking creativity among staff.
5. Collaboration and Support
Teachers had access to all courses within Canvas, allowing them to share ideas and resources. The dedicated Digital Learning Team provided hands-on support, helping educators refine their approaches and troubleshoot challenges.
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