Independent Schools Guide 2022: Education in parallel at Haileybury College

Until the end of Year 4, children at Haileybury’s campuses in Keysborough, Brighton, Berwick and the city learn and explore together. From Years 5 to 12, while the school remains co-educational, they transition to single-gender classes as part of Haileybury’s Parallel Education model.

The carefully planned model recognises that, while girls and boys both benefit from sharing their education early on, in the middle and senior years they can often achieve better academic results in single-gender classes.

“Parallel Education takes the best academic outcomes that come from single-sex classes and the very strong social outcomes from the co-education environment,” says Anna Sever, deputy principal (Teaching and Learning). “Essentially, it offers the best of both worlds.

“Research suggests that students learn better in single-sex classes but the socialisation aspect is important, too. So, during recess and lunchtime and during events like musical performances, school productions, sports events and social initiatives, like our soup kitchen, girls and boys share spaces in the school.

“Students also enjoy favourite spaces in the school together, like the ovals, canteen and library, but we believe single-sex classes are the optimum learning environment.”

Haileybury’s recent 2021 VCE results are testament to the effectiveness of the Parallel Education model.

Eight highest-possible ATARs of 99.95 were achieved and 51 per cent of students placed in the top 10 per cent of students in Australia.

Haileybury girls were first overall in Victoria’s study scores table, while the boys placed second in the state.

The students achieved 36 perfect study scores in 15 different VCE subjects.

“Research has shown that boys and girls develop at different stages and at a different pace and Parallel Education provides academic support linked to those stages,” says Melissa Allen, head of Middle School (Teaching and Learning).

“We get the same learning achievements for boys and girls, but the pathway is different.

“I teach boys and girls, and in my boys’ classes they opt for group discussions and less one-on-one time,” she says.

“They like to get feedback more regularly and lessons are broken into chunks. They enjoy having more activities to seek their teeth into.

“When I teach girls, they thrive on that one-to-one interaction with a peer or teacher, they enjoy working through things more by themselves and they want to know what is coming up next.

“As a teacher, you know your class best and you can specialise your instruction to suit the needs of the students in front of you.”

Sever says Year 5 is specifically chosen as a starting point for the Parallel Education model because research shows this is the point at which differences start to emerge between genders in how they best learn. She adds that single-sex classes also provide a “safe place” for learning for both genders.

“There’s a greater willingness to share in the classroom,” Allen says. “Single-gender classes take away a layer of complexity so boys or girls feel more willing to share in the classroom and to put up their hand and ask for help.

“Adolescence can be a difficult time and if we can minimise some of the challenges and complexities, girls and boys both reap the benefits.”

Importantly, national testing results show that Haileybury has reversed national and international trends that see boys traditionally do better in maths and girls perform better in reading and comprehension. This can partly be attributed to Parallel Education.

“We create an environment where boys and girls feel safe and supported to take risks and we encourage different genders to make subject choices that may not be something they’d otherwise be confident in doing,” Sever says.

“Girls and STEM is a perfect example. In a class with other girls, and with a culture of trust, confidence to do those kinds of subjects prospers.”

Haileybury’s culture is one of high standards, hard work and impressive outcomes.

The school encourages students to be entrepreneurial and each student is supported to achieve their personal best.

“You don’t have to make a choice between single-sex or a co-educational school,” Sever says. “Both have advantages and parallel education brings out the advantages of both of those worlds.”

HAILEYBURY CAMPUSES 

KEYSBOROUGH: 855 SPRINGVALE ROAD KEYSBOROUGH, VIC 3173 PH (03) 9904 6000

BERWICK: 138 HIGH STREET BERWICK, VIC 3806 PH (03) 9904 6006

BRIGHTON: 120 SOUTH ROAD, BRIGHTON EAST, VIC 3187 PH (03) 9904 6004

CITY: 383 KING STREET, WEST MELBOURNE, VIC 3003 PH (03) 9904 6008

CONTACT: admissions@haileybury.vic.edu.au WEBSITE: haileybury.com.au

YEARS: ELC to Year 12

GENDER: Co-educational

FEES: $20,010 (ELC) to $34,570 (Year 12)

BOARDING: No

SCHOLARSHIPS: Academic, General Excellence, Socio-Economic, Indigenous, Haileybury Foundation Scholarships

ATAR: (Median for 2021): 90

• This article appeared in our Annual Independent Schools Guide magazine.