Noah finds his learning community

After a busy weekend helping his family on their farm north of Melbourne, taking a karate lesson and spending some time developing a film script, Noah is happy to join his Haileybury Pangea classmates online every Monday morning.

He might be logging on from his family’s home located near their Point Cook business, or he’ll be in his study space on the farm — wherever he happens to be, Noah is always ready to learn something new and to debate and discuss with his teachers and classmates.

“I love the welcoming community and the flexibility when it comes to my learning. History and Science have been my favourite subjects and I’ve also joined the $20 Boss financial club to learn more about economics and how to develop a business. I’ve learned about supply and demand, how to pitch a business idea and about researching the market,” says Noah.

“I’m also a member of the DigiTech Club which is focused on computer programming and developing video games. My close friends and I often collaborate on video game projects during those club meetings.”

Noah enrolled with Haileybury Pangea in 2024. Now in Year 8, he’s an involved member of the online school community and his parents, Helen and Paul, couldn’t be happier with Noah’s progress.

“Noah wasn’t having the best experience in the traditional classroom but we noticed that during the pandemic lockdowns, he seemed to excel in his learning and really got something out of studying online,” says Helen.

“We came across an advertisement for Haileybury Pangea and he enrolled, and it has made a huge difference, not only in an academic sense but his personal growth has been incredible. He’s come out of his shell and he has newfound confidence.

“The smaller classes make a huge difference, and his voice is heard and he steps up and answers questions. He debates and shares his opinions with his teachers and friends, and he never did that in the past.”

The flexibility of Haileybury Pangea also allows Noah to maintain a number of diverse interests – he does karate at a dojo near the family’s Melbourne home, competes regularly and has already won a gold medal.

He also studies swordfighting and is working on a film script, called The Alpine Project.

“The Alpine Project is a doomsday weapon in the secret island of Umbra – a place where sunlight doesn’t exist. It’s a script that brings together science fiction, propaganda, action and rebellion,” says Noah.

The flexibility of studying with Haileybury Pangea also allows the family to spend time on their farm – which wouldn’t be an option if Noah was attending a traditional school in Melbourne. They are active members of their local church community and enjoy maintaining those community connections.

“Noah helps out in our community at weekends and I come from a big European family so Noah never feels he is lacking social connections. But he has made some good friends online through Haileybury Pangea and that’s been very rewarding to see,” says Helen.

“Enrolling at Haileybury Pangea has brought benefits that we weren’t expecting,” says Paul.

“The quality of teaching, the amount of one-on-one time Noah spends with his teachers and watching him be inspired and enjoying his learning has gone beyond our expectations. His personality has evolved in ways we didn’t see when he was in a traditional school because there were too many distractions getting in the way of his learning.

“I love when Noah races into our room to share something new that he has learned. Very often he’ll tell me ‘Dad, did you know this or Dad, did you know that?’ As a parent, those moments have been so rewarding.”