Haileybury students have consistently performed at the very highest level in the country in key measures on literacy and numeracy. This is no surprise given the commitment of the School to an evidence-based approach to teaching.
In 2008, after evaluating the research and a number of trials, Haileybury fully embraced the explicit teaching pedagogy in the Junior School and a strong phonics approach to learning to read. This approach has meant that a generation of Haileybury students have enjoyed the best evidence-based approach to their education.
2008 also saw the start of NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) testing across Australia. Year on year we have been able to assess the progress of Haileybury students individually at Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 but also measure how well Haileybury’s teaching pedagogy has been working on a state and national basis.
The results for Haileybury students have been stellar with, for example, Haileybury primary school students collectively being the second best performed in Victoria across the period of 2017–2021. In the recently released 2023 Better Education Secondary School Rankings, Haileybury was the third best performed of all open-entry schools in Victoria.
Haileybury’s focus on evidenced-based teaching practice has also seen Haileybury Rendall School (Darwin) ranked as the number one primary school and number one secondary school on academic performance in the Northern Territory.
Over the years, Haileybury has supported many primary schools around the country in embracing the explicit teaching approach and gaining an understanding in how to teach students to read through phonemic awareness.
As Haileybury’s success, and that of other schools from all socio-educational backgrounds who embraced the pedagogy, has become known there has been a strong move in the last five years for jurisdictions around the country to follow suit. It was pleasing therefore that the Victorian Education Minister last week announced that he expected Victorian government schools to embrace phonics and explicit teaching from next year. This move is backed by clear evidence as well as 16 years of proof of concept in delivery at Haileybury!
As a part of the earlier NAPLAN delivery Haileybury families in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will receive the student reports early next term. We expect they will show another outstanding outcome for Haileybury students.
Derek Scott
CEO | Principal
