Home Schooling Consultative Group meeting – 27 March 2025
Read the agenda and minutes from the Home Schooling Consultative Group meeting held on Thursday 27 March 2025, 1.00 pm.
Agenda and minutes
Members
- Lyn Kirkby (Chair)
- Tarek El-Bikai
- Selena Guest
- Adele Latu
- Jo Lloyd
- Rachel Quirk
- Gersha Shteyman
- Sophie Tobler
- Neale Waddy
Date and time: Thursday 27 March 2025, 1.00 pm.
Location: Meeting held online.
Present: Lyn Kirkby (Chair), Jo Lloyd, Rachel Quirk, Gersha Shteyman and Sophie Tobler.
In attendance: Paul Martin, Gayatri Mahesh, Zannah Mathieson, Robert Bishay, Padraig Connolly, Katherine Lowing, Deborah Summerhayes (NSW Department of Education Deputy Secretary, Public schools), Dean White (NSW Department of Education Executive Director, Regional, remote, rural and unique settings) .
Apologies: Selena Guest, Neale Waddy and Adele Latu.
The chair gave an Acknowledgement of Country and welcomed those in attendance.
Action arising: Nil.
The Chair welcomed Deborah Summerhayes (Deputy Secretary, Public schools) and Dean White (Executive Director, Regional, rural, remote and unique settings) from the NSW Department of Education (DoE).
Members were provided with an overview of how the DoE will assume responsibility for the oversight and regulation of home schooling in NSW from 5 May 2025. Members were advised that, as part of this transition, all current staff, including Authorised Persons, from the Home Schooling Unit will transfer across from NESA to the DoE.
Members were advised that Dean White would be the Executive Director responsible for home schooling after the transition.
Members were also provided with a summary of some of the opportunities and benefits that the change may bring for home schooling families. They reiterated their commitment to supporting parents who home school their children in accessing a broader range of resources than may currently be available to them.
Members were invited to ask questions, share their own comments, and any anecdotal feedback on how the homeschooling community had received the news of the transition.
Members were advised that Tarek El-Bikai had vacated his membership of the HSCG. The Chair advised members that NESA will contact candidates on the shortlist from the previous expression of interest process for HSCG membership to fill this vacancy.
Actions arising: NESA to contact shortlisted applicants with a view to appointing a new HSCG member.
The meeting ended at 1.45 pm