2. Introduction to home schooling registration

Home schooling registration in NSW

Under the Act, the education of a child is primarily the responsibility of the child’s parents. Parents may choose home schooling registration as a legitimate way of providing for the compulsory schooling of their children.

To be home schooled, a child must be registered by NESA and reside in NSW.

Home schooling means that the parent takes responsibility for educating the child, primarily in the child’s home.

Successful home schooling is characterised by a high level of commitment, research, time and energy that is focused on the child’s learning needs. Many parents report that home schooling is a positive and rewarding experience.

A parent does not need formal teaching qualifications to apply for home schooling registration.

Children with disability and/or additional learning needs may be registered for home schooling.

Flexibility in the educational program

Home schooling does not mean operating like a school in the home. As long as the requirements for home schooling registration continue to be met, parents have flexibility about when and how they provide the educational program to their child or children.

For example, parents may:

• provide learning activities outside of the home, just as school students undertake activities outside of school
• choose an educational approach or philosophy that suits the child and the family
• adopt an approach that integrates teaching and learning across a range of subject areas and/or stages of development
• provide common themes for children of multiple ages making adjustments to the level of difficulty based on learning needs
• select content that is relevant to the child’s learning needs and interests
• adjust the learning activities in response to the child’s progress
• build on the learning opportunities that arise naturally in the home and local environment on a day-to-day basis by including family activities, local events and/or resources.

Distance education

Home schooling registration is different to distance education. Distance education is where the child is enrolled in a school that delivers its programs for implementation by mail, email, telephone and/or other electronic means. In NSW, the main provider of distance education is the NSW Department of Education, a separate government agency to NESA. NESA does not deliver distance education. Home schooling registration is also different to remote learning for a child enrolled in a government or registered non-government school where the school provides the child’s educational program, not the parent.

Considering home schooling registration

A parent who is thinking about home schooling registration may find it helpful to consider:

• the requirements for home schooling registration as set out in section 4 of the Guidelines
• the child’s learning needs, abilities and interests
• how an educational program could be planned and recorded
• how learning activities could be prepared
• how the child’s progress and achievement could be assessed
• what resources are needed and how these could be sourced
• how the home and local environment could be used to support the child’s learning
• the availability of time to prepare and deliver an educational program and assess the child’s progress and achievement.

Section 3 of the Guidelines provides an overview of home schooling registration. It may be a good place to start for parents who are new to home schooling registration.

Section 15 of the Guidelines and the NESA website may also assist as they provide information about resources and support.