15. Resources and support

This section provides information about:

• home schooling support groups and networks
• NESA resources
• other resources or programs.

Support groups and networks

The NESA website includes a list of support groups and networks. It should be noted that:

• NESA does not promote or endorse any particular group or organisation
• some groups may charge fees to join or access materials
• any arrangements between a parent and a group or organisation are between the parties involved.

NESA resources

NESA publishes a range of materials to support student learning. The following identifies some of the materials that may be of assistance for home schooling parents.

Programming tool

The Stage Statements and Outcomes Programming Tool K-10 available in ‘Support information’ on the NESA website may assist parents in documenting an educational program for home schooling.

The programming tool provides the stage statements and outcomes from each NESA syllabus in each key learning area for primary education, and from each mandatory key learning area for secondary education as well as for some commonly selected syllabuses for secondary education. Parents can copy and paste the stage statements and/or outcomes into another document to form a teaching and learning plan.

The programming tool is not, and should not be taken to be, a substitute for the NESA syllabuses as published on the NESA website.

Note: the programming tool is for application based on the current syllabuses until 12 April 2024.

Samples of educational plans and home schooling records

The NESA website provides some samples from home schooling parents of different approaches to planning and record keeping, including a list of the types of materials that parents provide to support an application for home schooling registration.

Syllabus support materials

Programming and assessment advice is available on the NESA website.

Sample units and sample scope and sequences have been developed for each syllabus and may provide guidance for planning.

Children with disability Sometimes adjustments need to be made to teaching and learning plans for children with disability.

Advice and programming support for children with disability can be found in each syllabus and on the NESA website.

The NESA website provides information about:

• accessing the curriculum;
• making adjustments to learning plans to suit individual children;
• ways of providing opportunities for children with disability to demonstrate what they can do and what they have achieved; and
• guides and resources, support materials, and illustrations of practice.

Gifted and talented children may also require adjustments to the pace, level and content of the curriculum delivery. Information about strategies to improve the learning experiences of gifted and talented children is available on the NESA website.

The NESA website also provides information about differentiating learning approaches.

NAPLAN

Children who are registered for home schooling are eligible to sit for the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests.

For information about NAPLAN and how to apply, contact NESA:

• call: 1300 119 556
• email: naplan.nsw@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

The NAPLAN tests are held early in each school year. Registration for the tests in any one year is due at the start of the year, usually by the end of January. There is a fee for registration.

NESA does not require home schooled children to participate in NAPLAN. General information about the NAPLAN tests can be found on NESA’s website.

Program Builder

Program Builder is now permanently unavailable to users.

As part of the NSW Curriculum Reform new syllabuses and teacher support material are available on NSW Curriculum. Parents are encouraged to become familiar with the resources available on NSW Curriculum, which can be used for support in implementing the Curriculum.

For information on new syllabus releases go to the detailed Curriculum Reform timeline.

Contact the Program Builder team via email at program.builder@nesa.nsw.edu.au for further questions.

Scootle

Scootle is a content discovery portal containing more than 16,000 teaching resources.

Access to Scootle is available following the registration of a child. Once a child is registered for home schooling, parents may request a Scootle account by emailing the Home Schooling Unit (homeschooling@nesa.nsw.edu.au) and providing the following details: name of parent, home address and name of registered child.

On receipt of an emailed request, the Home Schooling Unit will confirm the registration of the child and send a return email providing details for accessing the Scootle account.

Other resources

TES Australia

TES Australia provides a comprehensive range of teaching and assessment resources that relate to the NSW syllabuses. Home schooling families can register at this site to gain free access to over 500,000 digital resources.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is a challenge to read more and to read widely. The Premier’s Reading Challenge is available for all NSW children in Kindergarten to Year 9.

Specific booklists and further information are available.

WriteOn Competition

WriteOn is an annual writing competition open to all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6. WriteOn provides students with the opportunity to become published authors.

Information about the WriteOn competition is communicated in NESA News.

Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development (VALID)

The NSW Department of Education conducts the Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development (VALID) program which provides end-of-stage assessment for the Science key learning area. The assessments are available for children in Year 6, Year 8 and Year 10.

Further information is available on the Department’s website, by telephone 02 7814 3837 or by email (valid.program@det.nsw.edu.au).

Educational Assessment

International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) conducts assessment programs for primary and secondary students in a number of areas including English, Maths and Science.

Further information is available on the ICAS Assessment website.

Australian curriculum and other learning programs

In NSW, all children must be taught the NSW curriculum as defined by the Act, that is, the NESA syllabuses for the relevant stage of learning.

The NESA syllabuses incorporate the content from the associated Australian curriculum as relevant to each syllabus.

As long as NESA syllabuses are implemented, parents may use the Australian curriculum resources to supplement implementation of the NESA syllabuses. The Australian curriculum resources could be used in addition to NESA syllabuses, or they could be integrated into teaching the NESA syllabuses or they could be cross-referenced or ‘mapped’ to NESA syllabuses.

Parents may also use other learning programs, courses or materials as long as the NESA syllabuses are implemented. Again, this could be by adding the other material, integrating the other material and/or mapping the other material to NESA syllabuses.

Smart and Skilled funding

Children registered for home schooling may be eligible for a Smart and Skilled subsidy from the NSW Department of Industry for post-school vocational education and training.

Such training is additional to the program for home schooling or, if it relates to a NESA syllabus, may be mapped by the parent to the relevant NESA syllabus.

Financial and other assistance

NESA is not a funding agency. It does not provide funding for home schooling registration. The Australian Government has published a guide to Australian Government payments.

The online guide is updated regularly and provides information about current Centrelink allowances and the eligibility requirements necessary to receive assistance such as the Child Care Subsidy and the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme.

Information about contacting Centrelink is provided on the Services Australia website or by telephone 136 240.

Information about travel concessions is available from Transport for NSW or by telephone 131 500.

Information about applying for a Creative Kids voucher to redeem cultural and creative activities is available on the Service NSW website.

Information about applying for an Active Kids voucher to redeem on sport and physical activities is available on the NSW Office of Sport website.