Assessment by an Authorised Person
Applications for home schooling registration are assessed by an Authorised Person. Get to know the assessment process and make sure you are ready for the Authorised Person to visit your home.
Home visits
Home visits allow NESA to effectively assess:
- the educational program for each child
- whether the requirements for home schooling registration are:
- being met (for current applicants) or
- could be met (for new applicants).
During a home visit, an Authorised Person from NESA will discuss and review the educational program with the parent. This means that you will have the opportunity to meet the Authorised Person who will assess your application when they visit your home.
What to expect
What you can expect at a home visit depends on several factors, which may include:
- how many children you have applied for
- your own experience with home schooling
- the length of your previous period of registration
- whether it is an assessment of an application for:
- initial registration
- renewal of registration
- the Certificate of Completion of Year 10
- a site visit.
The assessment process
A visit to the home by the Authorised Person is part of the assessment process.
The Authorised Person will contact you to arrange a suitable time to conduct the home visit. During the assessment, they will need to sight both:
- your child
- your child’s home learning environment.
You may also wish to advise the Authorised Person of any circumstances regarding your home, for example pets to be aware of, or advice about parking.
Preparing for the visit
If your application is for initial registration, renewal of registration or a Certificate of Completion of Year 10, you should:
- familiarise yourself with the requirements for registration as described in the Guidelines
- gather the records you have prepared for your application so that the Authorised Person can easily review them on the day of the visit
- arrange an area where the Authorised Person can:
- view documentation
- make notes
- discuss your application with you
- consider the lighting, ventilation, and furniture design of the learning environment
- prepare any questions you may have for the Authorised Person.
Site visits
If the Authorised Person is visiting your home to conduct a site visit, you should:
- consider the lighting, ventilation, and furniture design of the learning environment
- prepare any questions you may have for them.
Further information and support
Guidelines
You can refer to Section 6 of the Guidelines for Home Schooling Registration in NSW to help prepare for an application for initial or renewal registration.
You can refer to Section 11 of the Guidelines for information about the Certificate of Completion of Year 10.
Templates
NESA has also developed two templates to support parents as they prepare for their Authorised Person’s visit. These are optional support documents and are not a requirement of registration.
The templates are designed to help parents consider the material that can be used during the assessment visit to help demonstrate how they have met, or plan to meet, registration requirements.
Home visits are an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about your child's learning. A home visit often takes 30 to 90 minutes. Visits vary in some ways depending on the type of application.
Visits for initial and renewal of registration, and for Certificate of Completion of Year 10
An Authorised Person visiting for:
- an initial registration will need to review and discuss your proposed educational program to demonstrate registration requirements
- a renewal of registration will review and discuss your proposed, as well as your current educational program, including records of implementation
- a Certificate of Completion of Year 10 will review records for implementation of the educational program.
During a visit the Authorised Person will also:
- need to review records for each registration requirement
- need to sight your child and your child’s home learning environment
- typically let you know what recommendation they will make about your registration for home schooling and for a Certificate of Completion of Year 10.
The Authorised Person will not assess your child during a visit.
We encourage families and Authorised Persons to implement the health measures below to reduce the risk of infection.
The Authorised Person will make a recommendation about your home schooling registration. NESA will consider the Authorised Person ’s recommendation and make a decision.
If your registration is approved, you will receive a certificate of home schooling registration via email. This certificate is proof that your child is registered for home schooling.
If you wish to provide feedback to NESA about your assessment experience with an Authorised Person, you are welcome to email the Home Schooling unit.
Health measures
NESA is committed to protecting the health and safety of children, parents, staff, and members of the public. We encourage families and Authorised Persons to implement the following measures:
- If you or anyone in your family is experiencing cold or flu symptoms on the day of the visit, advise the other party as the home visit may need to be postponed.
- Conduct a COVID-19 test on the day of the visit and inform the other party if the test is positive. If so, the home visit will need to be postponed.
- Wash and sanitise your hands before the visit starts.
- Wear a face mask during the visit.
- Maintain physical distancing during the visit by keeping at least 1.5 metres away from others, where possible.
- Conduct the visit in an area that is well ventilated, with open doors and windows where possible.
These measures help keep the community protected and minimises the risk of any infection, including the spread of COVID-19.
Authorised Persons
Authorised Persons include NESA Inspectors and other appointed staff in metropolitan and regional NSW.
NESA’s Authorised Persons are responsible for:
- assessing applications for home schooling registration
- making recommendations to NESA in relation to home schooling registration.
Read more about Authorised Persons and the registration process in the: