Applying to register for home schooling

Under the Education Act 1990, a child's education is primarily the responsibility of their parents. A parent may choose home schooling as a legitimate way of providing for the compulsory schooling of their children.

The parent is responsible for the educational program's:

• planning
• preparation
• delivery.

Home schooling means that the parent takes responsibility for educating the child, primarily in the child’s home. To be home schooled, a child needs to be registered with NESA. Home schooling does not mean operating like a school in the home. As long as you continue to meet the registration requirements, you have flexibility about when and how you educate your child.

Age

Children residing in NSW may be registered for home schooling:

• at the beginning of a calendar year if they turn 5 on or before 31 July of that year
• up to the age of 18 years, and for a continued period of up to 2 years in order to complete the planned educational program based on NESA’s syllabuses.

In NSW, children younger than 6 and older than 17 are not required to be:

• enrolled in a government or registered non-government school, or
• registered for home schooling.

Other factors

Other factors may also affect whether your child is eligible for home schooling. For example, if there is a court order relating to parental responsibility or decisions about their education. If your child is subject to a current court order, you need to provide this when you apply to register.

Home address

Please note that a child’s certificate of home schooling registration specifies the conditions of registration. As the certificate identifies the child’s home address, the certificate will need to be updated if these details change.

If there are changes to a child’s home address during a period of registration, you must notify the Home Schooling Unit in writing, via either:

• homeschooling@nesa.nsw.edu.au or
• Home Schooling Online if you have an account.

Travel

The Education Act states home schooling in NSW is to occur primarily in the child's home, as identified on the certificate of registration. The requirements and conditions of registration do not support travelling for an extended period of time.

Parents who are planning to travel may wish to contact the NSW Department of Education to discuss their options, which may include enrolment in Distance Education.