Understanding Homeschooling Australian Curriculum: A Comprehensive Guide

Before diving into the content of the Australian Curriculum, it’s important to understand its structure. The curriculum is divided into three main areas:

• Learning areas are subject-specific and include English, mathematics, science, and more.
• General capabilities are skills that are important across all subject areas, such as critical thinking and communication.
• Cross-curriculum priorities are themes that are integrated throughout the curriculum. They are Australia’s place in Asia, sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

To conclude, focus on the learning areas since the general capabilities and cross curriculum priorities are weaved into these.

With so much information available on the Australian Curriculum website, it can be overwhelming to try to absorb it all at once. Instead, you should try to focus on the learning areas that are most relevant to your child. For example, if you are homeschooling a Year 4 child, you may want to prioritise the English, Mathematics, and Science learning areas for Year 4. Prioritise your focus to navigate the curriculum with ease.

Northern Territory is the only state that links homeschool registration directly to the Australian Curriculum.

If you live in NSW you need to use the NSW Curriculum for homeschooling  planning. Whilst the NSW Curriculum is based on the Australian Curriculum, they take an adopt and adapt approach and the layout of the curriculum and the codes they use are different. In 2022 NSW released a new version of their English and Maths curriculum but this has not yet been tagged with the V9 Australian Curriculum codes. Other NSW subjects still use the Version 8.4 of the Australian Curriculum.

The Western Australian Curriculum uses the 8.4 version of the Australian Curriculum’s English, Maths, and Science in an unchanged format. However, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, The Arts and Languages have some minor changes to make them more relevant to Western Australians.  Consequently, Homeschoolers in Western Australia need to use the Western Australian Curriculum to plan for homeschool registration.

Other States

In other states and territories, the expectation is that you provide a high-quality education. You don’t need to stick to the Australian Curriculum for homeschooling. However, many Australian and international families find the structure of the Australian Curriculum a helpful framework for developing a plan that is sequential and age appropriate.

There is no specific Charlotte Mason Curriculum. Nevertheless, Charlotte Mason’s ideas on what is important for children to learn are integral to her method.

The learning goals in the English Curriculum of Charlotte Mason and the Australian Curriculum are quite similar, except the type of literature used in the Charlotte Mason method is more classical in its approach. Also, the Australian Curriculum places a much stronger emphasis on phonics, creative writing, and spelling in the early years.

The Humanities in the early years of the Australian Curriculum are more of a Social Science subject. Whereas Charlotte Mason also includes chronological history and specific geography lessons. Charlotte also introduces Plutarch as a Civics and leadership lesson.

The Australian Curriculum supports Charlotte Mason’s method of teaching science through observation, literature, and scientist biographies. An immersion technique was often used by Charlotte Mason, this is when a child learns a topic in depth in one block. Alternatively, the Australian Curriculum utilises a spiral approach, providing tiny quantities of content on the same topic year after year.

Charlotte didn’t talk a lot about maths, therefore there is no real comparison to make.

In brief, at My Homeschool we merge the philosophy of the Charlotte Mason method and content of the Australian Curriculum (NSW and WA Curriculum).

There are several factors to consider when it comes to choosing a homeschool curriculum. Each child is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. By taking the time to evaluate these factors, you can make an informed decision that best suits your child’s needs and learning style.

Learning Style:

Understanding your child’s learning style is essential in choosing the right homeschool curriculum. Some children are visual learners, whereas others may be auditory or kinaesthetic learners. Consider how your child best absorbs information and look for a curriculum that caters to their preferred learning style.

Teaching Method:

Different homeschool curricula employ various teaching methods, such as traditional textbooks, online courses, or hands-on activities. Obviously the teaching method that aligns with your teaching style and your child’s learning preferences works best.

Academic Goals:

Take into account your child’s academic goals and aspirations. Are they interested in pursuing a particular field of study in the future? Look for a curriculum that offers specialised programs or electives in those areas to nurture their interests and talents.

Flexibility:

Homeschooling provides the opportunity for flexibility in scheduling and pacing. Consider whether you prefer a structured curriculum with set lesson plans or a more flexible approach that allows you to adapt the curriculum to your child’s pace and interests.

Budget:

Obviously it’s important to establish a budget for your homeschool curriculum. Some homeschool curriculum can be quite expensive, while others offer more affordable options. Determine what you’re comfortable spending and explore curricula within that price range.

Country of Origin:

Is this curriculum going to work in Australia? Will it be culturally relevant to your child? Will you need to change it to suit your child?

Your Faith:

All curricula have a particular worldview and all homeschooling curriculum has a bias.  Choose a curriculum that supports your family values.

To sum up, when you carefully considering these factors, you can narrow down your options and choose a homeschool curriculum that best aligns with your child’s needs and your family’s educational goals.

1. Maths Online: In brief, Maths Online is a popular math curriculum used in schools and homeschools. Free trials are available. You can read our review here.
2. My Homeschool: This is a Charlotte Mason inspired homeschool curriculum that follows the Australian Curriculum. It offers a literature-based approach to education that focuses on living books, nature study, and the development of good habits. Ambleside Online is a free Charlotte Mason curriculum but it doesn’t fit well with the Australian Curriculum. Read reviews here.
3. Sonlight: Sonlight is a literature-based curriculum that integrates history, literature, and language arts. It provides a comprehensive and engaging approach to learning through high-quality literature and well-structured lesson plans.  Book Shark is a secular version of this curriculum. Unfortunately there are a lot of books to buy and postage to Australia is expensive. Furthermore, it doesn’t fit very well with some state registration requirements, however if you are not in these states it isn’t an issue.
4. Simply Homeschool : Simply Homeschool offers a unit study Australian curriculum that emphasises group learning. There is a membership fee and books need to be purchased separately.
5. Australian Christian Home School: ACHS is a traditional textbook-based curriculum that covers all core subjects. It offers a structured and Christian curriculum approach with detailed lesson workbooks and assessments.

Remember, these are just a few examples. Consequently, it’s important to research and evaluate each curriculum to determine which one best suits your child’s needs and your educational goals.

Finally, if you want to discover more curriculum options, you can read more reviews at Cathy Duffy’s Homeschool Reviews.

• Firstly, replace imperial measurements to metric;
• Secondly, replace American spelling for Australian spelling;
• Now, include some Australian literature, nature study, poetry and art; and
• Lastly, watch out for lessons that may not be culturally understood or relevant.

By customising the homeschool curriculum to fit your child’s learning style and interests, you can create a more engaging and personalised educational experience.

1. Modify Lesson Plans: Adapt the lesson plans to accommodate your child’s learning pace. If they need more time to grasp a concept, slow down and provide additional practice and reinforcement. Conversely, if they’re ready for more advanced material, challenge them with additional resources or projects.
2. Incorporate Hands-On Activities: Incorporate hands-on activities, experiments, and real-life experiences to make learning more engaging and interactive. This can help solidify concepts and make learning more enjoyable for your child.
3. Include Family Learning: Many subjects work beautifully as group family lessons. Music appreciation, art lessons and nature study are  all great for family friendly lessons.
4. Utilise Technology: Incorporate educational apps, online resources, and interactive platforms to enhance your child’s learning experience. Technology can provide access to a wealth of information and resources that can supplement the curriculum and cater to different learning styles.
5. Encourage Natural Learning: Encourage your child to pursue their own research, projects, and interests in their free time. For example, if they are interested in Lego, encourage them to make things with Lego.