Homeschooling In Canberra and the ACT
Homeschooling in ACT/Canberra is free & legal.
To be eligible to apply you (and your children) need live in the ACT, apply to the Home Schooling Team and write an education plan that is assessed by ACT Education Directorate. Approval is done by 90 days, often sooner. Nearly all people get approved.
If you want to try homeschooling in ACT, you are following a growing trend. More and more families are taking up the challenge, especially after they gave homeschooling a go during the COVID lock downs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschooling in TAS
Here is a quick overview of the basic facts that you need to understand for homeschooling in Tasmania.
I’ll start with a few frequently asked questions.
Do You Have To Register to Homeschool in ACT/Canberra?
Yes! If you live in Canberra and plan on homeschooling your child it is a legal requirement to register to homeschool from ages 5 to 17 – if your child is not enrolled in distance education, or at a school.
When Can I Remove My Kids From School?
After you apply for homeschooling you can begin. You usually have up to 3 months before a plan is required to be submitted.
Can I Travel When Homeschooling in Canberra?
Yes, you can travel when homeschooling in Canberra.
Part Time Homeschooling in Canberra/ACT.
Part time enrolment in school is possible. This is negotiated with the principal of the school were you wish to enrol.
Do I Need A Specific Curriculum?
No! You do not need to follow a particular curriculum.
When homeschooling in Canberra you need to ensure your child is taught “a high quality education”. This usually means adding the traditional subjects into your learning plan: English, maths, science, social studies (history, geography, civics, economics), creative arts, Foreign languages (optional). However, you have a lot of flexibility.
ACT schools use the Australian Curriculum, however you are not required to follow this, although it can be a helpful guide.
Do I Need to Buy A Homeschool Program?
You do not need to buy a curriculum however many families choose to, especially when they first start. It’s much easier to register and all of the syllabus is planned out for you.
Purchased programs also help collect samples for when you submit a yearly report and new plan for the following year.
Homeschooling has flexible hours, and generally is more efficient, so you will still have loads of time to pursue your child’s interests.
Can I DIY My Curriculum?
Absolutely! If you want to make up your own curriculum you can.
Just remember, Canberra homeschooling students must be taught a high-quality education on a broad range of topics.
Even if you are unschooling you will need to do an educational plan and yearly reporting.
How Much Does Homeschooling Cost?
To get registered to homeschool in Canberra it is free. You don’t get a specific government subsidy to homeschool but some families are eligible for the isolated children’s scheme.
Centrelink also gives some exemptions to the educating parent from working when you homeschool.
What will cost you money is curriculum and external lessons like music and other activities such as swimming lessons.
Homeschooling is cheaper than private school and distance education.
Here are some additional tips for single parent homeschooling in Canberra.
You can homeschool on a tight budget, or you can go crazy expensive.
Here is a breakdown of particular costs using different learning styles.
Can My Child Get A ACT SSC When I Homeschool in Canberra?
When you choose to homeschool for Year 11 and 12 your child can’t get a ACT Senior Secondary Certificate (ACT SSC). However your children can still complete an ACT SSE alternative and get an ATAR to use for university entry if needed, or they can continuing homeschooling up till the age of 17 without seeking a formal qualification. After the age of 17 you can follow your chosen course of study without any government restrictions. You can stop homeschooling altogether if you like.
Year 11 and 12 Qualifications
Year 10 is the last grade we provide at My Homeschool. However, we do offer resources to help you explore possibilities – and there are many – after you complete Year 10.
They include:
- Selecting The Next Best Step – This guide helps you navigate the various pathways available to students who have already completed their Year 10 studies. We look at: university entry without an ATAR, DIY Year 11 & 12, TAFE, apprenticeships, and gaining international qualifications.
- Curating A Senior High School Course – Here you’ll get ideas on how you can prepare your own DIY curriculum for a non-accredited Year 11 and 12 course of study. We have information on: when you can stop homeschooling, how to put your own curriculum together, and what subjects to choose. Our curated subject lists include English, mathematics, science, geography, history, foreign languages, technology, creative arts and PDHPE. You can craft an individualised curriculum from these lists.
- Preparing Academic Transcripts – We teach you how to prepare your own professional transcripts to demonstrate your record of learning. We also provide examples, a template and tips on creating portfolios.
When you finish with My Homeschool Year 10B you’ll have many options. You and your teen can create your own strategy and make informed decisions for the future.
This resource is part of our Year 10B course and is only available to families who have purchased our Year 10B curriculum. It is not sold separately.
What If My Child Has Special Needs?
Many parents who are homeschooling have children with special needs. Home education allows you to adapt your curriculum to your child’s special needs. Here is some more information on homeschooling children with special needs.
Homeschool Legislation For Canberra
In the ACT home education is regulated through the Education Act 2004. A couple of years ago amendments were put forward to the Act and over that time there has been consultation between the government and home education representatives. Home education interest groups and individuals have done a great job to better inform government officials and Members of Parliament about homeschooling during this process. In November 2019 amendments to the Act were passed.
1. Provisional Registration
Under previous arrangements families applying for homeschooling in Canberra were automatically provided provisional registration for six months. Then they had to go through a process for full registration which could be given for up to two years. This meant that potentially families could apply repeatedly for provisional registration and that registration was a two-step process.
With the new changes to the Act, there will be no provisional registration. This means that registration is a one-step process.
2. Education Plan for Homeschooling in Canberra
Once an application for registration has been submitted, the Education Directorate needs to make a decision whether to grant registration within 28 days. Families will be able to receive full registration if they can show they have a good educational plan appropriate to the education requirements or special needs of their child. For those families new to homeschooling, the amendments also allow for a three-month grace period to prepare and provide an education plan.
My Homeschool is a complete syllabus for Australian homeschoolers that has been used for registration by ACT homeschoolers. Families wishing to apply for homeschooling in the ACT can use the registration plan provided for each of the grades in My Homeschool to make this application process smoother. Our range of materials and resources are designed to support homeschooling parents develop the skills and understanding to home educate well and to provide a high-quality education to their children. Our plans have been linked to the Australian Curriculum and codes have been provided in the scope and sequence. You’ll find more information in our Getting Registered Course.
3. Annual Reports
In the ACT homeschooling families need to provide reports annually to the Director-General on the progress of their homeschooled children. The amendments to the Act ensure there is a provision for the Education Department to prescribe requirements for these home education reports so all families are aware of what is expected.
A sample of what a good ACT home education report can look like will be available to the My Homeschool community shortly, demonstrating how our new Year 8 course can meet the requirements for this reporting. We like to support our lovely My Homeschool community to make homeschooling easier. You’ll find this in our Getting Registered Course.
4. Up To Date Register and Living In ACT
The amendments also reflect the need to keep the home education register in the ACT up-to-date and clearly state what information is to be kept in the register. They also make it clear that children registered for home schooling in the Canberra must actually live in the ACT, yet, still provide flexibility for families who normally live in the ACT but may be living away temporarily, such as for extended travel.
Appreciate all the work that has gone into creating each grade level work.
As a teacher & homeschooling parent, I have an appreciation for all the time that has been put into developing the content appropriate to each grade.
Thank you.
Looking For a Support Groups for Homeschooling in Canberra?
ACT/Canberra home educators often join homeschooling communities in regional NSW, Southern Highlands and Yass region.
CHEC – Christian Home Education in Canberra
HENCAST – Home Education Network of Canberra and the Southern Tablelands
My Homeschool subscribers can also access information on fellow My Homeschool members through our Community Hub.
Thanks To Our Advocates
Many thanks to all of those who have been involved in the consultation process for these legislative amendments. We appreciate the time and effort involved.
Can I Buy A Plan?
Yes! When you use My Homeschool we give you the essential building blocks for your personalised learning plan.
We’ve done 75% of the work. We provide idea prompts and suggestions to help you personalise your application to suit your child’s specific needs.
With each grade we include:
- A learning plan in an editable Word document. Just fill in the sections we recommend.
- A scope and sequence with all syllabus outcomes and codes linked to resources.
- Editable Term Reports to make re-registration easy.
100% of our members report passing their registration and reregistration when using our templates.
You’ll find more information on home education registration and planning here.
What a relief and blessing for homeschool families to have all the nitty gritty details of daily homeschool and homeschool registration designed for us. It is wonderful to see how simple registration can be. Michelle you have created a method for recording that oozes simplicity and that is what we all want. Michelle and Jo you are a very present listening ear and help on the My Homeschool forum and your advice is all about making homeschool work for each one. I have absolute freedom in how I use this resource. I have not followed the schedule as is but have felt encouragement from you to make it work for my busy family lifestyle, quirks and passions. Year 5 is helping our ten year old to move into written narrations and I have found Our Sunburnt Country broken into small chunks with a notebook page for each reading, is so simple and achievable. My daughter’s confidence in writing has grown in the first term of using My Homeschool following this very natural method. Thank you Michelle and Jo, for your commitment to making homeschool simple. What a blessing you are.
Let Us Help You On The Homeschool Journey
My Homeschool is more than a curriculum, it is a holistic education community that supports parents and children on their homeschool journey. When you buy a graded homeschool program through My Homeschool you are joining a community that supports and mentors parents interested in educating their children academically and spiritually.
We give you a shortcut to help you get straight into giving your child a delightful and robust education without spending days and days researching and tweaking unsuitable content.
We Wanted A Curriculum That Worked For Home Educators
Our curriculum writers have already done the juggle of homeschooling a few children at once.
- We knew how lovely and important it is to learn as a family so we made some lessons and read alouds possible to teach as a group.
- We reduced the time needed for formal academics by crafting our curriculum so our resources and books often teach multiple topics.
- We made each grade fit each state’s syllabus so you can get registered easily.
- We gave you a streamlined intentional curriculum so you could give your children a wholesome integrated education from kindergarten to high school.
- We made sure it was academically challenging so your children will have career options, and a pathway to university if needed.
- We put it all in one place so you weren’t hunting around looking for resources every time you wanted to begin lessons.
- We made it easy to access your lessons and planner when you were out and about or travelling just by picking up your smartphone.
Buy A Course
Become a part of the My Homeschool community. Let us mentor you on the homeschool journey.