Registration In NSW
This is some general information that will assist you with the registration process.
To begin with, I believe ANYONE considering home schooling in NSW should read and make every attempt to understand the Education Act and the NSW Foundation Statements.
You can download the Foundation Statements in PDF format from the Board of Studies website.
There is a lot of debate amongst the home schooling community in NSW about how much control the BoS actually have when it comes to registration.
There are a few main reasons why people choose to register for homeschooling. They include:
* the process avoids the inconvenience of wading through the legalities and leaving themselves open to action being taken against them for truancy; and
* others choose to do so because they have agree with the guidelines or Governmental control over home schooling.
A third point pertains to the conscientious decision that some people choose not to register at all.The reasons for their choices are exhaustive.
The Registration Process:
The registration for the home education of children aged 6 – 15 in NSW is overseen by the Board of Studies (BoS). Children under the age of 6 or over 15 are not able to be registered by the BoS.
Once you are ready to register, you can contact the BoS on (02) 9367 8373. The BoS will then send out the home education package which sets out the minimum curriculum requirements for your child, various articles on the requirements for registration, and contact details for various support groups.
Once your application is returned to the BoS, an Authorised Person (AP) will be appointed to assess your application.
The AP will then contact you to arrange an interview in your home where you will be required to show the following:
* the curriculum or learning program you intend to
use;
* a brief outline of your Course of Study; and
* the methodology you intend to use for recording your child`s learning and progress.
After reviewing all of the above, your AP will then decide on your registration period which will range between 6 months and 2 years.
You may view some sample programs used for registration in NSW here. Please, do not copy these programs. Each program has been tailored to specifically meet the needs of the child it was written for and are offered in good faith to help people understand exactly what constitutes a typical course of study.
Some additional points to consider:
While organising your program, think 'MORE is BETTER'. When you think you have a Key Learning Area (KLA) covered, look again and see if there is any further information more you can add.
Think outside the "classroom". Many KLAs are covered every day around the home. For example:
* teaching a young child to remember to brush their teeth and wash their hands before eating may be considered under the subject of Health;
* assisting with the grocery list incorporates maths, handwriting, health and budgetting);
* feeding the pets pertains to personal development;
* assisting with cooking can fall under the categories of health, personal development, maths and science; and
* riding a bike, jumping on the trampoline and walking to the shop can all be considered PE.
In other words, WRITE IT ALL DOWN.
Look at everything you do everyday when writing your program and remember to write it in your records too. You will be surprised at how many hours a day your children are "actively" learning.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page should in NO WAY be taken as official legal advice and anyone considering their options in regards to registration should make every effort to fully research all the options legally available to them.