Homeschooling In New Zealand: Your Important Questions Answered

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Homeschooling in New Zealand is something that is increasingly growing in popularity.

It makes sense in so many ways because of the laid-back and family-oriented lifestyle of so many of its people.

However, if you’re looking to begin homeschooling then it can feel overwhelming trying to find all the necessary information.

As well as that, there are personal experiences that are really helpful to know about as well. That’s what I intend to share with you in this post.

I’ll share where you need to go for legal requirements and I’ll also share my personal experience and tips for getting started.

Keep reading to find out what they are…

What You Need to Know About Homeschool In New Zealand

When it comes to homeschooling in New Zealand we actually have a lot of freedom. However, there are some basic legal requirements that are necessary. Compared to many other countries we have very little to have to “prove” to the government.

In fact, once the initial homeschool exemption is granted, it’s basically hands-off and you can do as you please.

Before we jump into all of that, though, I’m going to share a little of my own personal experience with homeschooling in New Zealand.

My Experience With Home Education

Not only do I homeschool my own children, but I was actually homeschooled myself from age 11-high school graduation.

My parents homeschooled all of their children due to being unhappy with the public system available.

Back then, resources were limited and though we did have a really supportive homeschool community, it definitely wasn’t as big as it is now.

I used the Abeka curriculum for most of my home education and then switched to NCEA Level 3 in my final year (to help assist with the transition to tertiary education).

I had a wonderful experience and that’s evident when you see my own enthusiasm for homeschooling my own children.

After completing high school, I went on to complete a Bachelor of Nursing and also several post-grad papers.

Then vs Now

I now have the great privilege of homeschooling my own children and while some things have changed, others have remained largely the same.

The legal requirements, for instance, are almost identical to what they were 20+ years ago. Homeschooling families still have the same level of freedom that they used to, which is wonderful.

However, due to the rising numbers of homeschoolers, there are now a lot more community homeschool groups available.

Another thing that has increased is the accessibility to learning resources. When I was a kid, the internet barely existed. We had dial-up basically until I left home.

Nowadays, I can purchase homeschool curriculum and print it out from the comfort of my own home. There are definitely still issues will eye-watering shipping costs for books, but generally speaking, access is much more vast.

How to Homeschool In New Zealand

Thankfully, there are very few legal requirements in order to home educate your children in New Zealand. There are, however, some necessary steps that need to be taken.

Your best bet is to check out the Ministry of Education’s website so that you get all the important requirements in front of you.

You can also take a look at HSNZ as they are a wonderful resource for homeschooling parents.

Certificate of Exemption

In order to homeschool, you’ll need to complete a homeschool exemption application. The process for this can seem daunting, but after completing it myself, it really isn’t that bad and there’s lots of support available.

In New Zealand, it is a legal requirement that your child is either enrolled at a registered school or has an approved homeschool exemption by their 6th birthday.

This is important as it can take some time for your exemption to be approved and you don’t want to be stressed out by leaving it to the last minute.

In my experience, it was approved very quickly, but there can sometimes be hold-ups.

Helpful Guides

For putting together your exemption, I cannot recommend highly enough Cynthia Hancox. She has a wonderful and comprehensive guide to creating your homeschool exemption that is just so helpful and is a good way to get you started.

You can check out Cynthia’s website and you’ll find detailed guides with everything you need to get started.

The homeschool exemption is approved based on your ability to prove that you will educate your child as well as they would be educated in the public system. It is an educational plan with detailed goals.

This means showing how you will attempt to meet the educational requirements laid out by the Ministry of Education. There is strong emphasis on this so you want to make sure you cover all your bases.

The good thing to note is that once your application has been approved, you are free to start homeschooling with little to no restrictions.

You do not need to keep a record of attendance or submit any kind of portfolio. You will only be subject to inspection should someone raise concern.

There is a homeschool allowance that is paid out bi-annually but it is optional. You do not have to accept it if you’d prefer not to.

Te Kura

Te Kura is also another home-based learning option in New Zealand. This is not an area that I’m familiar with and so I’ll direct you to Te Kura’s website for more details.

FAQs

I’ve tried my best to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about homeschooling in New Zealand below.

Q: Are There Local Groups for Homeschoolers?

A: Yes, I would say in most areas in New Zealand there will be at least one homeschool community that you can participate in.

In larger cities, there will be multiple homeschool groups where your children can join and take part in classes and other events.

If you’re in a place where there isn’t one already, you can always create one yourself. The group I attended as a child was just made up of several homeschool families (mainly from our church). We went of field trips and has sports lessons. It was a wonderful experience.

Q: Is There Funding for Homeschooling?

A: As mentioned above, there is a homeschool allowance available but it isn’t a large amount of money (although helpful).

There is no specification for its use.

Q: What Are the Benefits of Homeschooling In New Zealand?

New Zealand has some spectacular scenery and outdoor activities. Homeschooling naturally lends itself to the flexibility of being able to really take advantage of all that.

Nature study is easy and almost effortless in this beautiful country.

Also, because we have no legal requirements to follow the same school terms as the public schools, we can set our own schedule.

I choose to school for 6-weeks at a time with a week’s break in between. We then have 6-8 weeks off over December-February.

This means that we get to explore and travel during times when other children are in school.

Q: Can Homeschooled Children Attend University In New Zealand?

A: The short answer is yes, but each tertiary center will have its own application process.

I attended a polytech to earn my Bachelor of Nursing. My mom put together a portfolio of my high school work and then we met in person with the head of the nursing school.

It was actually a fairly simple process and I had no trouble earning my degree.

My siblings had similar experiences to mine. The important thing is that you start looking into it once your child is high school age.

Q: Do You Have to Use the New Zealand Curriculum?

A: No, you do not have to use the curriculum used in New Zealand schools. You can if you want to, but there are no stipulations about what curriculum you have to use, or even if you have to use any!

We are definitely an eclectic homeschool family and I pull from a range of different curriculums to cover all of our learning subjects.

Providing your child with a quality education does not mean that it’s necessary to use the national curriculum.

There is a huge range of curriculum and other learning resources from which you can pull from and it is 100% your parental choice as to what you’ll use.

Q: Is There a Homeschool Mom Support Group?

A: There are several homeschool organizations around New Zealand that will help support you in your homeschooling journey. They don’t just cater to homeschool moms though, as there are many homeschool dads that need support too!

The Firelight Foundation is a group that I’ve heard great things about, although I haven’t looked into it myself.

Home Education New Zealand is also a fantastic Facebook group for asking questions and getting support.

Q: What if the Education Review Office Declines My Application?

A: Generally speaking, it’s pretty rare that this happens. If you don’t have your application approved right away, they usually ask for more information. You then have a set amount of time in which to give them what they’re asking for.

Typically speaking, if you don’t get instant approval it’s simply because you haven’t given enough information. This can be more common depending on your local ministry of education office. It’s just that your application only gives a partial fulfillment of the requirements and some offices want more information.

However, once you’ve provided the requested additional information, your application will likely be approved.

I’ve not heard of anyone getting a firm no unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Q: Does Homeschooling Take A Lot of Time?

A: This is a general homeschool question but one I often see asked by new homeschool parents. The answer depends on the age of your child, but I can say for certain that it takes less time than the public schools take.

You can read this post about how long it takes to homeschool to get a better idea. The vast majority of homeschoolers finish their formal learning in half the time (or less) than their public school peers.

Because homeschooling allows your child to go at their own pace, everyone’s homeschool routine will look a little different.

There’s a lot of beauty in having more time for your child to explore their natural interests.

The number of students in a typical class naturally means that it takes longer to get through teaching. Homeschooling is often done one-on-one or with just a handful of children and so takes a lot less time.

Q: What Kind of Local Resources Can I Use In the Homeschool Exemption Application?

A: You can include the frequenting of your local library, museum, art gallery, hiking trails, beaches, and more! If you can use local places to boost your child’s education then you should include those in your application.

Q: Do I Have to Homeschool a Certain Number of Days?

A: No, your primary responsibility is to provide your child with an education as good as what they would receive if they were attending the public school system.

How that looks on a daily basis is completely up to you.

In your application, you will be asked to provide a sample schedule to demonstrate how you can achieve that, but it isn’t mandatory to follow any set schedule by the government.

Q: Are Homeschool Parents Required to Be Qualified Teachers?

A: No. Absolutely no qualifications are required of you in order to homeschool your children. It is a misconception that parents have to leave the education of their children up to a qualified teacher.

Teachers are amazing, but they are also not all-knowing. Even teachers are limited in their academic knowledge.

Q: Does My Local School Have Any Input?

A: If your child is already enrolled in a school then they will be notified when you submit a homeschool exemption application.

They will be invited to submit feedback but they don’t have any control over whether or not you are able to homeschool your child.

Some schools unfortunately can sometimes bully parents into thinking they have more control than they actually do. Know your rights and stick to your convictions. You know your child best.

Q: What if My Child Has Special Education Needs?

A: In many cases, homeschooling is incredibly helpful for children who have learning challenges as they get the one-on-one time that they need.

Unfortunately, state schools are often full of over-crowded classrooms that do not lend themselves to one-on-one teaching opportunities.

However, you can also look into what programs they may be entitled to here on this website.