We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands from across Queensland. We pay our respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the state.
Queensland
In Queensland, registration for home education is a legal option for the provision of your child's education. Home education in Queensland is regulated by the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006.
Home education means the education of the child provided by one or both of the child’s parents, or a registered teacher, primarily at the child’s usual place of residence.
In Queensland, registration for home education is a legally recognised alternative to enrolling your child in school.
Registration is a legal requirement for home educated children over the age of 6.5, but optional registration is available in line with eligibility to attend mainstream school, from the beginning of the year in which the child turns 5.5 by 31 December that year.
Once registered, you become legally responsible for providing your child with a high-quality education. In Queensland, parents have the choice to delegate this responsibility to a registered QLD teacher, or to provide the education themselves.
“Provide” does not mean “teach”
Home education in Queensland is regulated by The Home Education Unit (HEU) under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 .
The Queenland Home Education Unit assists parents to understand their obligations in meeting the standard conditions of registration and oversees the home education registration and reporting process.
As at 31 August 2020, there were 4297 students registered for Home Education in Queensland. This represents a 26.6% increase from the previous year, and an 86.6% increase over the 5 year period 2016-2020. Over the same period, population growth was 1.66% or less each year.
Source: Home Education Registrations, QLD Government
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The HEA Registration Support Team is available to help answer questions you may have in regards to state registration, or offer support if you need. Email support@hea.edu.au .
While we hope you will consider membership with us, the HEA supports Australian home educators regardless of membership.
The HEA also has a phone Helpline with experienced home educators who can assist you with any general home education questions you may have, particularly 'how to get started'. 1300 72 99 91
Meet the HEAQ Team
Your Responsibilities
As your child's educator, you will be required to:
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Ensure your child's educational program is developed and delivered
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Provide a suitable learning environment
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Provide the necessary resources to support their learning
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Continue to meet the standard conditions of registration which include the submission of an annual report demonstrating the educational progress of your child
For registration to remain current, you must continue to comply with the standard conditions under section 217 of the Act.
These are the standard conditions:
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Provision of high quality education for your child.
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Provision of an annual written report on your child's educational progress at least 2 months but not more than 3 months before each anniversary of the registration.
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Notification of any change of address of your child's usual place of residence within 28 days of the change.
Read more about your rights and responsibilities as a home educator.
Home education students can:
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receive a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)
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sit the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests
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undertake a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship
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receive the Textbook and Resource Allowance
Applying for Registration
Applications for home education registration can be made at any time during the year.
Overview:
A low stress way is to first register for ‘provisional only’ registration.
This is done in writing, not using the HEU form, as explained in this Document: Applying for Provisional Registration Qld.
Legally HEU must grant provisional registration when your written application is received (and a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate).
Once you have been granted ‘provisional only’ registration, you have two months to develop a plan and apply for ‘registration’. HEA can connect you with a volunteer to help develop a plan to apply for ‘registration’, using the form Application for registration for home education.
To apply for registration:
In Queensland a child cannot be simultaneously registered for home education and enrolled in a school. Prepare to submit your application to the HEU to register for home education. Then withdraw your child from school and submit the application form at the same time.
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If you are not fully ready with your education plan, then apply for provisional registration, which must be granted, while you get your plan ready.
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There is not an 'official HEU form' for provisional registration, but you can use the HEA's provisional form template.
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If you are ready with your education plan, or once you are ready within 60 days after provisional registration, complete and send in the official Application for registration for home education form.
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Include all documents and information outlined in the application form (e.g. a copy of the child's proposed educational program, a certified copy of the child's full birth certificate).
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Send the provisional application or full application to the HEU (not to the HEA!)
Once your provisional application is received, provisional registration will be issued.
Once your full application is received, then it will be processed. You will receive a Certificate of Registration for Home Education if registration is granted.
Reporting your child's progress
Reporting the educational progress of your child is a condition of registration.
The written report is due each year, in the 9th or 10th month of the registration.
The Education Act and associated documents require a home educating parent show the following for reporting to the QLD HEU annually:
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The child is receiving a High Quality Education
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A significant* portion of the child's educational progress is noted.
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Annotated examples support this progress.
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An overview of the learning in relation to the educational goals is reported.
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A summary of the next year's educational program is included.
*significant = important or noticeable (Cambridge English
Dictionary)
The Queensland Education Act states that for a child a high quality education will:
(i) Help maximise his or her educational potential; and
(ii) Enable him or her to become an effective and informed
member of the community.
Further details can be found by reading section 5 (2) (a); section 7 (a) (b) (c)
The HEA has prepared a document to guide you through the process of reporting, including a timeline of what to do throughout the year to be prepared and what to include in the report. You can find it here.
Preparing an educational program
News Update: 14 September 2020: HEA is excited to announce that after 12 months of discussions, the HEU has recently agreed that Queensland Home Educators can include in both their educational plans and annual reports ‘non-parent taught’ samples.
Your application for home education registration must include the summary of the proposed educational program you will use to educate your child at home.
The aim of the Act is to make available to each QLD child or young person a high quality education that will:
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Help maximise his/her educational potential and
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Enable him/her to become an effective and informed member of the community
The guiding principles for achieving a high quality education:
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Parents have the responsibility of choosing a suitable education environment for their children
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Education should be provided to a child in a way that:
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Provides positive learning experiences
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Promotes a safe and supportive learning environment
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Recognises his/her educational needs
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Allows children and young people to be actively involved in decisions affecting them.
Read more about preparing an educational program.
State Resources
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Queensland Education Department has "Learning at Home" resources due to Covid-19. However these can be used by anyone.
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Work Experience Insurance through the HEU - The Queensland Department of Education provides homeschoolers an avenue to use their work experience cover because the Qld Education (Work Experience) Act 1996 specifies that a work experience arrangement for a home educated student must be approved by the chief executive of the department or their delegate.
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Work experience can be arranged and approved through the Home Education Unit as part of your home education registration.
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Minimum age is 14 years
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There is a limit of 30 days per year.
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The student must not be paid.
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If you reside in QLD your child can be covered by the HEU's comprehensive insurance for workplace students. However, it's important to note that ALL applications for work placement can only be approved through the HEU. What this means is, even if you would prefer that the HEA's work experience insurance covers your student, the HEU still needs to approve your work placement arrangement. This can take some time to. For this reason we suggest reaching out to the HEU to initiate this process as soon as possible.
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Dental - Queensland resident children 4 years of age or older who have not completed Year 10 of secondary school are eligible for publicly funded oral health care.
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Transport Student Concession Card - registered home education students 15 years and older who hold a valid Home Education Unit identification card are eligible.