Laws Pertaining to Homeschooling-When must i register my child?

In New South Wales, you can begin homeschooling your child if they turn 5 years old before July 31st of the current year. This early start is optional, however, when the child reaches 6 years old they are legally required to attend school or be registered for homeschooling in NSW. 

What you need to know about the NSW Curriculum

The NSW Curriculum is structured into Primary and Secondary, and learning within each level progresses through a series of defined stages. The defined stages are-

Primary Stages

• Early Stage 1: Kindergarten

• Stage 1: Year 1 and Year 2

• Stage 2: Year 3 and Year 4

• Stage 3: Year 5 and Year 6

Secondary Stages

• Stage 4: Year 7 and Year 8

• Stage 5: Year 9 and Year 10

Senior Secondary Stages

• Stage 6: Year 11 and Year 12

To be registered for homeschooling in NSW, your child's curriculum program must align with the NESA syllabus, meaning it covers the required subjects also know as Key Learning Areas (KLAs). The Mandatory KLAs for Primary Students and Secondary Students are:

Primary (K-6)- Compulsory KLAs

English

Mathematics

Science and Technology

Human Society and its Environment (HSIE)- also known as History and Geography

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

Creative Arts

Languages

Secondary (7-12)- Compulsory KLAs

  English

  Mathematics

  Science

  Human Society and its Environment (HSIE) - typically History or Geography.

Elective Subjects: In addition to the mandatory KLAs, students must select and study at least two subjects from the following:

  Creative Arts

  Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education (PDHPE)

  Languages

  Technology

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Getting Familiar with the NESA Guidelines

Even though it is not a requirement to know all the NESA guidelines to start homeschooling- It is advisable to become familiar with ‘Guidelines for home schooling registration NSW’ on the NESA website. Parents/carers can access information about home schooling registration, the process for registration, the requirements to be met, how to create a program according to the NSW curriculum, review sample programs, learn ways to document learning and also where to access other relevant information.

Here is the following link:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/home-schooling/registration-guidelines