Homeschooling vs school in Australia: a fair side-by-side comparison

• Flexibility. School: fixed hours, terms and timetable set by the school. Homeschool: you set the daily rhythm, pace and holidays, within your jurisdiction's requirements.
• Curriculum. School: teachers deliver the state or territory curriculum. Homeschool: the parent plans the program; authorities set what it must cover, such as NESA syllabuses in NSW or eight learning areas in Victoria and South Australia.
• Social life. School: daily contact with a large peer group. Homeschool: friendships through groups, sport, clubs and community activities that the family arranges.
• Cost. Government school: low direct cost, with some fees and expenses. Homeschool: the family pays for resources and activities, and often gives up some income.
• Parent role. School: support learning at home and stay in touch with teachers. Homeschool: plan, teach or arrange teaching, and keep records.
• Assessment and records. School: reports and assessment by teachers. Homeschool: you keep evidence of learning for the authority's reports, reviews or visits.
• Senior years and university. School: senior certificate and ATAR pathway built in. Homeschool: possible, but usually through alternative or non-standard pathways that need early planning.

School gives children a predictable structure and gives parents set hours that can make work easier to plan. For many families, that predictability is a real strength.

Home education lets you shape the day around your child: shorter, focused sessions, learning outdoors, travelling outside school holidays or fitting around health needs. The trade-off is that the structure has to come from you.

There are in-between options in some places. Victoria allows partial enrolment, where a registered home-educated child attends a school for part of the week by arrangement with that school.

At school, teachers plan and deliver the curriculum, and specialist subjects such as science practicals, languages or music are usually supported with equipment and trained staff.

At home, you plan the learning program yourself, though not without guidance. Requirements vary: NSW requires programs based on NESA syllabuses, Victoria and South Australia expect eight learning areas to be addressed, and Tasmania assesses programs against its home education Standards. The Australian Curriculum, published by ACARA, is a free reference for what is typically taught at each year level.

The upside is the freedom to go deeper into interests and adjust pace. The challenge is covering subjects you are less confident in, which many families handle through published resources, community classes or tutoring.

School offers daily contact with many children of the same age, plus team sport, clubs and events that come with the enrolment. Some children thrive on this; others find it stressful.

Home-educated children can have rich social lives, but they rarely happen by default. Families typically build them through home education groups, sport, music, scouts, library programs and community classes, which often mix ages.

Whichever path you choose, keep an eye on your child's wellbeing and friendships, and be willing to adjust. If you have concerns about your child's mental health, talk with your GP or a health professional.

Government schooling is publicly funded, though families still pay for things such as uniforms, devices, excursions and voluntary contributions. Non-government schools charge fees that vary widely.

Home education is generally funded by the family. The VRQA in Victoria, for example, states that it does not provide financial support to home schooling families. For many households the biggest cost is indirect: one parent working fewer hours. Some targeted support exists in certain circumstances; our guide to the cost of homeschooling explains what is available.

The parent's role also changes significantly. At home you are the planner, teacher or coordinator of teaching, and record-keeper. That is rewarding for many parents, but it is a substantial commitment of time and energy.

Schools assess students and send home regular reports. Students also sit NAPLAN in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 as part of the school program.

Home educators are usually responsible for showing evidence of learning to their authority. NSW requires records of how the program has been delivered, Queensland and the ACT require annual reports, and WA moderators look at a child's progress. Registered home-schooled students in NSW may be able to take part in NAPLAN; the NSW Government publishes information on how this works.

Good records also help if your child later moves to school or applies for senior study.

This is where the two paths differ most. School students usually work towards their state or territory's senior certificate (such as the HSC, VCE, QCE, WACE or SACE) and, if they choose, an ATAR. These are issued through schools and other recognised providers, so home education on its own does not usually lead to them.

Home-educated students can still reach university. Admissions centres recognise that some applicants come from non-standard schooling:

• Queensland: QTAC asks non-standard Year 12 students, including home-schooled students, to contact QTAC or the institution about how their education will be assessed. Queensland's home education pages note that parents are responsible for designing a child's senior secondary pathway.
• Western Australia: TISC lists home schooling among non-standard schooling and asks these applicants to provide a statement detailing their upper secondary studies. Individual universities set their own entry options.
• NSW and ACT: UAC's information for the University of Newcastle names registered homeschooling as an example of non-traditional schooling for which the university will consider STAT results.

Bridging and enabling programs, vocational qualifications and tests such as STAT are other common routes into university. In NSW, the home schooling registration guidelines also include guidance on recognising the completion of Year 10.

Entry rules change and differ by university and course, so check with the relevant admissions centre and university well before Year 11.