Should we homeschool? Pros, cons and questions to ask in Australia

Families come to home education for many different reasons, and often for more than one at once. Common ones include:

• wanting to tailor learning to a child who is ahead, behind or uneven across subjects;
• a child's health, disability or additional needs that are hard to accommodate in a classroom;
• anxiety, bullying or a difficult school experience;
• travel, remote living or a parent's work pattern;
• family values, faith or a preferred educational philosophy;
• simply wanting more time together while children are young.

Home education is a legal option in every state and territory, provided you meet the local registration or approval requirements. Each authority explains its own process on its official website.

Learning at the right pace. You can spend longer on what is hard and move on quickly from what is already mastered, rather than following a whole-class schedule.

Following interests. Projects, reading and excursions can be built around what genuinely engages your child, which many families find keeps motivation high.

Flexible time. Learning can happen at the times of day that suit your child, and holidays, appointments or family travel can be scheduled around your own calendar.

A calmer environment for some children. For a child who finds a busy classroom overwhelming, a quieter setting can make it easier to focus and settle.

Close family connection. Many parents value being directly involved in their child's learning day to day.

These are possibilities, not guarantees. How much of each you experience depends on your child, your circumstances and the approach you take.

Time. Planning, teaching, finding resources and keeping records take real time, especially in the first year. In most jurisdictions you will also need to prepare a plan or report for the authority.

Cost and income. Resources, activities and excursions cost money, and for many families the largest cost is a parent working fewer hours. 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. Our guide to the cost of homeschooling covers this in more detail.

Social life. Children at home do not automatically have a ready-made group of peers. Friendships are very achievable through groups, sport, clubs and community activities, but someone has to organise them.

Parent wellbeing. Being parent and teacher, often with little time alone, can be tiring. It helps to plan for rest, shared responsibility and support from the start.

Specialist subjects and senior years. Some subjects need equipment or expertise, and senior qualifications and university entry take extra planning for home-educated students. Our homeschooling vs school comparison explains this further.

Talking through these honestly, as a family, is often more useful than any list of pros and cons.

• Why are we considering it? Is the main driver something home education would actually solve, or something a change of school, extra support or a conversation with the school might fix?
• What does our child want? Older children in particular should have a real say.
• Who will do the teaching, and when? Be specific about hours and how work, other children and household tasks fit around it.
• Can we manage financially? Consider resources, activities and any loss of income.
• How will our child see friends and other adults? Think about which groups, sports or classes are realistically within reach.
• What support will the parent at home have? Consider a partner, extended family, local groups or occasional outside help.
• What do the rules where we live require? Read your state or territory's official home education pages before deciding.
• How will we know if it is working? Agree in advance on what you will look for, and when you will review the decision.

Homeschooling does not have to be a permanent decision. Many families treat it as a choice they review year by year.

Part-time arrangements depend on where you live. Victoria offers partial enrolment, where a registered home-educated child attends a school for part of the week by arrangement with that school. Queensland, by contrast, states that a child cannot be registered for home education and enrolled at a school at the same time. Check your own authority's rules.

Returning to school is also possible. Processes vary between jurisdictions. In Victoria, for example, the VRQA advises parents not to cancel home schooling registration until a school has accepted the child's enrolment, and to let the VRQA know within 14 days of stopping home schooling. In Queensland, families who enrol a child at a school need to tell the department so it can end the home education registration.

If you are unsure, it can help to keep good records of what your child has learned. Work samples and notes make it easier to talk with a school about where your child is up to if you later decide to return.

A common worry is not knowing what to teach. The Australian Curriculum, published by ACARA, is freely available online and sets out what is typically taught at each year level. Some states have their own curriculum or syllabuses; NSW, for example, requires home schooling programs to be based on NESA syllabuses.

You do not need to be an expert in every subject. Many families use a mix of published resources, library books, online materials, community classes and occasional tutoring for the areas they find hardest to teach.

Start with your state or territory's home education authority. Their websites explain the rules, and many publish resources for families. The VRQA in Victoria, for example, has a page on support and resources for home educators, and Tasmania has a Home Education Advisory Council that includes members with home education experience.

Local home education groups, libraries, sporting clubs and community organisations are valuable for both children and parents. Talking to families who already home educate, ideally a few with different approaches, is one of the best ways to get a realistic picture.

Families in remote areas, or whose child cannot attend school because of illness or disability, may be eligible for the Australian Government's Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme through Services Australia. Check the eligibility rules on its website.

If your child's wellbeing is the main concern, talk with your GP or a relevant health professional as well. They can help you weigh up options and connect you with support, whichever path you choose.