Audience
Department-wide and parents
Purpose
This procedure provides an overview of registration for home education in Queensland and outlines the process of registration.
Overview
Home education is a lawful alternative in Queensland when considering the education of children from at least 5 years and 6 months of age and less than 18 years of age on 31 December in the year the provisional registration, or registration, takes effect.
A parent who wishes to register their child for home education in Queensland must submit an application for registration. Further information may be requested by the chief executive or delegate (the ‘chief executive’) to support the application. The chief executive makes a decision on registration considering:
- if all procedural requirements have been met
- if the standard conditions of registration will be complied with.
If dissatisfied with the decision, the parent may seek a review.
For registration to remain current, the parent must continue to comply with the standard conditions of registration.
Responsibilities
Home Education Unit
- assist parents to understand their obligations in meeting the following standard conditions of registration:
- provision of a high-quality education for their child
- provision of an annual written report on the child’s educational progress at least 2 months but not more than 3 months before each anniversary of the registration
- notification of any change of address of the child’s usual place of residence within 28 days of the change.
Manager, Home Education and Assistant Manager, Home Education
- oversees the home education registration process
- provides necessary documentation, forms and website to support the home education registration system
- monitors parent compliance with the standard conditions of registration under section 217 of the
Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld) (the ‘Act’)
- facilitates the creation of learning accounts with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority for registered children entering the compulsory participation phase
- facilitates payment of Textbook and Resource Allowance to parents of registered children age equivalent to Years 7 to 12 (parents will be contacted by the Home Education Unit in March of each year to organise the payment)
- facilitates access to WorkCover for registered home educated children whose parents have arranged work experience.
Parents
- meet their compulsory schooling and compulsory participation obligations by registering their child for home education
- apply for registration, for their child, using the approved Application for registration for home education form and supply details of the educational program to be used and other required documentation to support their application
- advise the Home Education Unit of any changes to personal details using the Change of personal details for home education form
- comply with the standard conditions of registration.
Chief executive (or delegate)
- determines issues in relation to the granting of provisional registration or registration
- may impose conditions on the registration.
Executive Director, Registration Services (International, Non-State and Home Education); Manager, Home Education; and Executive Director, Portfolio Services and External Relations
- make internal review decisions on registration for home education.
Process
Summary of application process
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Summary of application process flowchart
1. Application for registration for home education received
The Home Education Unit receives the Application for registration for home education and supporting information/documentation from the applicant (parent) under section 208 of the Act.
2. Notice of provisional registration
The chief executive notifies the parent of provisional registration.
3. Procedural requirements
To satisfy the procedural requirements under section 208 of the Act, the application must be made to the chief executive in the approved form and be accompanied by:
- evidence the child is eligible for registration for home education and the applicant is a parent of the child (usually this is satisfied by a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate)
- a summary of the educational program to be used
- any other documents, identified in the approved form, the chief executive reasonably requires.
If all procedural requirements are not met, an information notice is issued to the parent requesting further information within 28 days.
If no response is received in the notice period or the response did not satisfy all procedural requirements, the registration will be refused.
The chief executive will issue an information notice to the parent.
The parent has an opportunity to request a review of the decision to refuse registration within 30 school days.
If dissatisfied with the review decision, the parent may request an external review by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) within 28 days of the notice of the internal review decision.
4. Standard conditions of registration
If all procedural requirements are satisfied, the chief executive will then view the application and supporting documentation submitted by the parent to decide if the standard conditions of registration will be complied with, including the provision of a high-quality education as evidenced by the proposed education program.
The education program should show evidence of a high-quality education that:
- is responsive to the changing needs of the child as indicated by the short and long term educational and personal goals
- has regard to the age, ability, aptitude and development of the child concerned
- is conducted in an environment conducive to learning
- is responsive to the child’s need for social development
- utilises suitable and relevant teaching strategies to deliver the educational program to the child
- engages the child in a range of rich and varied learning experiences
- is supported by sufficient and appropriate resources
- uses strategies for monitoring educational progress.
If further information is required for deciding an application for registration, an information notice is issued to the parent requesting the information within 28 days.
If no response is received in the notice period or the chief executive is not satisfied the standard conditions of registration will be complied with, the registration will be refused.
The chief executive will issue an information notice to the parent.
The parent has an opportunity to request a review of the decision to refuse registration within 30 school days.
If dissatisfied with the review decision, the parent may request an external review by QCAT within 28 days of the notice of the internal review decision.
5. Certificate of registration and notice issued to parent
If the chief executive is satisfied the standard conditions of registration will be complied with, registration is granted and a certificate of registration and notice is issued to the parent.
Note: conditions may be imposed on the child’s registration for home education.
Summary of reporting process
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Summary of reporting process flowchart
1. Report information provided to parent prior to due date
Prior to the due date of the report, the Home Education Unit will provide information to the parent to assist with the completion of the required report.
2. Parent provides report by due date
The parent is required to provide the chief executive with the completed Reporting for registration for home education form and the required supporting information at least two months, but no more than three months before each anniversary of the child’s registration.
The report is reviewed to determine compliance with the standard conditions of registration (see Step 4).
3. Parent does not provide report by the due date
A show cause notice is issued to the parent to show cause within 30 days why the registration should not be cancelled.
If no response is received in the notice period, the registration is cancelled.
The chief executive will issue an information notice to the parent.
The parent has an opportunity to request a review of the decision to cancel registration within 30 school days.
If dissatisfied with the review decision, the parent may request an external review by QCAT within 28 days of the notice of the internal review decision.
4. Review of the report
Reports and supporting information/documentation submitted by the parent are reviewed to determine compliance with the standard conditions of registration.
If the parent has not complied with the standard conditions of registration or the chief executive is not reasonably satisfied about the educational progress of the child, a show cause notice is issued to the parent to show cause within 30 days why the registration should not be cancelled.
If no response is received in the notice period or the chief executive still believes grounds exist to cancel the registration, registration will be cancelled.
The chief executive will issue an information notice to the parent.
The parent has an opportunity to request a review of the decision to cancel registration within 30 school days.
If dissatisfied with the review decision, the parent may request an external review by QCAT within 28 days of the notice of the internal review decision.
5. Registration remains current
If the chief executive believes the standard conditions continue to be met, a notification is issued to the parent advising registration can continue.
Definitions
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Term
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Definition
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Compulsory participation phase
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Starts when a young person stops being of compulsory school age and ends when the young person gains a certificate of achievement, senior certificate, certificate III or IV; or has participated in an eligible option for 2 years after they have stopped being of compulsory age; or turns 17 years (s.231 of the Act).
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Compulsory schooling age
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A child who is at least 6.5 years of age and less than 16 years of age (or who has not completed Year 10) (s.9 of the Act).
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Home education
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The education of a child provided by one or both of the child’s parents, or a registered teacher, primarily at the child’s usual place of residence.
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Parent
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As defined by section 10 of the Act.
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Provisional registration
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The provisional registration for the child for home education under sections 207 or 212 of the Act.
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Registration
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The registration of the child for home education under section 213 of the Act.
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Standard conditions of registration
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The conditions under section 217 of the Actwhich a parent must meet to maintain the registration of a child for home education.
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Legislation
Delegations/Authorisations
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Manager, Home Education and Assistant Manager, Home Education
- Issuing of provisional registration for home education
- Ensuring compliance with procedural requirements for home education applications
- Issuing requests for further information or documentation
- Ensure the standard conditions of registration are complied with
- Decision on applications for home education
- Issuing of certificates and notices
- Decision to impose or change conditions of registration
- Decision to refuse or cancel registration
- Open student accounts for children entering the compulsory participation phase
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Executive Director, Registration Services (International, Non-State and Home Education); Manager, Home Education; and Executive Director, Portfolio Services and External Relations
- Internal reviewer for decisions made
Other resources
Superseded versions
Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.
4.0 Home Education in Queensland
5.0 Home Education in Queensland