Getting Started
New to Home Education? Don't know where to begin? The best way to get started is by talking with home educating families. There are a number of groups and communities in the Canterbury Region and throughout New Zealand. Canterbury Home Educators offers information meetings to help you begin your journey, answer any questions you may have and provide information and support. Register your interest in an information meeting below.
Home Educating in New Zealand
The Legal Stuff
Children aged 6 -16 must go to school in New Zealand. To home educate an exemption from school must be obtained from the Ministry of Education before the age of 6 or before removing a child from a school they are enrolled in. The exemption application is detailed but very worthwhile and support with the process of applying can be accessed by experienced home educators.
Curriculum
Discover your approach or style
There are about 8,000 children currently being home educated in New Zealand and no two families home educate in the exact same way. Some approaches to home education are school at home, unschooling/child-led, eclectic, classical, Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, unit studies, the list goes on... Take time to consider your family's approach(es).
Exemption
Completing an exemption application
Applying for an exemption from school is a great opportunity to consider your family's and each child's home educating approach(es). At first it can seem daunting, but there is plenty of support available and working through the exemption will help you determine your approach to Home Educating and get you started.