MADE FOR FAMILIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Home schooling in New South Wales, planned for you
Tell Kuraplan your children's ages and what New South Wales expects. It writes lessons, worksheets and the records you need, in the language of the NSW syllabuses.
Home schooling in New South Wales: the rules, the registration and a plan that works
New South Wales has the most detailed home schooling system in Australia. Registration is with NESA, it involves a home visit from an Authorised Person who assesses your program against the NSW syllabuses, and it is granted for a period of up to two years before it must be renewed with another assessment. The program must be based on the NSW Key Learning Areas and syllabus outcomes for the child's stage.
That sounds daunting, and it is more work than other states, but tens of thousands of NSW families do it and the Authorised Persons are, in most accounts, supportive. This guide explains the application, what the assessor looks for, how to document a program in syllabus terms, and how renewal works.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Informational, not legal advice. Verify with NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) before acting.
Step by step
How to start home schooling in New South Wales
- 1
Apply to NESA
Submit the online application for each child of compulsory school age (from the age of six). You receive a temporary certificate allowing you to begin while the assessment is arranged, provided the child is not enrolled at a school without approval.
- 2
Prepare the program
Your plan must be based on the NSW syllabuses for the child's stage in the Key Learning Areas: English, mathematics, science and technology, HSIE, creative arts, PDHPE (primary), and the equivalent secondary KLAs. For each, show the syllabus outcomes you will cover, the resources and activities, and how you will record and assess progress. NESA publishes guidelines and templates.
- 3
The Authorised Person visit
An assessor visits your home (or meets by arrangement) to look at your plan, learning environment and records. First registrations are often granted for six to twelve months, then for up to two years.
- 4
Keep records and renew
Keep a record of activities, samples and progress against outcomes. Apply to renew about three months before your certificate expires; another assessment follows.
New South Wales requirements at a glance
Legal basis: Education Act 1990 (NSW) Part 7, Division 6; NESA Registration for Home Schooling Guidelines.
- Registration
- Required with NESA for every child of compulsory school age; an Authorised Person assesses each application.
- Curriculum
- Program must be based on NSW syllabuses and KLA outcomes for the child's stage. Alternative pedagogies must still show syllabus coverage.
- Hours
- No set hours, but the program must be regular and provide for a minimum of the syllabus content.
- Assessment
- Home visit at registration and renewal. No standardised testing; NAPLAN is optional.
- Records
- Required: a record of learning, samples of work and evidence of progress against outcomes.
Dates to put on your calendar
- Apply before starting; children must be registered from age six.
- Renew about three months before the certificate expires (registration periods are up to two years).
Curriculum
NSW syllabuses (NESA), organised by stage (Early Stage 1 to Stage 6). Home schooling programs must reference the syllabus outcomes.
Assessment
Assessment by an Authorised Person at registration and each renewal (up to two years). No compulsory testing.
Funding
None. NSW Distance Education (through a government school) is an alternative with no home schooling registration needed.
Plan it with Kuraplan
Turn the rules into a week that works
Kuraplan knows the NSW syllabuses. Tell it your children's ages and it builds lessons, worksheets and the plan or report your NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) paperwork asks for.
Plans in NSW syllabuses terms
Learning plans, program summaries and progress reports written in the vocabulary your regulator expects, ready to edit and submit.
Lessons for every child at once
One family topic, output at each child's level: a drawing task, a paragraph, an essay. Printables included.
Records without the scramble
Keep completed work together so the annual review, report or portfolio is a summary, not a reconstruction.
One lesson. All your kids.
$49/yr flat, no per-child fees
Write one family lesson, then adjust the reading level, the practice and the response format for each child without rebuilding the day.
New South Wales home schooling FAQ
How do I register for home schooling in NSW?
Apply online to NESA for each child. You get a temporary certificate to begin, then an Authorised Person assesses your program, usually with a home visit. Registration is granted for up to two years and renewed with another assessment.
Do I have to follow the NSW syllabus for home schooling?
Your program must be based on the NSW syllabuses and reference their outcomes for your child's stage. You choose the resources and methods; NESA wants to see that the outcomes are covered and progress is recorded.
What happens at the home visit?
The Authorised Person looks at your written program, the learning environment, your resources and (at renewal) your records and samples. They discuss the plan with you and recommend a registration period. Most families describe it as constructive.
How long does NSW home schooling registration last?
Up to two years. First registrations are often shorter (six to twelve months) while you establish records.
Can a home schooled child in NSW do the HSC?
Not through home schooling registration. Pathways are enrolling in a school or distance education for Years 11–12, TAFE, or university alternative entry. Many families switch to distance education for the senior years.
Informational, not legal advice. Rules and forms change; verify with NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) before acting. Reviewed 2026-09-07.
Homeschool guides for other countries
Your New South Wales home schooling year, in one place
Plan lessons, make printables, and keep each child's completed work organised for the records you need to keep.
Plan with Kuraplan