The Rise and Rise of Home Education

Nationally, the number of students registered for Home Education has more than doubled in the last ten years.

HEN’s Kirsty James was interviewed on ABC radio about the rise on 2 February. 

The annual reports of state regulatory bodies provide registration figures as at 30 June each year, and strong growth can be seen across each jurisdiction:

Regulatory bodies are currently reporting strong registration activity for 2022:

Notes

• Most states report as at 30 June, Queensland reports as at August and ACT reports in February. In 2017, Tasmania switched to reporting end June instead of December creating a data gap for 2016.
• * Totals for 2019-2021 are calculated allowing for estimated growth in blank fields.
• NT statistics for 2021 were sought but the department did not respond.

Sources:

• Victoria: Annual General Reports of Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
• New South Wales: NESA & BOSTES Annual Reports.
• Western Australia: Annual General Reports Department of Education (WA).
• Queensland: 2015-2021 Home Education Registration data sets 2016-2021; 2011-2014 Chapman S, (2018) Home Schooling Numbers Boom in 2017.
• Tasmania: 2013-2021 Annual General Reports of Department of Education (Tas); 2011-2012 Chapman as above.
• South Australia: 2021 (year end figure) supplied by Home Education Unit; 2018 Jackson, G (2019) Registered Home Educated Sudent Numbers in Australia; 2011-2017 Chapman as above.
• Australian Capital Territory: 2013-2021 Annual Reports of the ACT Education Directorate ; 2011-2012 Chapman as above.
• Northern Territory: 2018 Jackson, as above; 2011-2017 Chapman as above.