These procedures must be read in conjunction with the Home Education Policy.
2. Scope
These procedures apply to Directors of Education, Coordinator Regional Services, Coordinator Regional Operations and Home Education Moderators.
3. Procedures
3.1 Managing registrations
The Director of Education must:
- accept completed applications for home education according to the School Education Act 1999;
- issue a home education registration certificate;
- inform home educators to notify the Director of Education of any changes to the information provided in the application or of a decision to enrol the child in a school; and
- notify the previous school or Education Regional Office by notice of transfer of the home educator’s registration.
Guidance
Applications are to be made within 14 days of the last day on which the child attended school or would have enrolled at school for the first time.
An application may relate to more than one child.
The Application for registration as a home educator form (internal link for staff) is provided by the local Education Regional Office and should be returned to that office.
Only a parent may register as a home educator. A parent is defined by the School Education Act 1999 and includes a person who has been granted legal guardianship of a child. Step-parents and grandparents are not parents unless they have legally adopted the child or have been granted legal guardianship.
From the date of the registration certificate being issued, the home educator is entirely responsible for the child’s educational program and progress during the compulsory education period, unless the registration lapses or is cancelled by the Director General or Deputy Director General, Schools.
A home educator’s registration lapses when:
- the child is enrolled in a school;
- there is an approved participation arrangement; or
- the child is no longer residing in Western Australia.
3.2 Evaluation of educational program and progress
The Home Education Moderator must:
- undertake evaluations of children’s educational programs and educational progress in accordance with the School Education Act 1999;
- prepare an evaluation report on the child’s educational program and/or educational progress including:
- the extent to which it is consistent with the Western Australian Curriculum; and
- is based on evidence provided by home educators and observation.
- provide the evaluation report to their line manager (Director of Education, Coordinator Regional Operations or Coordinator Regional Services) for approval;
- provide a copy of the approved evaluation report to the home educator.
Where there are no concerns recorded the Home Education Moderator’s line manager must approve the evaluation report prior to release to the home educator.
Guidance
The following evaluation report templates can be found here:
- Evaluation of the Learning Program and Student Progress template; and
- Evaluation of the Senior Secondary Learning Program and Student Progress template; and
- Modified Learning Program template. (internal links for staff)
The evaluation report is written for each child in order to capture each child’s individual educational progress.
The Home Education Moderator evaluates the education program of students and their educational progress by using their professional judgement to make recommendations about the extent to which it is consistent with the WA Curriculum.
The Home Education Moderator is deemed to have the power to request to see tangible evidence of anything that is reasonably necessary to evaluate the home education program and child’s progress. (Interpretation Act 1984 (WA), s50). Home Education Moderators may request to meet the child as it is reasonably necessary to enable them to evaluate the home education program and the child’s educational progress.
Refer to Appendix A for further information about evaluating education programs and progress.
3.3 Where a concern is recorded
Where the Home Education Moderator determines that the educational program and/or educational progress is not consistent with the Western Australian Curriculum, the Home Education Moderator must:
- record concerns and the reasons for them in the evaluation report;
- recommend actions to address the concerns;
- provide the evaluation report to the Director of Education for approval; and
- provide a copy of the approved evaluation report to the home educator.
When concerns are recorded in the evaluation report, the Director of Education must:
- determine whether the educational program offered and/or the child’s educational progress are consistent with the Western Australian Curriculum;
- if appropriate, provide the home educator with a written notice of the concern including:
- reasons for the concern; and
- that an evaluation is required.
- approve the evaluation report for release to the home educator.
Guidance
A home educator is to be given seven days notice indicating when an evaluation is to take place for the purpose of ascertaining whether the concern has been adequately addressed.
3.4 Notice of concern evaluation and cancellation
Where there has been an evaluation as a result of a notice of concern the Home Education Moderator must:
- prepare an evaluation report on whether the concern/s have been addressed based on evidence provided by home educators and observation;
- provide a copy of the evaluation report to the Director of Education for approval; and
- provide a copy of the approved evaluation report to the home educator.
The Director of Education must:
- determine whether the concern/s have been adequately addressed; and
- approve the final evaluation report for release to the home educator.
Guidance
Where concerns have not been adequately addressed, the Director of Education may recommend that the Director General or Deputy Director General, Schools cancel the home education registration.
The Re-Evaluation meeting template should be used and can be found here (internal link for staff).
Refer to Appendix B for further information about notices of concern and cancellations.
Directors of Education may recommend that the Director General or Deputy Director General, Schools cancel a home education registration under section 53 of the School Education Act 1999. This section allows for a home education registration to be cancelled where:
- the child’s educational progress is not satisfactory;
- the home educator has not arranged an evaluation as required under the Act;
- the home educator does not agree to an evaluation where there is a written notice of concern;
- a Home Education Moderator has been hindered or obstructed in a required evaluation; or
- the home educator has not informed the Department of any changes to their details or if the child is enrolled at a school.
4. Definitions
The compulsory education period is:
a) From the beginning of year in which the child reaches the age of 5 years and 6 months; and
b) until –
i) the end of the year in which the child reaches the age of 17 years and 6 months; or
ii) the child reaches the age of 18;
iii) If a child satisfies the minimum requirements for graduation from secondary school established under the School Curriculum and Standards Authority Act 1997 before the end of the compulsory education period.
whichever happens first.
An organised set of learning activities designed to enable a child to develop knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to the child’s individual needs.
A parent registered under section 48 of the School Education Act 1999.
A person appointed by the Director of Education to evaluate and report on home education programs and progress.
In relation to a child, a person who at law has responsibility for the long term care, welfare and development of the child; or the day-to-day care, welfare and development of the child.
5. Related documents
6. Contact information
In the first instance, general enquiries about home education should be directed to the local Education Regional Office.
Policy manager:
Director, Teaching and Learning Services
Policy contact officer:
Senior Policy Analyst, Specialist Services
T: (08) 9402 6106
7. History of changes
| Effective date | Last update date | Procedure version no. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 August 2014 | 3.0 | ||
| Policy has undergone major review. Policy and Procedures endorsed by DG on 27 June 2014. | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 3.1 | ||
| Contact details updated D14/0388147 | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 16 February 2015 | 3.2 | |
| Contact details updated D15/0057184 | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 23 March 2015 | 3.3 | |
| Contact information updated to reflect change in position from Director, Office of the Director General to Executive Director, Organisational Governance. D15/0085666 | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 4 August 2015 | 3.4 | |
| Updated contact information D15/0260244 | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 5 April 2016 | 3.5 | |
| Amendments to subheadings in appendices, removal of reference to s53(1)(a) with respect to meeting the child in Appendix A, added reference to the option of approved participation arrangements in Guidance s3.1, and updated link. D16/0226544 | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 2 August 2017 | 3.6 | |
| Updated contact information D17/0326700 | |||
| 5 August 2014 | 27 August 2018 | 3.7 | |
| Minor changes to include reference to Public Schools D18/0151652, updated legislation links D18/0207680 and updated contact information to reflect organisational changes D18/0378181. | |||
| 12 October 2020 | 4.0 | ||
| Major review of the policy and procedures undertaken. Endorsed by the Director General on 11 August 2020. D20/0480986 | |||
| 12 October 2020 | 15 January 2021 | 4.1 | |
| Minor changes to replace the Regional Executive Director position title with Director of Education D20/0647278 | |||
8. Appendices
Appendix A: Evaluating education programs and student progress (PDF file - 56.9kB)
Appendix B: Notice of concern and cancellation (PDF file - 367.2kB)
9. More information
Appendices
Appendix A: Evaluating education programs and student progress
Appendix B: Notice of concern and cancellation
Policy
This procedure:
Home Education Procedures v4.1
Please ensure you also download the policy supported by this procedure.
Supported policy:
Procedure review date
12 October 2023
Procedure last updated
15 January 2021