Homeschool Life

• HEU expects you to start home educating.
• How you learn in your home is up to you.
• It can take some time to find a routine that works for you.
• There is no wrong way to home educate.
• 9am till 3pm is not required, you can learn anytime.
• You CAN change things to suit your child.
• Find your local group to help you connect in your community.

• There is no one way to learn. 
• Many start out imitating school, and then adjust as needed or as they learn more. . 
• Some people use schedules, others have a routine to their day.
• Be flexible to change, as you understand more about your child, and education.  
• You can learn, create and converse when their interest is shown.
• The best learning can happen spontaneously.
• There is no magic way to learn, it's all learning.

• Home education looks different in every home. You are not restricted to school hours or times. You can do formal learning on weekends, or after hours. 
• If you choose to match school and the Australian Curriculum, then the estimates are a couple of hours each day 4 days a week, depending on age.
• Being flexible is key, it's less about the time spent, and is more about the learning that is understood and remembered.

• Deschooling is about taking some time to reconnect with your child especially if they have lost their love of learning or have had school trauma. 
• Deschooling looks like you are on holidays, or it may be doing very little, or it may be seeking adventures, or doing whatever makes your child spark. 
• Deschooling often is a lot of personal realisations about the schooling system. 
• Deschooling is learning about education and what does and doesn’t work.
• Deschooling is a process and transition from thinking of education as it relates to school, to seeing education as part of life.

• Sporting teams and clubs
• Scouts and Guides, 
• Art, drama and dance classes 
• Gymnastics
• Local homeschool groups have activities run by parents or businesses providing classes
• Anything you choose

• Usually a parent run activity group that meets regularly.
• The parents might run the activities together or take turns and share the costs.
• Instructors may be brought in to lead some sessions, but parents retain the primary responsibility for their child’s education and remain present.
• Meetings (in person or online) are often held to discuss the direction of the group and plan for future activities. 
• In some cases, the only difference from a home ed group is in the name; in other cases, co-ops have more structure, planning and defined expectations and costs.

• Many families have a range of ages and numbers of children who home educate. Do connect in your local groups and ask others what they do. 
• Project based learning, unschooling, gameschooling, may suit.
• Activities for younger ones while with the older ones at the same times often works. 
• Filling the younger one's cup first through their time with you, before trying older activities, may help. 
• Older ones can help educate the younger ones. 
• How you manage, will change as they grow. “This too shall pass”.

• Our Member's only community online, become a member!
• Check back soon for our upcoming Facebook local homeschool group listing
• Your local library can often connect families.

Ask us  contact@homeeducation.org

• Yes, a Photo ID card is available on request from HEU. 
• You need to send a photo and email to HEU. 
• HEU processes your application for an ID card and sends it to you in the post.
• The card includes your child’s name, photo, date of birth and HEU Identification Number.
• The card is valid for one year from the date of your child's registration.
• See other requirements under the "Applying for an ID Card here

• Send an email to the Home Education Unit at homeeducation@qed.qld.gov.au

Include:

• a current passport-style photograph of your child in electronic format (JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF or BMP)
• head and shoulders facing forwards (the child is allowed to smile)
• photo taken against a blank background—plain light grey, cream or white
• a statement saying
  • this is a current picture of my child (full name)
  • their date of birth is (day/month/year)
  • their current postal address is (address).

• HEU processes ID cards in batches, it can take a couple of weeks to receive it. 
• More info is here

• Child Travel Concession - children aged 5 to 14 years.
• Secondary Student Concession Fare - aged 15 years or older.

 When buying tickets then show the ID card. Find out more about concession fares by visiting the Translink website.

• You enrol in the school and MUST withdraw your Registration on the HEU website or via email. 
• Once withdrawn your registration, there is no Report to be provided. 
• Schools allocate grade based on DOB, unless you advocate for something different. 
• You can always apply again to Home Educate in the future.

• Under the Education (Work Experience) Act 1996, a child, fully registered for home education may participate in work experience.

  Work experience provides a formal arrangement whereby children participate in the activities of a workplace. Children must be a minimum of 14 years of age and can engage in a maximum of 30 days per year of unpaid experience.
  Please find attached information about work experience: -
  • Work experience INITIAL PARENT response form
  • Work experience Agreement HEU FORM
  The forms must be completed in detail and returned to the Home Education Unit homeeducation@qed.qld.gov.au
  On the receipt of the completed parent documents, an Officer will forward the work experience Provider the following:-
  • Work Experience Provider Response form
  The work experience Provider should complete the form in detail and return this to the Home Education Unit to homeeducation@qed.qld.gov.au
  Please allow 7 – 10 working days for an Officer to respond to your request once the completed documents have been received from both Parent and Provider.

  The Home Education Unit will be in contact in due course with further information relating to your child completing a work experience placement.

How do you get a School Based Apprenticeships?

• You need to find an employer to take on your child in an apprenticeship position. 
• There are forms to be sent to HEU and the RTO provider organising the apprenticeship, eg Busy At Work.
• Contact HEU to arrange details. homeeducation@qed.qld.gov.au

• Yes, check out the list of the TAFE at School part time courses available at your local TAFE.
• You apply directly online and HEU is your school. 
• You are the authorised person for contact. 
• Most TAFE at School courses are free.