• You can choose to hire tutors/teachers for certain aspects of your child's programme if you wish, but must remain in control of how and what they are being taught. 
• If you do want to hire teachers etc, there are some things to think about first
• People come and go from homeschooling for different reasons and over different periods of time. We welcome you while you're here, but ask you to be mindful of how what you do and say reflects upon the entire community.​

​Let's explore these points and more further.....

The law is very clear on two things: you as parent have the right to decide how and where your child will be taught (including at home if you wish), and your child has a right to an education. Because of the child's right to an education, it is your responsibility as parent to ensure they receive an education - either by ensuring they attend a suitable school, or by providing them with a suitable alternative form of education. If you choose to remove them from the school system and educate them at home, you need to apply for an exemption; in the exemption application you must satisfactorily demonstrate that your child will be "taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school." As evidence of this, you are required to lay out the details of your first year's intended learning programme, including what subjects and topics you will cover, how, and using what resources. 

So long as your overall programme is appropriate to the child's needs, and is suitably broad (with a decent literacy and numeracy component), what your child's education will look like at home is up to you. If you want to model it on the NZ curriculum, you can. If you want to follow a child-led learning approach, you can. If you want to teach Swahili or how to juggle while hanging upside down from an elephant, you can. If you want to purchase textbooks from overseas, you can. If you want to arrange your "school year" on the same or a completely different schedule to that in schools, you can. If you want to hire a teacher or tutor to teach certain subjects, you can. Use a desk? Have no desks? Teach at the beach, in a hole, with a goat or dig your own moat - yes you can, Sam I am. But just because you CAN do something, doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD. 

At the end of the day, and this is my main point of this segment, YOU as parent are taking full responsibility for your child's education, if you choose to get an exemption and homeschool. Even if you hire help (with the exemption, or with the delivery of the programme), YOU are still fully and completely responsible. Therefore you must remain engaged and aware of what your child is being taught, how and by whom, at all times. And therefore you need to take the time to personally investigate and make decisions around what your programme of learning will include, and how it will be delivered, both in order to write the exemption application, and on an on-going basis. This is indeed a responsibility, but it's also a privilege to be fully involved in your child's education, to see the light bulb come on, to build a close relationship with them, to BE THERE, and it's your right to choose this pathway for your family. 

The short version: there's isn't one right way.

I've been in this sector for over a quarter of a century and met or talked to thousands of home educators. While many of them will intersect in having various common factors, each family is unique - what matters to them, how they view education, their individual needs and passions, their access to resources etc, all come together in unique combinations that result in each individual homeschool being a bit different. And that's one of the great beauties of it!

Homeschoolers can also be very passionate people. We CARE about our children and their education, and we care about the homeschooling community as a whole. This passion can result in folk sharing their own ideas with great enthusiasm, and sometimes seeming to imply that their way is the best way. It may or may not be best for you and your family - do explore things that sound good to you, and do be willing to listen to seasoned home educators who have trod the road before you and have much wisdom to impart. But don't jump on the latest fad or feel you must try everything being put out there - take time to figure out what's right for you and your family. Start small, with the basics, and add other things later. 

Because at the end of the day, the "right way" to home educate is the way that works for you - suits your family, your children's needs, delivers them a reasonable education, and is sustainable. And you won't actually know what that is until you've given it a go for a while, and see first hand what's working and what isn't. One of the most common mistakes newbies make is to spend a lot of money on curriculum etc in the first year, and then find it wasn't a good fit. 

The exemption application process can seem very daunting to a new family. However, it is a useful process, because it forces you to think through how and what you want to teach your children, to the point you can articulate it, so that when you start you have a reasonable plan to get you under way and through most of the first year. (You're free to make any needed changes as you go along, but do need to start out with a plan you  feel will work for you). 

Sometimes families want help with this process, and that's ok. There are various helps available, and you can make use of the ones that work best for you. Just remember, though, that the application needs to reflect YOUR plans and intentions, things YOU have decided. Do not expect someone else to just come up with it all for you. If anyone offers to, tempting though it may be, walk away. This is NOT just about "getting the tick" from the Ministry. It's about your children's education and wellbeing, for which you are responsible. 

Helps you might want:

• I have a guide to exemptions, and a manual on planning your programme, which can help you figure out what you want to do, understand the exemption process, and write up your own application. 
• Experienced home educators whom you know or in your local area or on the online forums might offer to help you figure out what you want to do and how to put your application together or read over when you're written and make suggestions. If they're doing this without cost, have recent application experience, and are providing support that is useful to you, go for it. They are, in essence, parents who have walked this road before you and are helping to light the way. Most homeschooling parents, though, are very busy with their own families' needs, so don't ask more of them than they are willing to offer. 
• A few folk who have a great deal of experience in both home education and helping with applications, supporting families who have issues with the Ministry etc provide professional (paid) help with applications - this might include coaching around what your programme will look like, reviewing and giving feedback on your application, in some cases helping write it for you (reflecting your decisions and based on information you provide), and/or supporting you through any bumps in the road with the Ministry. This is what I do nearly full time, and there are a small core group of others in this space too, to whom I can refer folk if needed. When you engage the services of one of us, you can be confident that we understand the current application requirements, know what it is like to actually homeschool over many years, and will be there to follow through if you need additional support around any issues that arise during your application process. We want you to succeed - not just in getting the exemption, but in effectively educating your children.

Also happening now, is that teachers who have recently lost their jobs are offering to help plan programmes and write applications. Before you consider engaging the services of any of these folk here are some questions you should consider asking them:

• Have they ever homeschooled? For how long?
• How much experience do they have with exemption applications? How many have they helped with, over what period of time? And was this since 2016 (when requirements changed)?
• If it's programme planning you want help with, is the style and approach they are expert in what you want for your children at home? We do not have to emulate schools at home (and there are a lot of good reasons not to, especially in the first year), but, as discussed above, you are free to choose the approach you want. Teachers who choose to homeschool often say they have to "unlearn" teaching in order to be effective home educators. Teachers who have never home educated may not understand how different home learning is, and what works best there.  
• How much knowledge do they have of readily available resources for homeschoolers?  Do they know the courses and products available sufficiently to make recommendations?
• If they are offering their own "style" of homeschooling or resources they are creating, will they be there for you in the long run? If the C-19 situation changes, will they go back to their teaching jobs, or continue in this new direction?
• If they help put your application together, and then the Ministry asks for additional information because they are not satisfied with what has been presented, will this person be there to support you through that process with no additional cost?
• How does what they are charging compare to what the seasoned professional homeschoolers are charging? 

Please don't misunderstand me - I totally understand (and support) folk, including teachers, who have suddenly found themselves in this position, wanting to use what they know and the skills they have to serve others and also earn an income. Many of them are trying to figure out their way forward and what they can do. I personally would not hesitate to hire someone with skills to do something I need done, where their skills and approach are a reasonably good fit for the service I need. I've also had a number of conversations with lovely teachers about their skills and passions and what they could bring to the table to serve within the home education space. However, my role right here is to look out for the families who are entering homeschooling, who need help, but don't know the kind of help they actually need, because they're also navigating in the dark. This is not a good place for the blind to be leading the blind. 

Again, this is not about "getting the tick" from the Ministry, but investigating and choosing an approach to educating YOUR children that seems, as best as you can discern, like a good fit for YOUR family, and sustainable going forward, and then outlining that in the exemption application, and, if you feel the need, working with someone with the experience and expertise to help you relay that in the exemption application. 

The entire historic premise of home education, or homeschooling, is that families choose to take their children out of school and provide for their education at home. This, in the vast majority of cases, has always meant that at least one parent is predominantly at home and focused on the needs and education of the child. This can look different in different situations as families juggle work commitments and other matters, but it is fundamentally different to the "just send the kids to school where the teachers will take care of their education" mindset. 

Many families have, over the years, hired experts to teach some things to their kids - this might be music teachers, a math tutor, an art teacher, sports coaches or whatever. Often in areas where they themselves lack expertise, or where their child has a particular gifting or interest they want to support the development of beyond the level at which they can personally guide. This is appropriate and in scope for home education - parents are responsible for their child's education, and that includes providing resources to ensure that the child's needs are met, whether those resources are books and stationery, or an expert guide. This also applies where a child has additional needs that  the family feel are best supported with the help of those with particular expertise. 

What is currently occurring, though, is a lot of teachers offering to teach home educated kids, and/or a number of parents wanting to take their kids out of school and hire teachers to teach them. This is not necessarily wrong per se, but there are some things that should be considered before diving into this:

Remember, YOU are the parent, and if you choose to homeschool, then you are and must remain responsible for your child's education. You can choose to hire teachers and tutors if you wish, but there is an expectation that you will know what is being taught and keep up to date on their progress. In fact, the Ministry's expectation is that the people you delegate responsibility to will actually only be teaching that which you plan and direct them to teach. It's not enough to say "I hired an English teacher, therefore I assume my child is being taught English properly." The child's teaching programme, progress and outcomes remain YOUR responsibility, legally and morally. 

As I've already said, there's no one right way to homeschool, and if you want your child to continue with, essentially, the same programme of learning as they would have in school, only delivered in a home setting, that is your choice and right to decide. If your only consideration is to take your children out of school because of the Covid situation, then maybe that is what you want. But if you dream of closer relationships with your kids, a more enjoyable or meaningful approach to learning, or have noticed that the school system has not served your child well (either educationally or emotionally) then I'd suggest that bringing the same system into your home may not be a wise move. 

In case you don't know this, home educators are NOT required to use, adhere to or emulate the school system or the NZ curriculum. Many would argue that there are many, many way better ways to educate a child. It's also important to understand about deschooling - that is, the process of giving your child time to "let go" of the school system, and adjust to being at home. Jumping from one system to another full on system at home is often also not wise, without allowing some transition space between. There's a lot to be said with taking things slow in your first year - not overinvesting in expensive resources, but spending TIME with your kids, exploring the world, building your relationships, supporting their interests, guiding them in building on basic skills, and finding out who they are and what they need most. 

If you are considering hiring a teacher to deliver a significant part of your child's educational programme, do also consider the matter of when "homeschoolers might be operating as a school"- as this has significant ramifications, if it applies. Also, consider asking that teacher some questions similar to what is outlined above under hiring help with exemptions - you need to know what their areas of expertise and experience are, what your children will be taught, how you will be kept appraised of their progress, whether the methodology employed is a good fit with how you want to see your children learning, and whether this person will be there for the longer haul if things change, as well as how much it will cost and whether that fits your budget. 

If what a teacher is offering does gel with what you want, need, and can afford, then you have the right to choose this option if you want. And also the right to change your mind if you see it's not working well down the track (beware of any contracts you might be asked to sign). 

Home educators have always been an incredibly diverse bunch of people - with different ideas, beliefs, approaches, philosophies, interests and families. It's very, very hard to get such a diverse bunch moving in the same direction about anything. But there have been pivotal moments in homeschool history when we DID come together to take action to help ensure our rights and freedoms to teach our children at home with minimal state interference are protected. The very fact that you are reading this article and able to consider homeschooling your children is built upon the foundation laid by those who came before you. 

Those who choose to home educate do generally all have one significant thing in common - we CARE about our kids and want what is best for them! We want them to succeed in life, and want to provide them with the skills and education they need to do so. We also want to remain free to make this choice for our children.

​Some of us homeschool for many, many years. Others come and go for short periods of time. Every year, there are both a significant number of folk who enter homeschooling, and a significant number who exit. Last year, there were over 1800 who gained exemptions, and over 1300 who ceased homeschooling. Over 30% of those had held exemptions for less than a year. 

Home educators are also generally a very friendly and welcoming bunch. We open our arms and hearts to new families - some come and go in a short time, and others become life-long friends. However long you rest in this space, we welcome you. Remember, though, we are also all human. The world right now has basically tilted off it's axis. As a result, a lot of people are scared, frustrated, angry etc. That applies to some who are coming into homeschooling, and also to some who are already there. This can make for some less-than-tactful statements, misunderstandings, and issues. Please, be patient with each other, and willing to forgive. We are not the enemies of each other. Rather we are caring parents sharing a bit of common ground, despite our differences. Those who are passionate about home education and know they are likely to live in this space long after most of the newbies have gone again, may be concerned about the damage that can be done if folk enter homeschooling in a way that brings disrepute on the wider community. And those with a lot of experience may be concerned about folk with no experience trying to come into this space and represent themselves as "experts" and whether or not that will bring harm to new families and how they experience homeschooling. Likewise, newbie families often cannot think past the need to get the exemption asap, and are feeling pressured and panicky, ready to grab the first rope tossed their way. They're not in the headspace to see the bigger picture very clearly yet, and don't know what they don't know. Again, let's all be patient and kind to one another. 

If you're new to homeschooling, hard as it may be, please do slow down, take the time to think about what you want your children's learning to look like and how best to implement it. Don't rashly run this way or that, and please, please, set aside your anger (no matter how justified, and no matter the cause), and focus on what your plan is going forward. If more experienced folk express concern about something, hear them out. Take from that what is good and useful to you, and what is wise in terms of protecting the reputation and rights of your family AND the wider homeschooling community, and let go of the rest. Know that you have the right to decide what and how your children will be taught, and don't have to follow anyone else's ideas and plan. 

All we ask is that you don't come into this space assuming you know best for anyone other than your own family, or acting in a way that can bring disrepute on homeschoolers in general. We will try to support and encourage you on your journey, and hope you discover, as most of us did, that it's the best thing you ever did for your kids and yourself! :

You are free to begin homeschooling right away. If they are 5 and currently enrolled in school, you will need to get them removed from the school roll. For more on that process and why it matters, read my article on removing 5yos from school. 

​However, prior to your child turning 6 years old, you will need to obtain a certificate of exemption, as explained below. Applications may be submitted any time after the child's 5th birthday, and will be processed and approved, but the start date of your exemption will be the child's 6th birthday, as before then there is nothing to be exempt from.

If you wish to find out about curriculum ideas and resources right away, you may find my manual called Planning Your Home Education Programme helpful, and you can also find ideas and resources at www.nchenz.org.nz. 

The law requires that all children in NZ (who have domestic student status*) from their 6th birthday until their 16th birthday are required to be enrolled in and attending a school, unless they are exempt. 

To gain a long term exemption from enrolment so you can homeschool, you must apply to the Ministry of Education, demonstrating in your application your intention to "teach your child at least as regularly and well as in a registered school." This is known as a "homeschooling exemption."

There is one other kind of exemption, but it applies ONLY to 15yo students who meet certain other conditions - it is called an Early Leaving Exemption (ELX) and is primarily for 15 yos who can gain no further benefit from school and have a job or alternative training course to move onto. This kind of exemption is not the focus of this article. 

* All NZ and Australian citizens and NZ residents have domestic student status. For more on who else that applies to, or what happens if you are a foreigner living in NZ, read THIS article. 

The Ministry of Education has a page on their website on homeschooling, HERE. Do have a read through the page, as it covers quite a lot of information. At the bottom of the page is a downloadable, form-fillable pdf application form. There is also a second download, which gives some additional guidance regarding the content of the application form. 

Things to note:

• Section One of the form is the data section - name, date of birth, address etc and a legal declaration. You do need to use this section of the official form. 
• The rest of the form is optional - you need to cover all the information required, but you do NOT have to use the Ministry's document to do it in. If you prefer, you can use a Word document or similar to write up your information, and for most folk this is much easier to do and safer in terms of saving the data than the MoE's form. You would then attach this separate document to your email when you submit the application, along with the official form with just Section One completed. 
• Many folk who are new to homeschooling find the Ministry's form confusing, which is why I have created a Guide to Homeschooling Exemptions which will walk you through the requirements and help you write your application. It includes a template Word document you can use to write your application in, if you wish. 

In your exemption application, you need to outline the first 12 months of your intended programme of learning for your child, including WHAT you will teach, and HOW, and what, if any, specific curriculum resources you will use to support this. It is not sufficient to say you will figure this out later; that will not satisfy the Ministry. 

The whole point of the exemption application is to "satisfy" the Ministry as to "as regularly and well.." - in order to do so, you show them your plan for the first year, whereby they can see that what you propose to teach is suitable to the child's age and needs, sufficiently broad, and that you have sufficient planned topics, resources etc to enable you to carry this out. So first, you need to do some research and make some decisions about what your programme will look like. 

I get asked a lot about resources and what to choose, so to help with that I have put together a manual on Planning Your Home Education Programme which outlines many resources for all ages and subjects, as well as additional ideas on teaching each subject. You may find this very helpful. 

The website www.nchenz.org.nz also lists some resource ideas, and has selected discounted resources available to members. And, of course, there is lots of info available online. 

I've also created a free video about exemption applications, which includes an overview of what is required. Watch it HERE

,Depending what help you need, here are some options:

• There are lots of Facebook groups for NZ homeschoolers/home educators. Many are general groups, but there are also special interest ones such as for families with ASD children, those who wish to unschool, folk using some (various) specific curriculums, Christian home educators and so on. These groups can be a great place to ask questions, see what others are using, and in some cases view examples of applications folk have chosen to share. Just hop onto Facebook and use the search to look for "homeschooling" or "home education" and then look for specifically NZ groups in the results. 
• You may be able to connect with some local home educators through the regional support groups. For a list of these, see https://www.nchenz.org.nz/support-groups/
• Don't forget to check out my guide to exemptions and my programme planning manual. 
• Once you've written your application, getting it looked over by an experienced home educator can be helpful. I offer this service for a fee. See HERE. 
• I also offer a service writing applications - I only do this for families who have chosen suitable curriculum resources for English, Math, Science and Social Studies, and are also able to provide me with information about the rest of their programme by filling in a questionnaire. I put together the information and wording to ensure it meets the requirements, but can only do so based on information you have provided (or in regards to the curriculum resources, that I can access online). I cannot make up your programme for you. For more on this service see HERE. 

I've written two articles that address related parts of this question. 
To read about how similar/different applications can/must be, see HERE.
To read about the possibility of combining information for children in one application, read HERE

Once your application is completed, it needs to be sent to the Ministry of Education for processing. There are 10 regional Ministry offices that process applications and deal with homeschooling matters - your application must go to the one of these whose geographical region you fall within. You can post or email your application - email is recommended. For a list of the regional offices and contact details see HERE. 

When you submit your application, you need to include:

• Section One of the Ministry's form, including all the required information. There is a declaration at the end of this section; you need to check the box to acknowledge it. You do not have to physically sign the form (though can if you wish) so long as you check the box and also include one parent's first and last names in the email to which you attach it (if emailing - if you're posting, then you'll need to print this out and physically sign it). Only one parent need apply or be named on the application. 
• Sections 2-4 of the form, either in the same document of the official forms, OR in your own format, such as written up in Word etc, as discussed above. 
• A copy of your child's birth certificate, even if not born in NZ (this shows that you the child's parent/s and so can legally apply for an exemption). If  the child was born in NZ or Australia, it also shows domestic student status. 
• If you are not the child's parent, then you need to include documents which show your legal guardianship - only parents or legal guardians can apply for exemptions. This does not mean, however, that only parents/guardians can do the day to day homeschooling of the child. In foster situations, for example, the application can be done mostly by the foster parent who will be homeschooling, with the Section One form signed by a legal guardian. These kinds of cases are a bit special, so Contact Me for more info or help around these. 
• If the child was not born in NZ, then you also need to include a copy of their passport/visa or residency/citizenship paperwork to show they have domestic student status. If their DSS is attached to the parent having a work visa, then you'll need to send a copy of that too. 

​​NOTE: do not send original birth certificate/passport/visa etc documents - just a scan or photocopy. They do not have to be notorised. 

When you submit your application, the first step for the Ministry is to check they have all of the above components, and to enter your application into the system. At this point they will also do two things - send you an email or letter acknowledging receipt of the application, and also notify the child's school principal (if applicable) that they have the application, "inviting relevant comment." Two things to know:

• The acknowledgement of receipt will include a reminder that if your child is between 6 and 16 they need to remain enrolled in/attending school during the application process. If you are considering not having them in school during this time, read THIS. 
• The purpose of inviting comment from the school principal is to find out about the child's progress, so that they have something from which to gauge whether the content of your application is appropriate to the child's needs. Some principals choose to comment beyond that. Keep in mind, that the Ministry are aware that some principals are hostile towards home education, and to consider their comments accordingly, and that if anything is raised that the Ministry considers relevant, then they should inform you of it and give you the opportunity to respond. A school principal (or other staff member) cannot prevent you getting an exemption just because they don't think homeschooling is a good idea for your child. 

The next step after the initial admin will be for the application to be passed to the staff member (Senior Advisor) who will be reading/reviewing your application and making the initial assessment as to whether it meets the "as regularly and well" requirements. In some regions, there is one person who does this for all applications, while in others, there are various staff members who may be called upon to assess your application. If the Senior Advisor thinks that your application does not yet meet the requirements, they will contact you and let you know what areas are lacking - you then have up to 4 weeks to provide additional information accordingly. 

At no point are you required to meet with or be interviewed by staff. You may, however, be contacted by phone in the first instance if more info is needed - you can ask for the questions to be emailed to you, and take the time to consider your response - you don't have to just answer over the phone, unless you are comfortable doing so. You may also be offered the option of meeting with them in person to discuss your application, but it is your choice whether or not to do so. 

Once the Senior Advisor is finished assessing your application (including, if applicable, any additional information you have provided) they will recommend it be approved (or declined), and then pass it to another staff member to peer review before having it signed off by the manager. At that point the certificate of exemption is issued, and sent to you by email or post, and the school are also advised it has been approved. 

If the exemption is declined, they must have it peer reviewed by a different regional office before officially declining. 

The processing of an application normally takes 4-6 weeks. However, it varies greatly by region and by what is going on - sometimes they are turned around very quickly by some offices, and at other times they can take much longer.

Most exemption applications are approved. However, if you have not met the "as regularly and well requirements" even after being given the opportunity to provide additional information, or in limited other circumstances, it may be declined. That does not mean the end of the road though - you can appeal, or reapply. For full information on how many applications are declined, and the next steps if this happens, read THIS article. 

One of the questions in Section One of the application is your intended start date. If you wish to submit an application but start at a later date, just state your intended start date in the form - the exemption will be post-dated and your child can remain in school until that date. If you later change your mind and wish to start sooner, then once it's approved you can contact the Ministry and ask them to reissue it with the earlier start date. 

Otherwise, once your exemption is approved with an immediate date on it, the Ministry will advise the school the child is now exempt, and to remove them from the roll, as an exemption and an enrolment are mutually exclusive under the law - they cannot both exist at the same time.

No, it's not more difficult to get an exemption for a child with special needs, though some additional information is usually required. The law requires that for a child who is otherwise likely to need special education, you must show that "they will be taught at least as regularly and well as they would be in a specialist school or special service." In your application, you will need to outline what your child's special needs are, how this affects their learning, and what you will do at home to meet these additional needs. 

The Ministry may also suggest a conversation with Learning Support staff around the child's needs and whether they can provide any additional support to you. It is up to you whether or not to do this. 

Support available at home that is funded by the Ministry is limited in that you cannot access funded teacher aid hours and similar in-school supports. You can however, access certain other things like SLT, OT, assistive technology etc. For more details on this, see HERE. 

Te Kura is the NZ correspondence school. In order to enroll your student in Te Kura, they must qualify under one of the gateways - some of which are funded, and some are not. 

Funded gateways include geographical isolation, itineracy, elite athletes, and psycho-social needs. If your child qualifies under one of these gateways, they will be fully funded and enrolled full time in Te Kura as their registered school - you do not need a homeschooling exemption, but do need to follow the enrolment criteria and process. For details about these funded gateways, see the enrolment policy HERE. 

If your child does not meet the criteria for funded access, and you still wish to use Te Kura for one or more subjects, you can choose to pay for this, after you get the exemption. To enroll in Te Kura as a fee-paying student, your child must be exempt. The fees are around $1800 per subject per year (for the fee schedule see HERE). Most homeschoolers do not wish to pay for Te Kura, and there are certainly many other programme choices. 

However, Te Kura is free for 16-19 year olds who are not enrolled in school - some home educators may choose to enroll their students at 16, so that they can complete NCEA qualifications if they wish to. 

It is possible for home educated students to gain high school qualifications, including University Entrance, through various options. Very briefly, the most accessible U.E options for home educators are:

• Doing NCEA via Te Kura as mentioned above. 
• Doing Cambridge Exams - the student studies at home using appropriate course materials, and then sits the exams as a Private Candidate at specific exam centres. THIS Facebook group is a good place to find out more, or visit the website HERE. 
• Completing the CENZ (Christian) Academic Certificate Level 3 - for more on this, visit Homeschooling NZ - www.homeschoolingnz.org. 
• Completing a GED/SAT combo. For more see HERE

​These are not the only ways to access university - they are simply the most common qualification options. And if your child does not need to get into university - perhaps they're aiming for polytech or an apprenticeship or to go straight into employment - then there are additional options that may suit better. Whatever your child is ultimately aiming for, the best advice is always to contact the prospective course provider or employer and ask what they require for admittance/employment, and then to tailor your child's programme accordingly. 

How much homeschooling costs varies enormously, depending on how you choose to approach it, what resources you choose to use, and what you want to include. It can be done on a very limited budget using free resources (and a library card!) or you can spend a great deal of money, or anything in between. 

Once you have an exemption, you will be sent a declaration to sign every six months (more on that below) along with which will be a form asking if you wish to receive the Supervision Allowance, a small allowance paid by the govt to home educators, which you can use or spend in any way you wish. The annual amounts are as follows - they are paid in two installments in about June and late November:

• first child $743.00
• second child $632.00
• third child $521.00
• subsequent children $372.00

The forms are sent out in about April and September - if you gain an exemption after the print run is done, then EITHER they may send a part-period form out to you with your exemption or a few weeks later OR they may simply add the part period dates to the next declaration, and you will be entitled to a pro-rata amount for the part period. 

Once exempt, you will be sent six monthly declarations to sign and return stating that you have been teaching your child "at least as regularly and well" for the current six month period, and intend to continue for the next six month period (or start/end dates). This is the main way that the Ministry follows up to ensure you're still home educating "as regularly and well." It is a simple form with just a couple of questions and tick boxes. Legally, they can't require you to submit these, so the allowance is the "carrot" for you to do so - if you don't return the declaration you can't get the allowance. However, if you don't return it, then they will follow up in other ways to ensure "as regularly and well." 

Additionally, there is the possibility of an ERO review. These used to be routine, but the government withdrew funding for routine reviews of all home educators some years ago; now they fund reviews for up to 35 students per year. These students are identified through a complaints basis, and even if someone does complain, there is a process of giving you an opportunity to update them on your child's programme before they decide whether or not to request a review. Most years currently only around 10 or so students end up with an ERO review. A review process may also be initiated if you don't return the six monthly declaration (or respond to the reminder). For more on this (including history and stats) see HERE. 

So, in general, apart from signing a form every six months, no, you won't be checked up on, other than the statistically very small chance of an ERO review. Unless, of course, future governments decide to re-fund routine reviews.

Update: I recently wrote an article specifically about how home education is monitored. Have a read of it HERE. 

By law the exemption remains in force until either:

• The child turns 16 OR
• You enroll your child in a registered school OR
• Your exemption is revoked by the Ministry after an ERO review determines your child is not being taught as regularly and well 

...whichever comes first. There are no other circumstances in which, legally, an exemption can end, other than you as a parent telling the Ministry you want it to cease. 

There is an agreed policy in place whereby families can trial school for up to 10 weeks (not counting school holidays), and if they return to home education within that time, they can let the Ministry know and their exemption can be reinstated without a new application (unless there has been a "material change in circumstances" in which case they may want some updated details). 

Because under the law an exemption and a school enrolment are mutually exclusive, enrolling your child in school automatically ceases the exemption, but this policy allows families to trial school so they can explore the option of school and determine what is best for their child, without the concern that they'd automatically have to go through the whole exemption process again if after a few weeks at school they realise that home education is best. 

​If they are in school for longer than 10 weeks and you wish to return to home education, you will need to do a new exemption application. 

Going overseas for any length of time does not void your exemption. However, if you are away for more than 28 days, you will not be entitled to the allowance for the time you are overseas. Also, because of the need to sign and return the six monthly declarations while in NZ, you do need to let the Ministry know if you're going overseas so they can technically "cease" your exemption to stop the generation of the declarations (and send you one by email for a part period you may have been in NZ). When you return to NZ, you just contact the regional office so they can reactivate the exemption. 

Home education can be very, very rewarding! You do, though, need to think through what you want to do and how  in order to complete the application. Hopefully the above has answered your initial questions, and linked you to further information where needed. If I missed anything, feel free to leave a comment below with further questions which I will endeavour to answer (or add to this post), or for more personal questions, feel free to Contact Me directly.