Years 7 to 12 at Home in Queensland: Planning, Records and Support

The high school years bring new questions. Which subjects should count? How do you keep records that will matter later? What happens after Year 10? Home education in these years is fully possible, and the registration and reporting steps are the same as in the primary years.

The rules do not change at high school

Your child stays registered under the same process. Each year you submit an annual report for each registered child. For continuing registration, you also give an updated educational program summary for the following year. The reporting page says the report must show your child has received a high-quality education and describe their progress over the reporting period.

The procedure does not set a minimum number of hours per week, and it does not require your child to sit a particular exam. Your program is judged on its quality and on your child’s progress.

Plan the four years in your program summary

The educational program summary is where high school planning shows. Cover English, mathematics and the other learning areas, and any subjects you want your child to take into senior study. Describe how each subject is taught, the resources you use, and how you will check progress. Revise the plan each year, because the procedure asks that the program respond to your child’s changing needs.

• Set goals for Year 12 first, then work backwards to Years 9 and 10.
• Note your child’s strengths, and the subjects that need more time.
• Plan practical learning, such as science investigations, work experience, volunteering and community projects.

Keep records that carry the senior years

Keep a simple folder for each year. Include a learning log, the names of the resources you used, dated work, any assessments your child completes, and notes on what your child found hard and how you adjusted. These records make the annual report much easier to write, and they give your child a record of their own achievements.

The Textbook and Resource Allowance for Years 7 to 12

The Textbook and Resource Allowance is paid to parents of registered home education students at Years 7 to 12. It is a yearly contribution toward textbooks and learning resources. Queensland Home Education contacts parents each March to arrange the payment, and the claim deadline is set on the current allowance form. Our guide to the allowance explains how to claim it.

After Year 10: the compulsory participation phase

Compulsory school age ends at 16, or on completing Year 10, whichever comes first. After that, young people in Queensland move into the compulsory participation phase. It ends when they turn 17, or earlier once they gain a Senior Statement or a Certificate III or IV. Home-educated students are included in this phase.

Queensland Home Education can help set up a learning account with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority for a child entering this phase. It can also help with WorkCover access if you arrange work experience. Contact them early, so the paperwork is in place before the work starts.

Senior pathways

Ask Queensland Home Education early about senior pathways, because the options depend on your child’s plans. The Queensland Government has said it intends to give families more advice on senior pathways, national literacy and numeracy testing, and access to programs such as regional sports and reading challenges. Check the current position with Queensland Home Education before you make decisions.

Social life and real-world learning

High school students need friends, responsibility and real places to practise skills. Community sport, music groups, volunteering, part-time work and home education groups all count. Include them in the program summary and in the report, since they show the social development the procedure asks for.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For the current rules and allowance deadlines, check the Queensland Government home education reporting page.