Most knowledge is universal so no matter where students are the bulk of the material is relevant, however there is still a need for local content. S.C.E.E. is the warehouse in Brisbane with the contract to supply the South Pacific. They have taken seriously the need to supply material suitable for the different countries in the area they supply. They have a curriculum development department and it has written and produced PACEs in Social Studies for New Zealand and some of the other South Pacific countries.
The A.C.E. NZ Year 13 Academic Certificate has been officially recognised by all New Zealand universities for 14 years now. Each university has accepted many A.C.E. graduates and there is nothing to suggest that this will not continue. Because the ACE Academic Council recognises HENZ as providing appropriate oversight our students are able to gain these qualifications. Homeschooling with HENZ offers families a reliable way of having access to university entrance qualifications.
Who has the responsibility for the education of your child: you or them? This may be a difficulty at the start but they are likely to support you when they see the good results it brings.
Most socialising at state schools can be negative anyway. Homeschooling provides unlimited opportunities for real socialising and learning together, not only with one’s age mates, but with people of many different ages, abilities and backgrounds. Contrary to popular myth, children do not need large groups of peers to be socially content.
One or two very close friends and a wide circle of friendly acquaintances can provide much more meaningful socialisation and learning. International research consistently shows that homeschooled children are socially more mature, have greater leadership skills and display fewer behaviour problems than their counterparts who have been educated in schools.
The A.C.E. curriculum is self-instructional and it can supply the academic knowledge a student needs. With A.C.E. the parent becomes the supervisor of the learning process – not the teacher who has to supply the knowledge. Also education is not just about academic knowledge – education is life.
Parents who gain a Certificate of Exemption receive the following Supervisor Allowance:
First child $743
Second child $623
Third child $521
Subsequent children $372
This annual amount is given in two instalments; one in January and one in July.
It is compulsory for every child from 6-16 years to be enrolled at a registered school. However, parents or guardians have the right to apply for a Certificate of Exemption from Enrolment at a Registered School.
Parents who gain a Certificate of Exemption are also exempt from having to follow the NZ Curriculum Framework Requirements. Parents, however, must satisfy the Ministry of Education that their child will be taught “at least as regularly and as well as” at a registered school.
The number of families choosing to homeschool is growing each year. At 1 July 2011 there were 6,517 homeschooled students recorded on the Ministry of Education’s homeschooling database. Homeschooling is now more acceptable than it used to be. American research consistently shows that against a national average of 50%, homeschoolers score on the average in the 80th percentile.
Many families prefer a package curriculum like Accelerated Christian Education where curriculum content is pre-set. This eliminates any concerns about not covering important area of learning and also releases them from the pressure of constant preparation. Other families prefer to select their own resources from the range available in New Zealand.
Yes and yes. Many teenagers are able to study subjects in depth and learn from apprenticeships, work experience and travel. It is definitely possible to pursue a tertiary education and homeschoolers are doing it now! Employers are actively recruiting young people with the skills which homeschooling fosters. A.C.E. has qualifications recognised by NZ universities.
Yes, you can, both legally and practically, however it can be more difficult to gain an exemption to homeschool a special needs child. Some of the greatest achievements in homeschooling have been by parents of special needs children.
Neither are 90% or other homeschooling parents. It depends on what you mean by qualified. No one is more qualified to educate your children than you their parents. The vast majority of homeschooling parents are not professional teachers.