The Department of Education has recently begun their standard 5-year review of the Home Education Policy. The Home Education Policy includes background information and the required procedures for Department employees, and can be downloaded from the WA Department of Education website.

Moderators are obliged to follow the Home Education Policy, however it is the School Education Act 1999 that home-based families need to keep uppermost in their minds when undergoing moderation.

The most relevant section for home educators is Section 6, page 66. Click here to download a copy. Section 53.2(a) Cancelling s.48 Registration, gives the Department of Education and Moderators the authority to assess progress against the current WA Curriculum.

As part of the initial consultation phase of the review process, the Department recently conducted workshops at the South Metropolitan and North Metropolitan Education Offices.

This year, for the first time, both HEWA and individual members of the Home Ed community were invited to be part of the process. This is a huge step forward. Following the workshops, the Department sent emails seeking feedback from all current Home Educating families via an online anonymous survey.

Issues HEWA raised at both workshops include:

• Inconsistencies in the requirements of reporting between moderators and even regional offices, North Metro and South Metro.
• The need for more understanding and flexibility for children dealing with anxiety, trauma, health issues or additional needs.
• The need for greater and continuing dialogue between HEWA and the department in the best interests of the home education community.
• The need for more understanding regarding allowing a transition time for children going from school to home education.
• The need to support moderators in understanding different home education philosophies and approaches to education, the validity of student-led approaches and key differences between learning at home and learning in a school environment.
• A greater understanding that as long as forward progress is evident, students are encouraged to continue learning their own pace and readiness.

Further information about the South Metro meeting can be found on HEWA’s News page. If you are interested in being involved in these types of meetings/workshops you could join the HEWA Committee as a general member. We currently have positions available, and if you would like more information, please contact: mailto:coordinator@hbln.org.au

If there are any additional issues that you would like to have raised as part of the next phase, please email: mailto:coordinator@hbln.org.au