Homeschooling in the NT

Before I really talk about what homeschooling looks like for us, let me take you back to why we do it in the first place. Back in 2022 we were living in a remote location (yep, more remote than Darwin and Tindal) where there was one school, with around 10-12 students from Reception to grade 12, with two teachers and a teaching principal. Unfortunately for us, even with this incredible student to teacher ratio, school just wasn’t working. With special needs children and a lack of understanding at school, we experienced major meltdowns at home, which was becoming too stressful.

We decided to try home educating. It’s been 3 years since we made this decision, and we continue to do it as we can see the benefits for us. Things like, sleeping in during the week when it’s been a huge day and the girls need a little extra rest to function. Or being able to go on excursions when and where we like throughout the week or taking family holidays together as a learning experience during term.

We love being part of the homeschool community in the Top End. We have regular catch-ups all over Darwin. There’s no pressure to be involved; it’s very much come as you are, when you’re ready, and it’s such a wonderful feeling.

Being a defence family means this version of education offers flexibility and consistency. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone. For me, letting go of every preconceived idea of what “school” looks like was hard. Realising that “homeschool” does NOT necessarily equal “school at home”. You need to be more willing to learn alongside your kids, follow their interests and needs. Do they love cars, or dinosaurs, or the Olympics, or animals? It could be anything! Use that to help them learn. When they are interested, it’s not a struggle. If they need a rest day, it’s better to take one than to push through and create stress where calm was needed. If they need to get out of the house, because sometimes these four walls just get a bit much, then jump on the bike and go for a ride, or head to one of the many wonderful outdoor adventures available to us up here in the Top End.

Homeschooling can look different for every family. You can purchase a whole curriculum through one of the many companies in Australia or abroad to take the guess work out of it or create your own curriculum using the Australian Curriculum as a guide. Many families “un-school”, which is a necessary step to ensure the mental health and wellbeing of all involved and to recover from potential trauma before attempting any “formal” kind of education. The important part about this is not to rush it. If it’s trauma you or your child are recovering from, this will take time. Another option is to consider distance education by enrolling in a school of your choice (one that offers distance education) then completing the required tasks as they are delivered to you. Alternatively, you could consider enrolling through School of The Air if you meet the requirements. Whilst technically not “home schooling” it offers the option of schooling at home, if you need to remove your child from school for any reason but aren’t sure how to go about educating at home.

If you’re looking to apply to home educate in the Northern Territory you’ll need to head to the Northern Territory Government website: https://nt.gov.au/learning/primary-and-secondary-students/home-education. You will find a link to the “teaching, learning and assessment plan” document which you will need to complete and return along with either your “self-developed curriculum plan” or your purchased plan as a PDF. If you’re looking to do a self-developed plan, it can feel very daunting. That’s where the home school community comes in! There’s a lot of knowledgeable parents who are willing to pass that knowledge on, you only need to reach out. Jump into one of the many home school NT Facebook groups and you’ll find a whole community of helpers!

We’ve settled into life in Darwin, and have found some activities that the girls love participating in (Karate, gymnastics, swimming, ice skating etc). Some of these activities are organised through the homeschool community here. The anxiety around schooling has significantly reduced and our general wellbeing has improved - this all makes for a much happier and more relaxed home life. One of my favourite things about home schooling is when I’ve taken the time to explain or teach a new concept that perhaps my daughter is struggling with, but then I get to see that light-bulb moment, when it suddenly makes sense and she understands. I get the privilege of witnessing her comprehension and her “ah-ha” moments - it never gets old! Sometimes the journey to get there can feel long, but it’s so worth it in the end!

If you have questions, comments or ideas you’d like to share about home schooling, please get in touch!

Viv Kleemann

Admin Coordinator