You can combine school and home education by enrolling your child at a registered school for certain subjects or activities. This is called partial enrolment.
You can partially enrol your child when you first register them for home education, or at any time after.
You cannot partially register for home education.
School subjects and activities
You can approach government schools to teach your child certain subjects or activities. This includes:
- sport
- art
- maths
- science
- a language
- the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).
How to partially enrol
Start by approaching your local government school and speaking with the principal.
If your child is already registered for home schooling
- Give the school a copy of the confirmation that your child is registered for home schooling (this letter came from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority – VRQA).
- Talk with the principal and agree on the conditions of the enrolment (this can include how long your child will be enrolled, behaviour expectations, dress code and attendance).
- Let the VRQA know in writing about the partial enrolment arrangement.
- Make any payments for essential items.
If your child is not yet registered for home schooling
- Approach the school to get in principle agreement for a partial enrolment (this means you agree on the conditions but they're not formalised yet).
- Talk with the principal and agree on the conditions of the enrolment (this can include how long your child will be enrolled, behaviour expectations, dress code and attendance).
- Include the details of the 'in principle agreement' when you register your child for home schooling (you'll need to use the 'Notice of intention to partially enrol a student' form).
- If the application is approved, the VRQA will provide you with a confirmation letter.
- Give a copy of the confirmation letter to the school and finalise the arrangement.
- Let the VRQA know in writing if the final arrangement is different to the arrangement in your application.
- Make any payments for essential items.
Partial enrolment responsibilities
Principals must accept a partial enrolment if they're able to. They will consider class and year sizes when they decide.
They can cancel or decline a partial enrolment if there are reasonable grounds. For example, if the school's student capacity changes.
If a partial enrolment happens:
- you and the principal will decide the year level your child is partially enrolled in, based on their abilities
- you are still responsible for your child's full education program
- you and the school will arrange the partial enrolment as a partnership
- your child must be fully included in any subject they're enrolled in at the school.
Student attendance
Your child must go to school:
- whenever their enrolled subject or activity happens
- for extra activities related to the subject, like camps or excursions, unless you have an agreement with the principal.
The principal can decide whether your child can stay at school:
- before or after their enrolled activity
- during lunchtimes or recess breaks
- when your child needs to use public transport and it's infrequent.
Transport to school
The normal rules apply for student bus services and getting financial help with transport. The principal will decide on this.
Assessment and student reports
The school will assess your child the same as other students in the subject. You'll receive a report card on your child's progress.
Your child will be eligible to sit the NAPLAN test. The test can only be done at the school. If they sit the test, they will get an individual school report. Their results are confidential.
Parent payments
You must make a payment for essential education items on a pro-rata basis. The school can also invite you to make voluntary contributions within the law.
Get advice or provide feedback
You can contact the VRQA if you want advice or need to make a complaint.
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