NZ home education resources.

Official & legal

Start here. These are the primary government sources. Everything else on this page flows from these.

• MoE home education hub ↗

  The Ministry of Education's central page for home education in NZ. Includes the current application form, guidance documents, and bi-annual declaration forms.

• Section 38, Education and Training Act 2020 ↗

  The specific clause under which home education exemptions are granted. Worth reading once so you understand exactly what the Ministry is assessing.

• MoE regional offices ↗

  Where to send your application. Outcomes can vary by region, so it is worth knowing which office will assess yours.

NZ communities and networks

New Zealand has an active home education community. These are the places where real families share experience, ask questions, and organise co-ops.

• Home Education Foundation ↗

  One of the longest-standing NZ home education organisations. Advocacy, resources, and connections to regional networks.

• NZ Home Educators (Facebook group) ↗

  A large, active Facebook group where NZ home education families share advice, ask questions, and swap resources. Useful for real-world application experiences.

• Secular Homeschoolers NZ (Facebook group) ↗

  For families looking for a non-religious community space. Good mix of practical advice and curriculum discussions.

Curriculum and learning tools

None of these are required. They are simply tools that show up repeatedly in approved applications and in what NZ home education families actually use.

• Khan Academy ↗

  Structured maths and science courses from primary through to university level. One of the most commonly referenced tools in NZ home education applications.

• TKI: Te Kete Ipurangi ↗

  The New Zealand government's online teaching and learning resource hub. Useful for understanding what schools cover, helpful context even if you are not following the NZ Curriculum.

• Science Learning Hub ↗

  NZ-specific science education resource developed with the University of Waikato. Well-organised by topic and age range.

• Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand ↗

  New Zealand's online national encyclopedia. Excellent for social studies, NZ history, and te ao Maori content.

• NZ History ↗

  The Ministry for Culture and Heritage's NZ history resource. Comprehensive and reliable for any history component of your programme.

• Reading Eggs ↗

  Online literacy programme that many NZ home education families use for structured reading instruction. Paid, but widely used and frequently cited in applications.

• Outschool ↗

  Live online classes on almost any subject, taught by independent educators. Good for specialist topics, social connection, or subjects you want outside expertise for.

Organisation and record keeping

Keeping a record of your child's learning is a good habit and useful if MoE ever asks for evidence. These tools make it easy.

• Notion ↗

  A flexible workspace for notes, databases, and planning. Many home education families use it to log weekly learning, track projects, and build a simple portfolio.

• Google Docs and Drive ↗

  The simplest option for keeping a shared record. Easy to store work samples, write weekly logs, and share access with co-educators.

• Canva ↗

  Good for building visual portfolios: collecting photos of projects, artwork, and outings into a shareable, presentable document.

Philosophy and reading

These are the books that come up most often when home education families describe what shaped their approach. None are NZ-specific, but all are directly relevant.

• How Children Learn by John Holt ↗

  The foundational text for interest-led and child-directed education. Holt's observations of how children actually learn, rather than how we assume they learn, are hard to argue with.

• Free to Learn by Peter Gray ↗

  A research-backed case for play-based, self-directed learning. Particularly useful if you are writing an unschooling or interest-led application.

• Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto ↗

  A former New York Teacher of the Year on what compulsory schooling actually teaches children. Confronting and clarifying in equal measure.

• Simply Charlotte Mason ↗

  The clearest practical introduction to the Charlotte Mason method. If you are drawn to CM but not sure how to describe it in an application, start here.

Support for different learners

Many families home educate specifically because a child has dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or another learning difference. These organisations know the NZ context.

• Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand ↗

  Practical resources and support for families navigating dyslexia. Useful context before writing your application if learning differences are part of your situation.

• ADHD New Zealand ↗

  National organisation for ADHD support in NZ. Includes resources, helplines, and regional support groups.

• Altogether Autism ↗

  NZ's autism knowledge service. Good first stop for families where autism is part of the home education decision.

• RTLB (Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour) ↗

  Government-funded specialist support for children with learning and behaviour needs. Worth understanding what is available even outside the school system.

Apps worth knowing about

A mix of apps that keep showing up in home education conversations: languages, music, coding, and creative learning.

• Duolingo ↗

  Language learning app with short, game-like lessons. A low-pressure way to add a languages component to your programme. It also has its own te reo Māori course.

• Melodics ↗

  Paid app for learning keys, pads, and drums. Structured lessons with real-time feedback. Good for any child with a musical interest who wants more than YouTube tutorials.

• Ableton Note ↗

  Paid iOS app for making music: sketch ideas, build loops, explore rhythm and sound. Lowers the barrier to music production with no prior knowledge needed.

• Scratch ↗

  Visual coding platform from MIT. One of the most used tools for introducing programming concepts to children aged 8+. Projects can be shared and remixed with a global community.

• iNaturalist ↗

  App for identifying and logging plants, animals, and fungi. Excellent for nature-based learners. Builds science observation skills and connects to a global community of naturalists.

Other application support services

• Other services

  Other services exist that help families write home education applications. Search for "NZ home education application help" to find them. We would rather you get a good application submitted than not submit at all.