Develop an education program

Education programs should be flexible to meet individual needs and abilities, including mental health considerations. Education programs can be presented in different formats according to the home educator's preferred learning style, such as project-based learning, goal-based learning, inquiry-based learning or other approaches.

The education program does not need to document every detail of what your child will learn,or timetable when a particular subject will be covered. Your child's learning is not limited to school hours, term dates or written materials.

While making sure your education program suits your child’s individual needs, you can consider the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). If appropriate, you can also include the ABLEWA curriculum.

Resources are available for Pre-primary to Year 12 on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) website. Home educators can provide proof of registration to request a login to the SCSA website.

When preparing your child’s education program, please ensure that you consider the following questions. These questions will form part of your initial 3-month evaluation meeting and subsequent evaluation meetings every 12 months thereafter.

What are your child’s educational strengths and interests?
Are there any areas of your child’s learning you would like to focus on more closely? How do you plan to support these as part of your child’s home education program?
What would you like your child to work towards between now (registration) and the 3-month evaluation? (These goals might relate to wellbeing, confidence, engagement, motivation, or learning progress).

The following exemplars provide examples of education programs. They can be used as a guide when developing your child’s learning program.

You may also include materials from other sources.

Understanding students' progress

Progress is the measurable development of learning over time, based on your child’s starting point. In home education, progress may be shown through evidence of learning rather than traditional grades. It will look different for every child and is guided by the goals set in their previous education program or as adjusted throughout the year.

Below are examples of demonstrated progress within individual circumstances.

Child completely refuses educational activities

Progress indicators could be:

completes simple academic tasks embedded in life skills (e.g., measuring ingredients = maths)
shows curiosity about one topic (e.g., asks a question about nature).

Why this is progress:

these steps build trust and readiness for learning
emotional safety is foundational.

Child is severely depressed, won’t talk or leaves the room

Progress indicators could be:

responds with a nod or gesture instead of verbal refusal
accepts a calming activity (music, sensory item)
leaves room for a preferred activity
reads or listens to a story without pressure
engages in a short, structured activity (e.g., colouring while listening to a story)
initiates minimal conversation about a topic of interest.

Why this is progress:

reduced isolation
re-establishing connection before academics.

Child identified as gifted and talented

Progress indicators could be:

completes advanced-level tasks beyond age expectations
demonstrates deep understanding of complex concepts in preferred subjects
creates original projects or ideas (e.g., writing a short story, designing a science experiment)
shows sustained engagement and self-directed learning in areas of interest
initiates research or asks higher-order questions (e.g., “what would happen?”).

Why this is progress:

indicators reflect intellectual growth and autonomy
for gifted learners, progress often means depth, complexity, and creativity rather than just acceleration through grade levels.

Child refuses to read but will do some maths, art, and science

Progress indicators could be:

engages in maths games or puzzles for fun
reads short instructions for maths activities (indirect reading)
reads instructions related to fun science experiments
engages with books via listening and telling fictional stories
reads an interest related story or comic voluntarily.

Why this is progress:

leveraging strengths (maths/art/science) can build confidence and eventually open doors to literacy.

Child with ADHD or high energy

Progress indicators could be:

stays focused for 2 minutes longer than before
completes a hands-on project (e.g., building with blocks)
follows a structured routine for 15–20 minutes.
completes multi-step tasks with minimal prompting.

Why this is progress:

progress is about increasing attention span and self-regulation gradually.

Child with autism who struggles academically and avoids social interaction

Progress indicators could be:

engages in a preferred interest as part of a learning activity
tolerates a short joint activity with a parent or friend
participates in a shared project for 10 minutes a day
initiates interaction about a preferred topic.

Why this is progress

social and emotional skills demonstrated, coupled with academic engagement.

Child with anxiety about schoolwork

Progress indicators could be:

is calm when presented with an expected educational task
writes one word or draws a picture related to the topic
completes activities with reassurance and support available
completes an assignment independently
expresses confidence in one subject area.

Why is this progress:

reducing anxiety triggers is key before expecting sustained academic effort.

Education program approaches

There are many ways to design an education program. The examples below outline a range of possible approaches. Your program may follow one of these, combine several, or use a different approach entirely. When selecting or developing your approach, you may wish to consider how it aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline.

Competency-based learning

Focus: progress based on mastery rather than age or grade level.
Features could be:
- children's advancement when they demonstrate understanding
- personalised pacing.

Curriculum-aligned programs

Focus: follows a formal curriculum (state, national or international standards).
Features could be:
- structured lesson plans
- assessment aligned with official benchmarks
- often used for children who may transition back to traditional schooling.

Experiential learning

Focus: hands-on experiences (excursions, experiments, internships)
Features could be:
- connects theory to practice
- builds practical skills alongside academic knowledge.

Goal-based learning

Focus: tailored to specific outcomes (e.g., improving reading, improving writing skills, mastering addition within 1,000, preparing for a career path)
Features could be:
- individualised learning plans
- flexible timelines
- progress tracked against personal or academic goals.

Hybrid or blended learning

Focus: mix of online resources and offline activities.
Features could be:
- access to digital tools and community programs
- flexible scheduling.

Inquiry-based learning

Focus: Driven by child curiosity and questions.
Features could be:
- encourages research and exploration
- parent acts as a facilitator rather than a teacher
- great for fostering independent thinking.

Project-based learning (PBL)

Focus: Learning through real-world projects and problem-solving.
Features could be:
- interdisciplinary approach (combines maths, science, language arts)
- emphasises critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.

Thematic or unit studies

Focus: Organises learning around a central theme (e.g., “Space Exploration”).
Features could be:
- integrates multiple subjects under one topic
- allows deep dives into areas of interest.

Child-led learning or unschooling

Focus: Child-led learning driven by interests and real-life experiences.
Features could be:
- learning emerges naturally through daily activities, hobbies, and exploration
- encourages curiosity, self-motivation, and critical thinking
- parent acts as a facilitator, providing resources and opportunities rather than structured lessons.

Understand evidence of progress

Evidence is recorded proof of learning and achievement. It can be collected in many ways, depending on your child’s needs and the learning approach you use at home. There is no single right way to document learning; the goal is to show what your child has been working on and how their skills are developing.

Evidence of progress should show a snapshot of your child’s learning over time. You do not need to collect samples every day. Weekly or fortnightly samples may be enough, depending on your child’s goals and abilities.

Sample evidence may include, but is not limited to:

portfolios of child work
child demonstration of a task in person, for example, reading a page of a book or explaining how the child completed a mathematics problem
annotated samples
journals or observation records
optional NAPLAN participation (Years 3, 5, 7, 9) for benchmarking
learning journals (daily or weekly reflections)
annotated photographs or videos of activities
digital portfolios (online collections of work)
project reports (objectives, process, outcomes)
reading logs with reflections
certificates of completion for courses or workshops
external assessments or diagnostic tools
feedback from tutors or specialists
child self-assessment and reflections
child communicating learning progress to the moderator
community engagement evidence (clubs, volunteering, cultural activities)
PowerPoint or other digital presentations of work or projects
music performances
physical objects depicting technology or project skills like sewing, woodworking, baking, arts and crafts, etc.

Develop an education program