Thirteen-year-old Lily has experienced four different schools since starting her formal education. She began at a public school, then tried a Montessori school, followed by a Steiner school, and finally returned to a public school. Each time, she felt the environment wasn’t right for her.
In 2024, Lily decided to switch to homeschooling.
“I didn’t like traditional schooling because you’re put on the spot and expected to do everything,” she says. “Sometimes it’s hard for people. You can tell when school isn’t the right place for you.”
Lily is one of nearly 45,000 students across Australia who were homeschooled last year, according to Janelle Barnes, president of the Home Education Association.
Barnes says the number of homeschooled children has more than doubled in the past five years. “We now have over 45,000 registered homeschoolers in Australia,” she says.
Families choose homeschooling for various reasons, but Barnes notes that neurodivergent children or those with disabilities often find it more suitable than traditional schooling.
“Many of these children struggle in a classroom environment,” she explains. “Because they’re different, they often face bullying.”
The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to the rise in homeschooling, as many parents turned to online learning. Barnes, who homeschools her own daughter, says the approach can be particularly beneficial for students with specific learning needs.
“My daughter has dyslexia, but her reading and writing improved significantly with one-on-one homeschooling,” she says.
Academic Outcomes: A Mixed Picture
Assessing the academic success of homeschooling can be challenging. While state and territory governments require parents to register homeschooled children, not all do, making it difficult to track outcomes. Additionally, the wide variety of homeschooling methods makes comparisons tricky.
A 2019 article in The Conversation reviewed Australian and international research on homeschooling. A 2013 analysis of U.S. studies found that homeschooled children performed as well as or better than their peers on standardized tests. Similarly, a 2014 study in New South Wales and a 2016 study in Victoria showed homeschooled students scoring significantly higher than average in nearly all NAPLAN tests.
However, only about 10% of homeschooled students participated in NAPLAN testing. A separate study by the Home Education Network of around 300 homeschooled Australians found that a higher proportion of them earned bachelor’s degrees or higher compared to the general population.
Lily’s Experience
For Lily, homeschooling has been a positive change.
“I wake up and don’t dread going to school. I’m not dragging my feet in the morning,” she says. “I’ve improved a lot in marine studies—I spend time doing write-ups, diagrams, and anatomy. My English has also gotten better.”
While Lily’s story highlights the benefits of homeschooling, experts caution that it may not be the right fit for every family. The approach requires careful consideration of a child’s individual needs and circumstances.
