FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the difference between distance education and home schooling?

Distance education is the educational practice where students are enrolled in a School of Distance Education (SDE) and do their academic work at home. The SDE provides the educational program and the teachers, and the students study at home under the supervision of their parents as home tutors.

Home schooled students are taught at home by their parents. They have no formal relationship with a school. Home schooling parents take full responsibility for the provision of the curriculum and educational planning for their child.

What are some of the positives of home schooling for parents?

Some parents have commented:

I can be responsible for my child’s learning
The mornings are much more peaceful.
My children are flourishing academically as never before.
My day is more flexible.
My child and I have access to trained teachers as necessary.
My children are less stressed.
I am learning with my children at the same time.
We enjoy the birds, the wind and the little things more.
We have less conflict at home.
We pray together more.
I save two hours each day dropping off and picking up the children from school.

What are some of the negatives of home schooling?

Some parents have commented:

I am no longer working part time so it has been a challenge financially.
I get very tired at times.
I miss adult interaction.
Sometimes we have days I’d rather forget.
We have received a few negative comments from family and friends.

Will my child miss out on developing social skills being taught at home?

This is the most frequently asked question by prospective parents.

Below are some observations that parents may wish to consider:

Home schooled students are often more mature as they spend more time interacting with adults.
Home schooled students interact in the real world with their families and the wider communities.
Home schooled students associate with people across a broad age range.
Traditionally schooled students usually only associate and interact with other students within a narrow age range of themselves, during their 13 formative years.
Research has shown that home educated students are better able to find non-violent solutions to conflict situations.
The social skills developed in a traditional school are not always positive.
Some home schooled students can be shy and find social situations difficult.
Traditionally schooled students are often faced with bullying.
We lose contact with most of our school friends.
As a nation we have a greater need for people that can live with each other in true relationship than for people that can meet socially.

For more information, see our page on Socialisation here

How much will it cost?

You will find costs listed on our Fee Schedule. You will also need to allow around $750 per child, per year for the cost of materials.

I don’t feel confident to teach my children all the secondary subjects. How will I cope?

By the time your child reaches secondary level, you will have realised that using this curriculum, you are able to supervise your child’s learning without having to have a degree in any specific subject. Self-instructional educational curriculum is pitched to your child’s learning level. It is about your child’s learning. It is not about your ability to teach a subject. However, if you are not confident, when your child is in secondary school, you may wish to choose the Advanced level of support, which will enable your children to receive academic support from ACHS staff.

I lack confidence. Will I be able to teach my children at home?

It is natural for people to doubt their own ability. Some parents do feel apprehensive about starting home schooling.

Be assured, the ACHS program involves no lesson preparation and is ideally suited to those who are starting out. We provide an excellent training program which will equip you to home school your child, before you commence home schooling.

What are the pathways to university for students at ACHS?

There are several pathways to universities in Australia. They vary from state to state and from university to university. Please contact our staff to discuss your child’s situation.

What happens if we are travelling around the country?

A number of families have found that home schooling is ideally suited to a 3-6 month caravan trip around Australia. Tests can be posted in and newsletters can be sent by email.

What is the enrolment process?

Send in the application.
Diagnostics are online. Student completes diagnostics.
Parent training arrives (allow one week).
Complete parent training (allow 1-2 weeks).
Academic prescription developed by a teacher (allow one week).
First order of curriculum material arrives (allow one week).

Total time from enrolment to first order: 4-5weeks.