Arranging evaluation visits, when, and where.
2. Within three months of registering to home educate YOU arrange for a visit - at a mutually agreed time and place - with the home education moderator, giving three weeks notice. She/he will evaluate your programme and progress and provide you with a written report after the visit. You then arrange to have a visit within every twelve month period thereafter; the same rules apply.
Now that you have registered as the education provider for your child you are to comply with section 51, which states:
51. Evaluation of child’s educational programme and progress
(1) A child’s home educator is to arrange with the chief executive
officer for an evaluation to be made of the child’s educational
programme and educational progress —
(a) within 3 months of the day of the home educator’s
registration in respect of the child; and
(b) at least once in each 12 month period following that
registration.
(2) A home educator is to give the chief executive officer at least
21 days’ notice of an evaluation that is required to be made
under subsection (1)(a) or (b).
(3) An evaluation is to be made —
(a) at the time that is agreed between the home educator and
the home education moderator; and
(b) at the place that is the usual place for the child’s
educational programme to be undertaken unless the
home educator objects, in which case the evaluation is to
be made at the place that is agreed between the home
educator and the home education moderator.
(4) Following an evaluation, the home education moderator is to
prepare a report about the child’s educational programme and
educational progress and provide a copy of the report to the
home educator and to the chief executive officer.
(1) A child’s home educator is to arrange with the chief executive
officer for an evaluation to be made of the child’s educational
programme and educational progress —
(a) within 3 months of the day of the home educator’s
registration in respect of the child; and
(b) at least once in each 12 month period following that
registration.
(2) A home educator is to give the chief executive officer at least
21 days’ notice of an evaluation that is required to be made
under subsection (1)(a) or (b).
(3) An evaluation is to be made —
(a) at the time that is agreed between the home educator and
the home education moderator; and
(b) at the place that is the usual place for the child’s
educational programme to be undertaken unless the
home educator objects, in which case the evaluation is to
be made at the place that is agreed between the home
educator and the home education moderator.
(4) Following an evaluation, the home education moderator is to
prepare a report about the child’s educational programme and
educational progress and provide a copy of the report to the
home educator and to the chief executive officer.
This means that within three months of first registering YOU (51(1)) arrange for an evaluation of your programme and the progress of your child, and then once every 12 months thereafter. YOU give at least 21 days notice (51(2)) for the evaluation to take place, at a time that suits YOU and the moderator and at a place that suits YOU and the moderator(51(3a)). The law states that if YOU object to the evaluation taking place in your home then YOU can nominate a place that suits YOU (51(2b)).
When I had my visits with a particularly antagonistic moderator I would write to the District Office and make arrangements to meet in the Alexander Library Coffee Shop without my children present.
Following any evaluation meeting the moderator writes a report on the child's educational programme and educational progress.
In a report that I received the moderator wrote:
Mrs
Holland requested the evaluation meeting be held at the Alexander
Library so that the children could work on research for their project.
However, circumstances resulted in the children remaining at home on the
day. Mrs Holland advised me of the decision to adopt an unstructured
approach in providing the educational experiences and programs for ....
No documentation or work samples were available for sighting.
There is no provision in the Act for the moderator to write about personal issues with your children, where you meet, the state of your house or any other issue other than your child/ren's programme/s and progress.
The Education Department has policies regarding home education. The scope of department policies are limited to Department staff. Home educators are not department staff so policies do not apply to home educators.
I am currently (2013) helping two home educators who have had their registrations cancelled with the reason being that they were not following department policy. This reason has no basis in law and we are challenging this reason.
In the Appendices of home education policy (2011) it states below in purple box:
Physical environment
The place of meetings should be agreed between the home educator and the home education moderator.
Given that an unsuitable
physical environment can be grounds for cancellation it will be
necessary on a regular basis to evaluate the effect of the
physical learning environment to ensure
there are not grounds for cancellation.
The layout, ambience and the materials provided by the home educator should create a setting conducive to learning.
In
order to evaluate the physical learning environment, moderators need
to have direct evidence as to the availability
and use of:
- a workspace including desks and chairs and areas for quiet study and group/project activities;
- a range of learning aids, kits and numeracy and literacy materials;
- technology including computers and the internet; and
- accessible supplies.
51. Evaluation of child’s educational programme and progress
(2) A home educator is to give the chief executive officer at least
21 days’ notice of an evaluation that is required to be made
under subsection (1)(a) or (b).
(3) An evaluation is to be made —
(a) at the time that is agreed between the home educator and
the home education moderator; and
(b) at the place that is the usual place for the child’s
educational programme to be undertaken unless the
home educator objects, in which case the evaluation is to
be made at the place that is agreed between the home
educator and the home education moderator.
21 days’ notice of an evaluation that is required to be made
under subsection (1)(a) or (b).
(3) An evaluation is to be made —
(a) at the time that is agreed between the home educator and
the home education moderator; and
(b) at the place that is the usual place for the child’s
educational programme to be undertaken unless the
home educator objects, in which case the evaluation is to
be made at the place that is agreed between the home
educator and the home education moderator.
and
52. Chief executive officer may give notice of concern and
require evaluation
(1) If the chief executive officer has a concern about a child’s
educational progress, the chief executive officer may —
(a) give the child’s home educator written notice of the
concern and the reasons for the concern; and
(b) arrange for an evaluation to be made on 7 days’ notice to
the home educator for the purpose of ascertaining
whether the concern has been adequately addressed.
(2) An evaluation under subsection (1) is to be made —
(a) within the notice period or as soon as possible after the
expiry of the notice period, but otherwise at the time that
is agreed between the home educator and the home
education moderator; and
(b) at the place that is the usual place for the child’s
educational programme to be undertaken unless the
home educator objects, in which case the evaluation is to
be made at the place that is agreed between the home
educator and the home education moderator.
The only time that the learning environment can be inspected is when the registration is being cancelled. The CEO can take the learning environment into consideration when deciding whether or not to cancel a home registration certificate.
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