Home learning rates are rising

THE number of children homeschooling on the Gold Coast has more than doubled in four years – and 40 per cent of them are in northern and hinterland suburbs.

Education Queensland data shows 508 kids were taught at home last year, up from the 217 in 2016. During the pandemic alone, it rose 30 per cent.

The biggest suburbs for home teachers included the postcode of 4209 (Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pimpama and Willow Vale) with 92 enrolled students followed by 4211 (including Pacific Pines, Nerang, Advancetown, Carrara, Beechmont, Gaven, Highland Park and Gilston) with 71, and 4213 (including Mudgeeraba, Springbrook, Worongary and Talli) with 44.

In 2016 there were two postcodes with more than 20 children registered as homeschooled. In 2020 there were 10. The data also shows more boys than girls are homeschooled.

Across the state there was a 26 per cent increase in registered homeschoolers, from 3411 in 2019 to 4297 in 2020. The 2019 homeschooling figure for the Gold Coast reported by the Bulletin last year was 381, increasing to 392 with adjusted figures.

Megan Young says inquiries and business at her homeschool support firm Flourish Education has doubled since COVID.

“It’s gone nuts this past year,” she said. “Since COVID people have realised homeschooling is a legal option and families have realised how well it worked for their kids, with some thriving on the independence of it and not being in a big group setting.”

Ms Young works with a lot of families who have children with anxiety, autism and dyslexia who had adjusted well to learning at home during COVID. She said many parents did not want to disrupt their routine by sending them back to the classroom.

“Bullying has also been a big motivation for kids leaving the school system, particularly when the school hasn’t responded well enough and children have found it really difficult to go back and face their bullies,” she said.

She said most homeschool families were self-employed, had flexible employment arrangements or were families with only one working parent.

“Homeschooling parents have the flexibility to explore a child’s passions and interests during school hours, not just rushing to extra curriculum activities in the evening and weekends, eating into family time,” she said.

“Parents are also setting up co-ops where they share their skills in certain areas.”

Ms Young said the biggest misconception was homeschooled children had a lack of social skills or interactions, but this was far from the truth.

“It’s just about finding activities and groups that you can interact with, you can pick and choose. I think that’s a big motivation for some homeschool families, knowing who their children are interacting with and being able to support them when they do have troubles,” she said.