Christian Homeschooling in NZ & Australia | Faith-Based Education
In recent years, many families in New Zealand and Australia have turned to Christian homeschooling as a way to provide an education that aligns with their faith and values. This unique educational journey allows families to integrate academic learning with spiritual growth, ensuring that children not only thrive academically but also develop a strong foundation in Christian principles. Many families choose to forego mainstream education purely because they want to develop a strong moral foundation rooted in Biblical principles. This is one of the reasons I chose to homeschool my own kids!
The Benefits of Christian Homeschooling
Christian Homeschooling is a way to offer a personalised and faith-centered approach to education, that traditional school cannot provide, with the exception of Christian schools. By homeschooling, parents can take a Bible first approach to teaching. Parents can incorporate God into every subject, from Science to History, Literature and beyond.
For Many families in New Zealand and Australia, Christian homeschooling creates a positive environment where children can grow in their relationship with God, learn to love learning, and develop strong moral values that will serve them throughout their life. Most of us adults know how much peer pressure there is out there, and how much corruption. Teaching your children from a Christian perspective in the controlled environment of your own home is a great way to stand against the deception of the world. It is the best way to raise well-rounded, loving, confident, Godly children.
Homeschooling is flexible in itself and allows for a stronger family bond to be developed. Often siblings become very close and these foundational bonds carry on into adulthood. There is time to slow down and read the Bible, there is time to discover God’s beautiful world and experience nature, there is time to bond and talk on a deeper level with your children. It blossoms into a beautiful Christian homeschooling journey.
Of course some days will be hard, but those days we need to press into the Lord, and pray. We also need to take time to have breaks, spend a day in nature (which is still learning btw) or spend a day watching documentaries. It’s okay, and healthy to have a day where you just slow down and connect with each other. A day to just breathe is needed, for us personally this day is needed at least once a week!
How to begin?
Now that you’re sure you want to homeschool from a Christian philosophy, you probably want to know where to start. For New Zealand you can check out my Homeschooling in New Zealand Guide as it has all the specific details on how to apply to homeschool. As for Australia, each state has different regulations and none of them are quite as straightforward as New Zealand. It varies so much state by state (and things can change year by year) that I would suggest a quick Google search to find out more (and updated) information about what you need to do to apply. For example, I would type into Google: “How to Homeschool in Queensland” and you will be able to find state specific information that way.
Resources/Curriculum for Christian Homeschoolers
When people ask me what Christian curriculum I suggest, I often tell them that there is too many choices to give specifics. There is loads of options out there! I can tell you that we have used various curriculum over the years, and every year we are adapting and sometimes changing up our curriculum choices for that year. Every child learns differently, and every child has different needs and different learning styles. So each year I do some research and I suggest you do the same.
You can check out Cathy Duffy’s Reviews, as she reviews LOADS of great curriculum, including Christian resources. This is a good place to start, along with joining my “Homeschooling New Zealand” Facebook group. There is lots of discussion around curriculum in the Facebook group and it’s a great place to get support! Oh and you can chat to me here too, the community is incredible and well worth joining.
Several organizations offer Christian-based curricula suitable for various educational levels. For instance, Generations.org provides comprehensive homeschool packages that integrate faith and learning. CES Books is worth visiting for quality Christian resources available in NZ. Also check out Australian Christian Homeschooling (ACHS) if you are in Australia.
Check out my shop here at Peace Through Grace to find some Christian Unit Studies, I have several free resources and printables that I have been blessed to make available to all homeschoolers and families alike.
What is a Unit Study?
A “unit study” is a method of learning where a single, focused topic or theme is explored in great depth across multiple subject areas, like Maths, Science, History, Art, and Moral Values, allowing students to make connections between different disciplines through a unified study plan. It isn’t a full curriculum, but it is a great add-on to ANY curriculum. I find Unit Studies to be a great way to “break up” the monotonous daily routine of your regular curriculum. We often take a week or two break from our regular curriculum to take a deep dive into an engaging unit study. My kids love unit studies, as they tend to be more fun and engaging that regular curriculum. Kids won’t feel like they are doing “school work” when they explore a hands-on unit study. I have free unit studies (in my shop) especially designed for faith-based Christian families so make sure you check them out!
You have familiarised yourself with how to homeschool, you have checked out curriculum, now it’s time to create a homeschool schedule
Flexibility is one of the key advantages of homeschooling, but creating a daily or weekly schedule can help bring structure to your learning. Be sure to include time for prayer, worship, and Bible study.
Here is an example of how you might plan out your homeschooling schedule:
Step 1: Understand Your Family’s Needs
How many children are you homeschooling? Think about their ages, preferred learning times, family commitments and activities.
Step 2: Set Your Goals
Decide what it is you want to achieve each day/each week, including academic subjects, Bible time, and family activities.
Divide your day into learning blocks, such as:
Morning routine: Breakfast, Bible time, chores
Block 1: Core subjects (Maths, English)
Block 2: Morning Tea time, Outdoor break etc.
Block 3: Elective Subject (Science, History etc.)
Block 4: Finish up, Review anything Necessary
This is just an example, it’s brief and very simplified but it gives you an idea of how a lot of us plan our schedule. Some of us use homeschool planners (which you can also find in my shope). Some of us just use our calendars’ or a notepad/notebook too. It’s a good idea to have a plan, even if it’s just an idea of what will happen. You can always adjust it, and it’s important to be flexible with your schedule!
Step 3: Weekly Planning and Review
At the start or end of every week I go over my schedule and adjust anything if necessary. It’s always a good idea to write some notes about where your children are at, or take some photos to keep of any of their work/projects. Make sure to keep samples of their finished work throughout each term as well, this helps you naturally acquire material for record keeping purposes but also helps with your own reflection. I love looking back on my kids work from the year previous, it really helps me see their progression firsthand!
So in summary of all that (possibly overwhelming) info: Do a Google search and find out your local State/Country regulations around homeschooling. Research some Christian homeschooling curriculum, and also some resources to enrich your homeschooling journey (such as my printables and unit studies). Then create your plan or schedule that works for your family and their individual needs. When we break things down into actionable steps it makes the process so much easier, you can do this!
Overall Christian homeschooling in New Zealand and Australia offers families so many opportunities to educate your children according to Biblical principles while creating a flexible, personalised learning environment. You don’t need to give your children up to the system, you don’t need to take that risk.
The support to homeschool is only growing, so if you still feel some doubts make sure to check out the “Homeschooling New Zealand” Facebook group (you can join even if your from Australia) as there is always lots of supporting members ready to put your worries at ease and answer all your questions. You are also welcome to send me a message anytime you want, I have years of experience and am always happy to support and direct fellow homeschoolers! You can email me as well at hello@peacethroughgrace.com
Don’t forget to check out my shop, don’t be deceived by the word shop, I have free resources available and all my other resources are extremely affordable while still being top quality. You cannot beat that!
Remember to follow my Facebook and Instagram pages for additional free printables and upcoming giveaways to further support your educational journey.
