Contact details:
Craig and Barbara Smith
06 357-4399
email: barbara@hef.org.nz
Greetings all,
There have been a couple of requests lately for people willing to give exemption advice and encouragement.
Just a reminder that this is precisely what we at the Home Education Foundation are here for!
We help with preparing for exemptions and ERO reviews, how to understand and answer the exemption questions, we sit in on ERO Reviews with people, and I’ve even been a witness at a court case involving home education and socialisation. We have tons of material on socialisation, research results in both academic and social areas, ideas on curriculum development and getting into university and links to other information that we send out for free. We have 22 years of experience in teaching our own 8 children aged 28 down to 3 (yes, we’re still at it) and running conferences and speaking in nearly every corner of the country. Barbara just talked a mum who was full of panic through her ERO review preparation, and the mum passed with flying colours! I just wrote a letter to the Hamilton office of the MoE about what I thought was unfair treatment in an exemption application…the mum emailed today to say the exemption just came through!
Being a charitable trust, we do not charge for anything we send out or for our advice, even though most phone calls last between a half hour to a full hour or more. We trust the Lord to move people to make donations as they see fit and to subscribe to Keystone https://hef.org.nz/category/keystone-magazine/ and TEACH Bulletin https://hef.org.nz/category/teach-bulletin/. Although we personally are committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Home Education Foundation is committed to rescuing ANY children out of state schooling institutions and to giving as much help and encouragement as we can to any and all parents and grandparents wanting to have a go at home education.
So don’t hesitate to get people to ring us or send an email. We don’t have an 0800 number but if people ring us on a landline, we can ring them back so we pay for the call since it costs us next to nothing.
Applying for an Exemption to Home School
in New Zealand
Here are two very helpful links
The first is a cut down version of the exemption application, showing you exactly which comments the Ministry of Education (MoE) expects you to reply to:
https://hef.org.nz/2010/making-an-application-for-exemption-from-enrolment-and-attendance-at-a-school/
The second is a lengthy letter giving all kinds of tips on how to answer the comments:
https://hef.org.nz/2010/a-collection-of-exemption-tips-and-ideas/
I’d suggest reading those two, having a go at answering the questions, then give us a ring (06) 357-4399 or emailing your phone number and we will ring you (email barbara@hef.org.nz).
It seems complicated at first, but it really isn’t that bad at all. We can talk you through it. All free of charge. That’s why we’re here.
Websites and blogs:
If you have a website or blog then please feel free to repost this on your website or blog and/or to link to these pages on your website or blog.
Hi there, just finding it so hard to get my head aroung this application, Help!!!
Is there some kind of a draft copy out there, a guideline of some sort? Feel so overwelmed
I’ll send you a bunch of emails.
Trust some of these will be a help. First look at the subject lines with exemption in them.
Delete those that are not helpful for you.
If you need any more help please email barbara@hef.org.nz your phone number and we will give you a ring. We are on a flat rate on our phone so it wont cost us anything.
We are very happy to help.
Hi Barbara,
been sifting through your website, great stuff. Have send my application for exemption away around 3 weeks ago, so probably been 2 weeks since MOE have had it. Do you have any idea on what time frame we’re looking at to hear something ANYTHING, back from MOE?? We’re in Southland, so it was send to Dunedin.. Does that make a difference? Am anxious to get our son out of the school he’s in.. not going forward etc, does really well when homeschooled during the holidays etc but know legally he’s got to stay at school until we hear from MOE…. dreadful this waiting!!
Hi there
I have my exemption form and have some ideas in mind already, but just wanting a bit of guidance as to how to put in writing. I just want to make sure I have covered everything and would hate to be declined because of insufficient information. So far I have found very little on the internet in the way of an example copy or anything of the like.
Any help would be much appreciated. I’m trying to sort out now to be able to start the new year.
Gidday Stephanie,
Please ring us at (06) 357-4399 or email me at craig@hef.org.nz with your phone number and I’ll ring you back to chat about this. Lots to say, and all of it good news. Nothing to panic or worry about.
Regards,
Craig Smith
Home Education Foundation
Hello
I am applying for an exemption and would like to ask for a little guidance on completing the form, my situation maybe a little different than usual, I have spent 3 days on the internet trying to find guidance…hopefully Home Education Foundation can help 🙂
Thanks.
Gidday Connie,
Give us a ring at 906) 357-4399 or email at craig@hef.org.nz.
Giving advice on exemptions is what we do.
For Free. As a Charitable Trust, we give as much as we can free of charge.
Regards,
Craig
Here are a couple of links that you might find helpful:
https://hef.org.nz/2010/making-an-application-for-exemption-from-enrolment-and-attendance-at-a-school/
AND
https://hef.org.nz/2010/a-collection-of-exemption-tips-and-ideas/
Hi, i’m applying for an exemption but haven’t a clue how to put it all down on paper, i’m starting to feel a little overwhelmed, i’ve search the internet for draft samples or formats but to my disapointment have had no luck.
Could someone please help, it would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Gidday Patricia,
I’ll give you two links to two other pages on this very website.
The first is a cut down version of the exemption application, showing you exactly which comments the Min of Ed expects you to reply to:
https://hef.org.nz/2010/making-an-application-for-exemption-from-enrolment-and-attendance-at-a-school/
The second is a lengthy letter giving all kinds of tips on how to answer the comments:
https://hef.org.nz/2010/a-collection-of-exemption-tips-and-ideas/
I’d suggest reading those two, having a go at answering the questions, then giving me a ring at (06) 357-4399 or emailing me your phone number and I’ll ring you (email me at craig@hef.org.nz) or email me the draft of your exemption answers and I’ll comment on them.
It seems complicated at first, but it really isn’t that bad at all. We can talk you through it. All free of charge. That’s why we’re here.
Regards,
Craig Smith
Home Education Foundation
Thank you, craig for the 2 links,ill go over them and see how i go. Thanks, i really apprciate the help and im sure i get alot from it.
Patricia. 🙂