Homeschooling as at 1 July 2011

Statistics on Homeschooling

As at 1 July 2011 there were 6,517 home schooled students recorded on the Ministry of Education’s homeschooling database, which represents less than one per cent of total school enrolments as at 1 July 2011. These students belonged to 3,532 families.

Homeschooling 1998-2011

• In 1998 there was a total of 5,274 homeschoolers; in 2011 there were 6,517 - an increase of 23.6 per cent.
• Between 1 July 20010 and 1 July 2011 the number of homeschoolers decreased by 265 students - a 3.9 per cent decrease.

Figure 1: Number of Homeschooling Students 1998-2011

Number of Students Commencing Homeschooling

Between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011, 1,106 students commenced homeschooling – a decrease of 11.4 per cent compared with the number starting during the previous year.

Of those starting in the 12 months ending 30 June 2011:
•    38.5 % were aged six years old
•    82.5 % were aged within the primary school age range (5-12 years old)


Figure 2: Number of Homeschoolers Commencing between July 2010 and July 2011
 

Number of Students Finishing Homeschooling

Between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011, 1,371 students finished homeschooling. Of these:
•    210 students (15.3 %) finished their homeschooling within a year of starting
•    843 students (61.5 %) finished within four years
•    513 students (37.4 %) had been homeschooled for 5 or more years


Figure 3: Duration of Homeschoolers Finishing between July 2010 and July 2011
 

Age Distribution of Homeschoolers

Of those being homeschooled, 61.3 per cent were in the primary school age range (5-12 years old).

Table 1: Number of Homeschoolers by Age and Gender as at 1 July 2011

Age	Male	Female	Total
5	2	5	7
6	209	231	440
7	295	269	564
8	278	269	547
9	283	300	583
10	302	331	633
11	309	292	601
12	335	288	623
13	299	305	604
14	299	274	573
15	288	271	559
16	160	147	307
17	111	122	233
18	55	65	120
19	27	28	55
20	23	18	41
21	11	13	24
22	1	1	2
23	1	0	1
Total	3,288	3,229	6,517

Homeschoolers by Region

• Nelson, Northland and West Coast regions had the highest proportions of homeschoolers compared to the total school populations in those regions.
• Gisborne, Otago  and Hawkes Bay had the lowest proportions of homeschoolers in relation to their total school populations
• The majority of homeschoolers (73.3 per cent) reside in the North Island, with 23.2 per cent in Auckland

Figure 4: Percentage of Homeschoolers by Region at 1 July 2011

 

Note: Not applicable includes Not applicable, Chatham Islands and Correspondence School

Ethnicity of Homeschoolers

Almost all (98.3 per cent) of homeschoolers reported their ethnicity. Of these:

• 81.6 per cent identified as European/Pākehā
• 10.4 per cent identified as Māori
• A lower proportion of homeschoolers were identified as being Māori, Asian or Pasifika than compared to students attending regular schools

 
Figure 5: Comparison of School Students and Homeschoolers by Ethnic Group at 1 July 2011