Homeschooling
This page provides links to data on homeschooling.
Last Updated: March 2024
Summary
As at 1 July 2023, there were 10,777 homeschooled students. These students belong to 6,298 families and represent 1.3% of total school enrolments.
Out of the 10,777 homeschoolers 65.1% were aged 12 or under, 77.0% had been home-schooled for less than 5 years, and only 3.0% had been home-schooled for 10 years or more.
European/Pākehā students are more likely to be homeschooled than any other ethnic group with 67.1% of all homeschoolers, compared to 43.9% of the total school population (this is based on prioritised ethnicity statistics). Only 15.0% of homeschoolers identify as Māori compared to 24.8% of the total school population, 3.1% of homeschoolers identify as Pacific compared to 9.9% of the total school population, and 3.1% of homeschoolers identify as Asian compared to 16.8% of the total school population. The ethnicity of 0.9% of homeschoolers is unknown.
Homeschooling Turnover
Between 1 July 2022 and 1 July 2023 there was an overall net decrease of 122 students; 2,164 students entered into homeschooling and 2,286 students finished homeschooling.
The average age of the 2,164 students entering homeschooling was 9 years old, 80.5% were aged 12 or under and 0.9% were age 16 or above. Of the students entering homeschooling during the year ending 1 July 2023, 68.5% identified as European/Pākehā, 17.7% identified as Māori, 3.5% identified as Pacific, and 4.0% identified as Asian. Ethnicity is unknown for 0.6% of homeschoolers.
The average age of the 2,286 students exiting homeschooling was 12 years old, 55.1% were aged 12 or under, and 15.9% were 16 years old or above. Of the students exiting homeschooling during the year ending 1 July 2023, 51.3% had been in homeschooling less than a year, 28.8% had been in homeschooling for 1 – 5 years, and 7.4% had been in homeschooling for 10 years or more.
Time Series Data
The box below provides downloads relating to the number of students in homeschooling.
- Number of Students by Time Series 1998-2023[MS Excel 35kB]
- Homeschooling Turnover by Time Series 1998-2023[MS Excel 38kB]