Learning on the Road? FAQ
🚐 Travelling Australia with Children? Your go-to guide for navigating education while on the road
Thinking about hitting the road with your family? Wondering how to manage your child’s education while travelling around Australia?
Here are the most frequently asked questions from families just like yours:
1. What are our education options while travelling?
You can choose from:
· Home schooling through your state or territory’s home school education authority
· Distance education through a registered provider
· Exemption from your child’s current school
Each has pros and cons depending on your child’s needs and your family’s travel style.
2. What is involved with distance education?
Distance education means enrolling your child in a structured remote learning program.
Providers supply:
· Learning plans
· Teaching materials
· Assessments and reporting
However, there is usually a cost, fixed schedules, requirement to be online for long periods of time, and strict due dates. Many travelling families feel it’s like “school at home” and find the workload overwhelming for life on the road whereas others speak positively about their experiences. We recommend searching for “distance education” in the search bar of popular Facebook groups to read real experiences from other travelling families.
3. What does home schooling involve?
Home schooling requires:
· Applying to your state or territory’s home education authority
· Submitting a personalised learning plan for approval
· Reporting on your child's progress
You can write your own plan or use a ready-made curriculum plan like ours - crated specifically for home schoolers who are travelling. Home schooling offers the flexibility most travelling families need.
✅ See our curriculum-mapped education plans designed for life on the road
Please note: each state has different requirements. Refer to your education authority for the most accurate information.
👉 Find links to your state or territory’s authority here
4. What is an exemption and how do I get one for my child?
An exemption allows your child to temporarily stop attending school.
To apply:
· Contact your child’s school
· Request and submit an exemption application
Approval is typically up to the school principal or education authority.
5. Do I need to notify my current school that we are travelling?
Yes. Always inform your school, whether you’re switching to home schooling, applying for an exemption, or starting distance education. This helps manage your child’s enrolment and attendance records properly.
6. Do I need to follow the Australian Curriculum when home schooling?
That depends on your state or territory's registration requirements. The Australian Curriculum is structured in a way that builds skills and develops knowledge in a sequential order.
As a temporary home schooling family who has every intention of returning to mainstream school, we recommend:
· Closely following the English and Mathematics curriculum
· Choosing other areas from the curriculum based on your priorities
Our home school education plans include an overview of all 8 key learning areas, so you can pick and choose what’s important to your family. While it's difficult to suggest which areas to remove or scale back, we believe it's essential for parents to make informed decisions based on their own values and priorities - which is exactly why we provide a complete curriculum overview.
7. Do I need to teach the entire curriculum?
No. Most travelling families don’t teach all subjects. You can select which areas to focus on in your application.
Our curriculum overviews help you make informed decisions about what to keep and what to scale back because we believe that only you can make this decision. Our plans provide the complete picture and have been intentionally designed to allow for modifications.
Refer to the registration requirements in your state or territory - links can be found here.
📝 Our plans are designed to support personalised, flexible home schooling - with enough structure to feel confident and clear.
👉 Click here more information about the Australian Curriculum.
👉Click here for ideas about what learning areas to include in your education plan.
8. How many subjects are there in the Australian Curriculum?
The F–10 Australian Curriculum identifies and organises the essential knowledge, understandings and skills that students should learn in 8 learning areas:
· English
· Mathematics
· Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
· Science
· Health and Physical Education
· Technologies
· The Arts
· Languages
9. What resources will I need to home school on the road?
Recommended resources include:
· Stationery, books, and exercise books
· Laptop or tablet
· Mobile internet or hotspot access
· Other resources such as workbooks and occasional access to a printer.
Our home school education plans come with a detailed resource list for each learning block – designed with caravan weight restrictions and storage limitations in mind.
10. Do I need internet access every day?
No. Home schooling can be done largely offline.
You can:
· Download resources ahead of time
· Use print-based activities
· Schedule online tasks when you have a strong signal
Our plans include a variety of online AND offline learning suggestions for flexibility on the road.
11. How do I track and report my child’s learning?
Keep a simple system, such as:
· A learning log or journal
· Work samples and photos
· A folder or digital portfolio
Each learning block in our plans includes a Monitoring & Assessment section to help meet reporting requirements.
12. Are there online programs to help with home schooling?
Yes - especially for:
· Literacy and numeracy
· STEM and project-based learning
We recommend using these as a supplement, not the foundation. Avoid 'open laptop, complete, repeat' models. Always check if they align with Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum.
13. Will my state approve home schooling while travelling?
It depends. Each state and territory has its own rules.
👉 Important:
NSW currently does not approve home schooling while travelling.
If you’re in NSW, we recommend searching “NSW home school” in caravanning Facebook groups for the latest family-shared experiences and how they approach education while travelling.
📌 Always confirm requirements with your education authority. Click here for state/territory links
14. What is unschooling?
Unschooling is a form of home education that takes a child-led, interest-based approach to learning. Instead of following a set curriculum or formal lesson structure, unschooling encourages children to learn naturally through life experiences, play, conversations, and everyday activities.
While unschooling works well for many families, especially those committed to long-term home schooling, it may not suit everyone - particularly families who plan to return to mainstream schooling. It’s important to check with your state or territory’s registration requirements, as unschooling may not meet the criteria in all locations.
15. Do I need a teaching degree to home school? What if I’m not doing it 'the right way'?
Absolutely not. You don’t need a teaching degree to home school successfully. Many incredible home educating parents come from all walks of life - what matters most is your connection with your child and your willingness to support their learning journey.
I do have a teaching background, but I don’t see myself as an authority on home schooling - I’m currently home schooling while travelling, so I’ve experienced both the traditional classroom and life in the caravan firsthand. This perspective has helped me develop education plans that balance structure with flexibility, including opportunities for child-led inquiry and nature-based learning, designed especially for families stepping temporarily outside mainstream schooling.
Our plans are specifically made for temporary home schoolers - families who are taking a break from traditional school with the intention to re-enrol in the future. Following the Australian Curriculum offers clarity, continuity, and confidence during this transition, while still allowing space for your child’s interests and exploration.
We know there are many ways to home school - from structured programs to unschooling - and our approach is just one of them. If you’re looking for fully child-led or unschooling learning support, there are many other wonderful resources out there that might be a better fit.
Before choosing a home school program, resource or plan, take some time to reflect on your family's priorities and educational goals. Think about how your family learns best, your preferred teaching approach, and any specific outcomes you’re hoping to achieve for your children. Having a clear sense of these factors will make it easier to find options that genuinely fit your family's values and learning style.
We're here for families who want a balanced approach: structured, flexible, curriculum-aligned home school education plans for travellers just like us - without pressure or perfection.
👉 Interested in taking the guess work out of designing a home school education plan that aligns with your travelling lifestyle? [Explore Our Plans]
