Yes, in New South Wales (NSW), children must attend school from age 6 until they complete Year 10 or turn 17, whichever comes first, with parents legally responsible for ensuring enrollment and regular attendance, or registering for home schooling with NESA, or engaging in approved education/training post-Year 10.
Education in New South Wales is compulsory for all children between the ages of six years and below the minimum school leaving age of 17 years.
Failing to enrol your child or send them to school are offences that can be prosecuted by the Department of Education. If a child is not receiving schooling, a compulsory schooling order can be made by a Magistrate in court.
Yes you can. You would call the school's resource officer first. if they are not available, then the non emergency line. we had problems due to mental health issues with my son for a couple of years back in elementary/junior high and were at risk of losing custody of him (long story, but we were NOT bad parents.
Getting started with school
School education is similar all around Australia. There are only minor differences between states and territories. Primary and secondary school are compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16.
State and territories have different 'exemptions' for attendance, but the law is the same – parents must send compulsory school-aged children to school every day. In NSW, both state and independent schools do not consider travel during term time as a 'justified' reason for absence.
If students want to do it, however, state laws are an impediment until they reach a certain age — 16, 17 or 18, depending on the state. The trend in the U.S. in recent years has been toward expansion of compulsory schooling to reduce dropout rates.
In NSW, all children between the ages of 6 and 17 must receive schooling. After completion of Year 10 a young person has alternative options to school if they have not reached the age of 17 years. These include full-time participation in one of the following: Approved education or training.
"70/30 parenting" refers to a child custody arrangement where one parent has the child for about 70% of the time (the primary parent) and the other parent has them for 30% (often weekends and some mid-week time), creating a stable "home base" while allowing the non-primary parent significant, meaningful involvement, but it also requires strong communication and coordination to manage schedules, school events, and disagreements effectively.
The biggest mistake in a custody battle is losing sight of the child's best interests by prioritizing parental conflict, anger, or revenge, which courts view very negatively. This often manifests as bad-mouthing the other parent, alienating the child, refusing to cooperate, or involving the child in disputes, all of which signal poor co-parenting and harm the case.
If your child meets the minimum number of unexcused absences for their age, the principal must tell the superintendent within 5 school days of your child's last unexcused absence. From there, your child will be referred to the school's "student assistance team" or other school intervention team.
School attendance offence
This offence is punishable by a fine of 25 penalty units (for a first offence), 50 penalty units (for a second offence) and 100 penalty units (for an offence by a parent who is a party to a compulsory schooling order).
Legal Status
Thus, homeschooling is legal in all Australian states and territories. However, homeschoolers are required by law to register with their state or territorial education authority. Each state and territory has different requirements before granting homeschooling registration.
Attendance tends to vary across years of schooling, with schools experiencing a drop in attendance as students advance through the years from Year 3 to Year 10. [43] The biggest drops occur between years 7 and 10. In 2022: the attendance rate was 87.3% for Year 7 students, falling to 82.9% for Year 10 students.
Fees at public schools are supposed to be voluntary. For example, the New South Wales Education Department notes: These contributions are voluntary. The payment of voluntary school contributions is a matter for decision by parents and carers.
Since 2010, all NSW students must complete Year 10. After Year 10 and until the age of 17, students must be: in school, or registered for home schooling OR. in approved education or training OR.
The 7-7-7 rule is a parenting technique that involves dedicating seven minutes in the morning, seven minutes after school, and seven minutes before bedtime to connect with your child. This approach fosters a deeper, more nurturing relationship. It also creates a more supportive family environment.
While parenting challenges vary, research and parent surveys often point to the middle school years (ages 12-14) as the hardest due to intense physical, emotional, and social changes, increased independence, hormonal shifts, and complex issues like peer pressure and identity formation, leading to higher parental stress and lower satisfaction compared to infants or older teens. Other difficult stages cited include the early toddler years (ages 2-3) for tantrums and assertiveness, and the early teen years (around 8-9) as puberty begins, bringing mood swings and self-consciousness.
One helpful framework for guiding your precious child through the early years of his or her development is the “Four C's of Positive Parenting”: Care, Consistency, Choices, and Consequences. These principles provide a roadmap for nurturing confident, emotionally healthy children.
If a 14-year-old refuses school, it signals a serious underlying issue like anxiety, depression, bullying, or academic struggles, requiring parents to first talk openly and empathetically with the teen to find the cause, then collaborate with the school (counselors, teachers) to create support plans, and seek professional help (therapists, GPs) if needed, as legal action against parents is a rare last resort after exhausting all support, though parents have a legal duty to ensure education, says ReachOut Parents, Child Mind Institute, and Empowering Parents.
A child's school attendance is the responsibility of their parent or guardian, and it is an offence if a child consistently fails to attend school.
In NSW, school is compulsory for students until they complete Year 10 or turn 17, whichever comes first.
Students must complete Year 10 (or its equivalent), then remain in approved education or training or a combination of education or training and paid work until the age of 17.
High percentages of young dropouts are either not employed or are not even in the labor force. The rate of engagement in high-risk behaviors such as premature sexual activity, early pregnancy, delinquency, crime, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide has found to be significantly higher among dropouts.
Truancy happens when a child intentionally skips school or classes without a valid reason. It is commonly known as wagging. It often occurs without a parent or carer's knowledge, but in some cases, parents and carers may not be actively supporting their child's education.