So… what exactly does the MoE want you to write in your exemption?

If you’ve ever opened the exemption form, stared at the blank sections, and felt your stomach drop — you’re not alone. The good news is that the Ministry isn’t asking for anything mysterious or complicated. They simply want to understand how you will teach your child and what learning will look like in your home.

Here’s the heart of it, in plain language...

For each subject or learning area, the MoE wants to see:

1. What your child already knows - Just a short snapshot. Nothing fancy — simply where they’re at right now.

2. What you plan to teach next - This is where you get specific to your child.

Think:

"We will be focusing on..."

• “We will cover the following topics..."

• “Sally will build confidence in…”

• "We will explore..."

• "Sally will learn about..."

3. How you will teach these things - This is the big one.

Describe your teaching methods, your routines, the way learning naturally happens in your home. Whether you use discussions, hands‑on activities, projects, books, videos, or real‑world experiences — write it down.

4. What learning will typically look like - A few examples of the kinds of activities your child will do. This just helps the MoE picture your day‑to‑day teaching.

5. The resources and materials you’ll use AND — the part most parents forget — what skills or content each resource will help teach. (They love seeing this.)

6. A few explicit learning goals for the next 12 months - Short, simple, and measurable; using the word "learn" is best. This is about the skills your child will learn through the content you cover.

E.g., “Sally will learn to write a paragraph using correct punctuation,” or "John will learn the sounds of the letters and begin to recognise letter blends when reading." or "Bob will learn to write a 5-paragraph essay".

7. How you’ll know your child is learning - Explain how you’ll observe, monitor, and record progress, for example:

• conversations

• checking work

• photos

• samples

• informal quizzes

• project outcomes

• A record of learning such as our homeschool learning journal

  
  

Anything that shows you’re paying attention to their growth.

8. One detailed topic/lesson/unit plan - This is just an example — a single plan that shows how you teach. It should answer the same questions above, but in the context of one topic.

9. A description of a typical day or week. - This doesn’t need to be a strict timetable.

A simple written overview is perfectly fine. The MoE just wants to see how each learning area fits naturally into your daily and weekly routines.

Alongside the subject-by-subject teaching plans, the Ministry also asks you to include a few broader pieces of information. These aren’t difficult to write, but they do help paint a clear picture of your home‑schooling environment and your overall approach.

Here’s what else the MoE expects to see:

Your homeschooling philosophy or approach

This is simply a description of how you intend to homeschool — whether you lean toward project‑based learning, eclectic homeschooling, unit studies, a structured curriculum, or a blend of everything. There’s no right or wrong answer; they just want to understand your teaching style.

Your long‑term goals

This can be as simple as wanting your child to grow in confidence, develop strong literacy and numeracy skills, or eventually work toward a high‑school qualification. It shows you’re thinking ahead.

Social interaction and community involvement

A short explanation of how your child will spend time with others — friends, clubs, sports, church, co‑ops, classes, or community activities. This reassures the MoE that your child will continue to build social skills and connections.

Delegation (if anyone else helps teach)

If a tutor, specialist, family member, or online programme supports your child’s learning, just mention who they are and what they help with.

Special education needs (if relevant)

If your child has any diagnosed learning needs, simply note them and explain how you support their learning at home.

A full list of resources available in your home and local area

This is your chance to show the richness of your learning environment — books, devices, sports gear, art supplies, kitchen tools, outdoor spaces, library access, community facilities, and anything else your child can learn from.

These sections don’t need to be long or complicated. They’re there to help the MoE understand the bigger picture of your homeschooling life and to show that you’ve thought things through and have a clear plan.

In short…

Your exemption doesn’t need to be complicated — it just needs to be clear.

Show what you’ll teach, how you’ll teach it, and how you’ll know your child is learning.

If you can do that, you’ve already met the core requirements.

And if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, reach out — we can help you with this.