Homeschooling in South Africa

Christian Curriculum, Records, and ESL Support for Families

We’re thrilled to welcome you to SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Thousands of families around the world, including families in South Africa, use our PreK–12 curriculum and homeschool planning tools.

Important Notice: Read Before Proceeding

This page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. South Africa’s home education law applies nationally, while Provincial Education Departments handle applications. Always confirm current registration and assessment requirements with your Provincial Education Department and official government sources. SchoolhouseTeachers.com is not a registered school in South Africa and provides curriculum and organizational tools only. We do not provide legal services or guarantee approval of a home education application.

Is Homeschooling Legal in South Africa?

Yes. Parents may educate their children at home in South Africa. For a learner of compulsory school-going age, the parent must apply to the Head of the Provincial Education Department to register the learner for home education. Each learner needs a separate application.

Compulsory school attendance begins with Grade R in the year a child turns six and continues through the last school day of the year the child turns 15 or completes Grade 9, whichever occurs first.

SchoolhouseTeachers.com offers courses from PreK through Grade 12, using US grade levels. This broadly spans South Africa’s Grade R through Grade 12. Parents can choose the courses that fit their learner and add other resources as needed to build a home education programme that meets the applicable requirements.

Understanding the Education Framework in South Africa

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act was signed in September 2024 and took effect on 24 December 2024. It made Grade R compulsory and updated the rules for home education.

Under the amended South African Schools Act, parents applying for home education must propose a programme suited to the learner’s age, grade level, and ability that covers content and skills at least comparable to the relevant national curriculum. South Africa’s Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) set out the subjects and learning content for schools. Families may choose a different curriculum; the Department of Basic Education says home educators are not required to follow CAPS specifically.

Parents must monitor their learner’s progress and arrange an assessment by a competent assessor at the end of each compulsory phase, through Grade 9 or the year the learner turns 15, whichever comes first. They must submit the assessor’s signed report to the provincial department at the end of each phase.

A competent assessor may be an educator registered with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), a recognised professional body in education, or a person or organization registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

For official information and provincial application forms, visit the Department of Basic Education.

Start Here: Teaching and Record Keeping with SchoolhouseTeachers.com

A SchoolhouseTeachers.com membership is built to help you do two things well:

• Teach with confidence using complete, Christ-centered PreK–12 curriculum (roughly spanning Grade R through Grade 12)
• Document with confidence using simple tools that keep records clear and ready if you’re ever asked for proof

Everything Families Need—In One Membership:

Here’s what families rely on most for planning, teaching, and record keeping:

• COMPLETE PreK–12 CURRICULUM: Core subjects, electives, and Bible-based studies—all accessible under one family membership. Courses use US grade levels.
• EDUCATION PLAN BUILDER: Create a clear education plan that includes ST courses and other resources you use. Save the PDF to help prepare your provincial application; it does not replace the official form.
• RECORDS CENTER TOOLS: Helpful planning and documentation tools designed to keep your records organized and clear.
• SCHOOLHOUSE GRADEBOOK: Use printable, offline templates to record grades and attendance, prepare report cards, and create a transcript.
• APPLECORE RECORD KEEPING: Track attendance, grades, and progress online, and prepare report cards and/or transcripts as needed.
• PORTFOLIO BUILDER: Use templates to organize work samples, reading records, activities, and other evidence of learning. You save the completed files yourself.

Records Center tools and templates are presented in English and may be used as a model for families preparing documentation in their own language, according to local requirements.

Homeschool Record Keeping in 3 Simple Steps

1Plan Your Learning Programme

Describe the resources and learning activities you intend to use, following your province’s application instructions. Our Education Plan Builder lets you list SchoolhouseTeachers.com courses and write in resources from elsewhere. Save its PDF to help you prepare the official application; the PDF does not replace the provincial form.

2Apply to Register Your Learner

Use your province’s official home education application form and provide the documents it requests. Complete a separate application for each learner and keep proof of submission. If the department does not respond within 60 days of receiving an application, the law treats it as approved, provided you can produce proof that you applied.

3Keep Records and Arrange Phase Assessments

Keep records of your learner’s work and progress. You can use Portfolio Builder templates for work samples and activities, the Schoolhouse Gradebook for offline grade records, or Applecore for online record keeping. You save your completed portfolio files yourself.

Through Grade 9 or the end of the year in which your learner turns 15, whichever comes first, arrange an assessment by a competent assessor at the end of each applicable phase: Foundation (Grades R–3), Intermediate (Grades 4–6), and Senior (Grades 7–9). Submit the signed assessment report to your Provincial Education Department. At the end of each phase, also notify the department if you intend to continue home education.

When You Need Local Answers

Your Provincial Education Department handles home education applications and can answer questions about its process. Visit the Department of Basic Education’s Home Education page for provincial application forms and home education coordinator contacts. For general office details, see its Provincial Departments page.

Current legal status (29 September 2026): The BELA Act remains in force. The Pestalozzi Trust has brought a Constitutional Court challenge concerning the process by which the Act was passed. Check the Department of Basic Education for current home education requirements and the Pestalozzi Trust for updates on the case.

Final Thoughts

You’ve got this! Homeschooling under the BELA Act is possible, and SchoolhouseTeachers.com is here to support you with courses and planning tools. With thoughtful preparation and a supportive community, you can create a personalized education for your child while following South Africa’s home education requirements.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

Let’s get started!

Blessings,

The SchoolhouseTeachers.com Team

 

Get Everything You Need—Join Today!

By becoming a SchoolhouseTeachers.com member, you’ll gain access to:

THE FULL CURRICULUM LIBRARY: Choose from hundreds of parent-led courses for all subjects from PreK to Grade 12.
THE EDUCATION PLAN BUILDER: List ST courses and other resources in a PDF you can use while preparing your provincial application.
THE PORTFOLIO BUILDER: Use templates to organize work samples and learning records for your family’s files.
RECORD KEEPING TOOLS: Use the printable Schoolhouse Gradebook or Applecore’s online tools to record grades, attendance, and progress.

Join today and homeschool with confidence!