Frequently Asked Questions

Our hope is that most Tribe Schooling families actually want to stay — and our dedicated co-working space makes that genuinely easy. With more Australians working flexibly or from home than ever before, many parents simply set up their laptop and work productively while their children learn nearby.

That said, here's how it works in practice:

1. You're welcome to stay and co-work. Our space is designed for exactly this — bring your work and be part of the community while your child learns.

2. If you need to step out, that's okay too. We maintain a Duty Parent Roster so there is always a responsible adult present with the group.

3. Legal responsibility remains yours at all times, in line with the Education Act 2004 (ACT). Tribe Schooling is a home education community, not a childcare or school service. 

4. Roster participation is a shared commitment — it's how we look after each other's children when needed.

Most families find the co-working space one of the unexpected highlights of being part of Tribe.

Tribe Schooling works as a home education cooperative, not a registered school. Under the Education Act 2004 (ACT), home-educating families are not required to follow the Australian Curriculum — they are required to provide education that is regular and efficient. ACARA's curriculum framework applies to registered schools, not home education settings.

Tribe Schooling flexibly supports whatever curriculum or program each family chooses. Some families follow the Australian Curriculum closely, others draw on international curricula, structured programs, or interest-led and project-based approaches. A range of curriculum-aligned tutoring and learning supports is available to Australian home educators where families want them. Our role is to support — not direct — that choice.

For families pursuing formal credentials — such as Year 10 or Year 12 qualifications — pathways through distance education providers, TAFE, or registered RTOs remain available and are commonly used by ACT home educators.

We take learning outcomes seriously. Tribe Schooling is an alternative to the setting of school — not an alternative to genuine education.

With previous answers in mind,  our model is project-based, curiosity-led, and neurodiversity-affirming — but rigour and real learning outcomes matter deeply to us. We are not an "opt-out" from learning; we are an intentional, structured alternative to the setting, not the substance, of education. Further, children will be learning  an array of life skills such as first aid, sewing, cooking, woodwork, budgeting, orienteering, growing food to name a few.

Honestly? We foresee that in practice, the roster rarely will feel like a burden — because the aim is for most Tribe families to be already there.

On any given day, multiple parents are already set up in our co-working space, laptops open, happily present. The roster simply formalises what tends to happen naturally — ensuring at least one adult is always accountable for the group.

Here's how it works:

1. It's a light, shared commitment. The more families involved, the less often any one person is rostered.

2. It gives everyone freedom. Knowing a Duty Parent is present means other families can step out if needed, without worry.

3. Life happens — just give us a heads up. If you're unwell or something comes up, a quick message to the group is usually all it takes to find a swap. Our community is genuinely supportive that way.

4. It's less a roster, more a neighbourly agreement — a small contribution that makes the whole thing work beautifully for everyone.

5. We keep a sign-in sheet. Everyone present at the centre — children, parents, and visitors — is recorded daily. This means we always know who was where and when, which is good practice for safety, duty of care, and our record-keeping obligations as a not-for-profit home education community, and what sets us appart from being a school. 

Tribe Schooling is structured as a Company Limited by Guarantee registered with ASIC and the ACNC (WIP), and we take compliance seriously across every area of our operation:

1. Duty of Care — We operate under the awareness of common law duty of care and the Education Act 2004 (ACT). Our sign-in system and Duty Parent Roster ensure a responsible adult is always accountable for the group. 

2. Child Safe Standards — We are committed to the ACT Child Safe Standards, which commenced 1 August 2024, and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. This means our policies, culture, and practices are designed to keep children safe, heard, and respected at every level. 

3. Volunteers — All volunteers and community participants hold current Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) checks under ACT law and undergo a clear yet thorough process of induction. No child is ever to be left alone and/or supervised by a volunteer. 

4. Program Delivery — Educational responsibility remains with parents under ACT home education registration. Our programme policies document how we assist with planning and review.

5. Record Keeping — Attendance, sign-in, and organisational records are maintained in line with ASIC, ACNC, and ATO requirements. We Help Families Under the Education Act 2004 (ACT), each home-educating family is individually responsible for reporting their child's educational progress to the ACT Education Directorate. Tribe Schooling is not the registered educator — you are. However, we actively support families in meeting this obligation by helping document learning activities, compiling portfolios, and preparing progress reports that families can use for their required submissions to the Department. 

6. Health & Safety — We comply with ACT Work Health and Safety obligations for all participants.

7. Governance — Our constitution and board ensure transparent management aligned with ACNC standards.

Why can't I just come along casually when it suits us?

We completely understand the appeal — and we wish it were that simple. Here's why it isn't:

1. Children need consistency, not drop-ins. Research is clear that children thrive on routine, predictability, and belonging. A casual visitor is not a community member — and community is precisely what makes Tribe work.

2. Our program is cumulative. Learning at Tribe is project-based and builds week on week. Dropping in occasionally means a child misses the thread — and that's not fair to them or the group.

3. The Duty Parent Roster depends on commitment. If families come and go casually, the roster cannot function — and the roster is what gives everyone flexibility.

4. Term-based enrolment protects your child's place. It also gives us the stability to plan, resource, and deliver a quality program.
   
   

We'd love to have you — properly, fully, and as part of the Tribe. 💚

As a not-for-profit home education community based in Canberra, Tribe Schooling operates across several regulatory frameworks, and aware of them, even if not all do not apply directly:

Education

• Education Act 2004 (ACT) — home education registration and parental responsibility

• Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth) — national education framework 

Child Safety

• ACT Child Safe Standards (commenced August 2024)

• National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

• Working with Vulnerable People (Registration) Act 2011 (ACT)

Governance & Corporate

• Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) — Company Limited by Guarantee obligations via ASIC

• ACNC Governance Standards for not-for-profits 

Work Health & Safety

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (ACT) — safe environment for children, families, and volunteers 

Privacy

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) — handling of personal information for families and volunteers

Tax

• ATO requirements for income tax exemption and record keeping as a not-for-profit

Anti-Discrimination & Human Rights

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

• Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT)

• Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)

Tribe Schooling is designed to be genuinely accessible. Our fees are structured to cover the real costs of running a quality community learning environment — nothing more.

The fee is $60 per day, per child  (April 2026). The fees will  be reviewed annually in July.

Here's what that includes:

1. Access to the full learning program — facilitated project-based learning, structured academic time, and free play, all delivered in a thoughtfully designed environment.

2. Co-working space — for parents who stay and work while their children learn, in a way that they can participate as it suits each family.

3. Intergenerational community programming — including visits from community elders, volunteers, and guest facilitators.

4. Materials and resources — all learning materials used during the session. If your child's project is beyond what we offer, we will talk to you about drafting a plan together. 

5. A contribution to the community — as a not-for-profit, every dollar goes back into running and improving Tribe for all families.

To put it in perspective: $60 per day for a rich, personalised, community-embedded education is exceptional value — and far less than conventional childcare or tutoring alternatives.

Fees are invoiced on a term basis, in line with your enrolled days per week. Payment plans are available, get in touch.

Casual days: $70 for the full day, PAYG.

Our community welcomes primary school-aged children of all abilities, learning styles, and backgrounds. You don't need a diagnosis, a plan, or a particular reason to be here — just a belief that your child deserves an education that genuinely works for them.

That said, we are proudly neurodiversity-affirming and inclusion-focused. Many families who find their way to us have children who struggled to thrive in a traditional classroom — whether due to sensory needs, anxiety, giftedness, ADHD, autism, or simply a learning style that conventional school never quite met. Our environment is designed to be flexible, low-pressure, and responsive to the whole child.

Every child here is seen as capable, curious, and worthy of an education built around their strengths — not one that asks them to fit a mould.

So whether your child is flourishing and you simply want something different, or whether school has been genuinely hard for them — there is a place for your family here.

Book a trial day — you're welcome to come along for a single day at the standard daily rate of $70 for your child. This gives your child a real experience of the rhythm, the community, and the project-based learning environment — not just a tour.

See how it feels — both you and your child get to experience the space, meet the other families, and get a genuine sense of whether Tribe Schooling is the right fit.

Then decide — if you love it and your child is keen, you can commit to a term or continue attending on a casual basis. 

Term commitment is how we keep the community stable and ensure consistent, meaningful learning for every child, but are adaptable to casual attendance. 

No, you can book Tuesdays or Wednesdays only or attend as you need.

We can open more days if there is demand. We will have to plan from one term to the next as that will mean we will need to employ staff.
You can fill out an EOI form here. 

Inclusion at Tribe isn't a checkbox — it's a core value woven into everything we do. Here's how:

1. Fully accessible facility. Our building meets accessibility requirements so that children, families and members of the community of all physical abilities can participate fully and comfortably.

2. Neurodiversity-affirming practice. We don't just tolerate neurological difference — we design for it. Our program, environment, and facilitation style actively affirm the diverse ways children think, learn, and engage. 

3. We teach the mainstream to adapt — not just the minority. This is perhaps our most important distinction. True inclusion means the whole community grows in empathy, respect, and acceptance. We don't ask children from minority groups — whether neurodivergent, culturally or linguistically diverse, or differently abled — to simply conform. We invite all children to expand their understanding of each other. 

4. Cultural and linguistic diversity is celebrated. With 85% of Australians valuing multiculturalism, we reflect this in our program — honouring diverse backgrounds, languages, and worldviews as strengths. People who wish to do their projects in other languages are also encouraged to do so. 

5. Inclusion is everyone's responsibility — children, families, volunteers, and facilitators alike.

Your language is a gift — bring it with you.

Tribe Schooling warmly welcomes families from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Canberra is one of Australia's most culturally diverse cities, and that diversity makes our community richer.

Because we meet just two days a week, families have plenty of space to structure the rest of their learning week in English. Within our days together, we actively encourage multilingual engagement:

• Reading time can be done in your home language

• Project planning and journaling can be written or spoken in any language

• Cultural knowledge and stories are welcomed as genuine contributions to our shared learning

We believe that maintaining a home language alongside English is a cognitive and cultural strength — not a barrier. Research consistently supports bilingualism as beneficial for children's development and identity. Once we start meeting more often, there will be a more structured approach.

We encourage every family to remain true to their values. Tribe Schooling is not a one-size-fits-all space. Your family's way of seeing the world belongs here.

When children learn alongside peers from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, something remarkable happens: the world gets bigger. They encounter new ways of thinking, different storytelling traditions, varied approaches to problem-solving, and a genuine understanding that there is no single "normal."

This is one of the quiet gifts of our model:

• Children learn from each other — a peer sharing a family tradition, a word in another language, or a cultural celebration becomes a spontaneous and meaningful lesson

• Projects naturally reflect the richness of the group — when children bring their whole selves, the learning that emerges is far more textured than any single curriculum could offer

• Empathy grows through immersion — not through a worksheet about diversity, but through genuine, daily relationship

Australia's multiculturalism is one of its greatest strengths, and Canberra — as our national capital — reflects that beautifully. We want Tribe Schooling to be a small mirror of that: a place where every background is a resource, every language a bridge, and every family a teacher.

Click here to view our policies.