Frequently Asked Questions

Our experience 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.

Honestly? In practice, the roster rarely feels like a burden — because most Tribe families are 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 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:

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 family  (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.

Click here to view our policies. 

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.