Analysis: while still a minority practice, the number of registered home-schooled children has grown from 1,507 to 2,499 in recent years
What does learning look like when it happens around the kitchen table, in the garden or on a museum visit instead of inside a classroom? It's a question more Irish families are exploring as homeschooling quietly gains ground. Bunreacht na hÉireann offers a unique starting point: Article 42 recognises the family as the child's "primary and natural educator". This principle has long allowed parents to choose how their children are educated, whether in state schools, private institutions, or at home.
Ireland’s accessibility has also attracted families from countries like Germany, where homeschooling is restricted, and Ukraine, where war has disrupted schooling. But with freedom comes oversight. So how does homeschooling actually work in Ireland?
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime in 2021, Catherine Monaghan from the Home Education Network on how the number of parents homeschooling their children has trebled
The rise of homeschooling in Ireland
Home education in Ireland spans a wide spectrum, from mainstream families to those with health, special needs or philosophical reasons for choosing it over traditional schooling. While still a minority practice, homeschooling is growing steadily. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of registered home-educated children has grown from 1,507 to 2,499.
This rise reflects shifting priorities. Some families seek flexibility, others want to tailor learning to a child's pace or interests. For children with additional needs, home education can offer a more supportive and less overstimulating environment. Ireland’s constitutional framework, which recognises the family as the child’s "primary and natural educator", makes this choice not only possible but protected.
Technology has also played a role. Online platforms, virtual tutors and digital curricula have made homeschooling more accessible. While the practice may seem isolating, many families connect through local co-ops or online networks, sharing resources and organising group activities.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, interview with some Irish families who have embraced homeschooling
Oversight and assessment
But choosing home education isn’t just about freedom, it also involves responsibility. That’s where the Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) comes in. While the Constitution protects the right to home education, it also places a duty on the State to ensure that children receive a "certain minimum education, moral, intellectual and social". This balance is maintained through AEARS, which oversees the registration and review of home education provision.
A family can begin homeschooling once a valid application is received by AEARS. However, before a child's name is officially placed on the Section 14 Register, the education being provided must be assessed under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. This assessment is guided by the Guidelines on the Assessment of Education in Places Other Than Recognised Schools and focuses on literacy and numeracy; breadth and balance across learning areas; and the child’s emotional, physical, and moral development.
If the education meets the required standard, the child is placed on the register. PJ McNamara, a home school assessor with TUSLA provides some insights into this aspect of homeschooling on a recent episode of the On the Margins podcast. This highlights the tailored learning experiences, flexibilities afforded and offering a solution to students suffering from school related stress and anxiety.
From On the Margins podcast, school assessor with TUSLA PJ McNamara provides some insights into homeschooling assessments
Challenges and misconceptions
Homeschooling often evokes strong reactions. Some imagine a child isolated at the kitchen table, others picture a freewheeling curriculum with no structure, but the reality is more nuanced.
Misconceptions
Homeschooling is unregulated
In Ireland, home education is legally protected but not unregulated. Families must register with AEARS and undergo an assessment to ensure the child is receiving a "certain minimum education". Periodic reviews help maintain standards.
Homeschooled children lack socialisation
While socialisation can be a concern, many families actively build community through local co-ops, online groups, and shared learning activities. Children often engage in sports, music, and field trips with peers. Home schooling is not necessarily one to one, an educator may cater for their own children, children in the community or a number of parents may have various roles and responsibilities as the children develop.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, listener Monica has home-schooled her six children and is saddened by Micheál Martin's claim that homeschooling is isolating
Homeschooling is only for religious or alternative families
While some families are motivated by philosophical or religious beliefs, others choose homeschooling for health reasons, special educational needs, or simply because it better suits their child's learning differences.
Challenges
- Navigating the registration process with AEARS can be daunting for newcomers.
- Accessing resources, especially for subjects like science or Irish, may require support.
- Balancing roles as both parent and educator can be emotionally and logistically demanding.
- Financial strains may arise. This has emerged as a considerable issue for children in both mainstream and home school education.
- It must be noted also the considerable undertaking for a parent, to homeschool. This may lead to a reduction in household income, or parents putting a hold on their careers to focus on their family.
Despite this, many families report a deep sense of satisfaction and connection through home education. It’s not a perfect fit for everyone, but for some, it’s transformative.
Home education in Ireland is no longer a fringe choice
What's next for home schooling in Ireland?
Home education in Ireland is no longer a fringe choice, but a growing, diverse and increasingly visible part of the educational landscape. As more families explore alternatives to mainstream schooling, the conversation is shifting from 'why homeschool?' to 'how can we support those who do?'
The challenge now is to ensure that oversight remains supportive, and that families are given the tools and not just the permission to succeed. This includes access to resources, community networks and clear guidance from AEARS and the Department of Education.
READ: How to make homeschooling work for parents
There’s also an opportunity to learn from home educators. Their experiences raise important questions about flexibility, student centred learning and the role of wellbeing in education, questions that resonate far beyond the homeschooling community.
As Ireland continues to navigate educational reform, home education offers a quiet but powerful reminder: learning doesn’t have to happen in a classroom to be meaningful.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
