September 2025 Quarterly Newsletter
Welcome to our new format quarterly update, designed to inspire and support you in your homeschooling journey. We’ve taken onboard your feedback and redesigned the whole newsletter to include the types of information, resources and insights you want to see. We’re always happy to hear from our members, email info@nchenz.org.nz with any thoughts or comments about what you read below! This newsletter has interviews, hacks, resource reviews, tips and news … so make yourself a lovely hot drink, hide in the laundry if necessary, and settle in for a read about what your fellow homeschoolers are up to.
Visit the private members-only area of our website
BOOKMARK THIS LINK!
You can only access this section of the website through this members only link, so it is best to bookmark it for future access.
Key pages on the new NCHENZ Website:
What
Member Offers for Term 2 - Discounted Online Programs
Access discounts that are usually reserved for schools, available only to our members.
COMING IN THE NEXT 3 MONTHS - SO LOOK OUT FOR THESE:
MATHS-WHIZZ - For ages 5-13 yrs. Online Maths program which is fully aligned with the New Zealand curriculum. There are only two intakes per year, so don't miss out! NEXT INTAKE - SEPTEMBER.
TYPING CLUB - For all ages. An engaging and interactive Touch Typing program which sells out fast every year. There is only one intake per year so definitely don't miss this one - set reminders on your calendars! NEXT INTAKE - OCTOBER.
CURRENTLY ENROLLING
SKOOLBO - For ages 3-10 yrs. Full, online curriculum featuring literacy, maths, geography, music, art, STEM, and more! Enrolling Now.
WRITING LEGENDS - For ages approx 6-11 yrs. A Writing and Story program from the makers of Reading Eggs, teaching genre, sentence structure, the mechanics of writing, text types and more. Enrolling Now.
CODE AVENGERS - For ages 5+. Featuring teaching coding, sequencing events, creating playable games and how to model real life situations. Enrolling Now.
STEPSWEB - For ages 5+ (including adults). Literacy program which strengthens all of the core skills needed for spelling and reading. Enrolling Now.
OPT in to a Monthly Email to your Inbox
Information about member offers and discounts is now only posted on the Facebook group and in our monthly notices email. If you are not a member of the Member Offers & Discounts Facebook group, we highly recommend you subscribe to our monthly notices email. All members receive this quarterly update, however the monthly email is OPT-IN only. Email memberships@nchenz.org.nz or click this link and send.
Otherwise, keep up-to-date in our three private members-only Facebook groups: Our general one; Navigating Through Highschool & Beyond; and Member Offers & Discounts
Homeschooling Wins
Personal story 1 goes here
Personal story 2 goes here
We love hearing about your homeschooling wins and the kids love to see their photo in our newsletter. Big or small wins, they all count to us. Email details and a photo to info@nchenz.org.nz.
In the News
News article titles with links
Update from the Government Liaison Team
Government Liaison Report
By Cynthia Hancox, Government Liaison
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Highschool & Beyond: University Entrance Pathways
by Kirsty Prewer, Future Pathways Advisor, futurepathways@nchenz.org.nz
Any questions relating to this, please don’t hesitate to contact me at futurepathways@nchenz.org.nz!
Information here
Homeschooling Hack:
The information goes here
New Zealand Science Resource
Science Alive is a New Zealand charitable trust established in 1991, by local innovators who share a passion for science and technology. The vision was clear: to inspire the public through interactive experiences and accessible education.Backed by a robust network of expertise, Science Alive operates as a hub for science and technology nationwide.Formerly celebrated as a beloved physical center in the heart of Canterbury, we're now thrilled to extend the Science Alive experience to the digital realm, making it accessible to all.
Bringing Science to Everyone, Everyday, Everywhere.
We're on a mission to make science captivating and accessible for all. Whether you're a teacher seeking resources to inspire students or a curious individual eager to dive into the wonders of science you’re in the right place. Discover nationwide events, browse our engaging content, and check out our selection of educator approved science and tech products. It's all made to entertain and inspire, and it's all for you to explore!Join us today in our mission to make science come alive for all.
How to Access
As a homeschooler you can register for the educator portal, all that is needed is your details and your exemption certificate.
Once you have been emailed your login details you can login and create student access.
Real Life Homeschooling: The Wallace Whānau
The Wallace Family is made of parents Lynlee and Wayne and children Flynn (18), Maisie (15), Rosie (11)
Tell us about your homeschooling journey
I thought I could do a better job than teachers and focus more on topics that are important to us. I wanted to be able to tailor education to our kids needs.
What does a typical day look like
We start around 8 or 9am normally with me reading to our 11 year old. We move on to other work, podcasts, reading, maths etc and are finished by lunchtime. We have multiple breaks throughout and sometimes do trips or baking during the morning too.
What do you love about this lifestyle and what you find most challenging?
We are together all the time which we like. We are very close and get on pretty well mostly. We like that we make the decisions for our family, not a school. We can holiday and do whatever we like at different times. We can take breaks when we're sick without a problem. It has allowed our kids to have a more flexible education, really focusing on things that interest them.
I have found trying to balance enough social time with enough work quite difficult and trying to encourage introverted kids to socialize has been difficult. I've found teaching maths to all three kids but especially to a dyslexic child challenging.
What advice would you give to new homeschoolers
You'll need to be really intentional about your kids getting together with others just to play regularly. Attending lots of activities doesn't really help much with making friends, we've found, as they're too busy doing the activity to talk to others.
Want to share your experience as a homeschooling caregiver? Fill out the questionnaire here!
Book Review: Math-ish: Finding Creativity, Diversity and Meaning in Mathematics by Jo Boaler
I am always on the hunt for new math resources and ideas to help my reluctant and very anxious maths learner at home. A local librarian recommended Math-ish to me and it was a very engaging and useful read. The term -ish numbers was coined by the author as a more approachable way of describing estimation and to highlight the value of problems without an exact answer. While a lot of the context of the book is about teaching mathematics in a school setting I found many of the ideas and resources are transferable to supporting a homeschooled student in learning mathematics.
Math-ish has seven principles that are designed to reframe the reader’s relationship with math and teaching math:
The power of mindset on learning
Utilizing a visual approach to math
The impact of physical movement and communication on understanding
Understanding the value of an "ish" perspective - in mathematics and beyond
The importance of connected and flexible knowledge
New data on diverse teaching modes that work with different learning styles, not against them
The value of diversity in learning mathematics―and beyond
My most useful takeaways were:
The use of low floor, high ceiling problems. These are problems that you don’t need a lot of maths knowledge to come up with a solution but the more mathematical knowledge you have the more in-depth solutions you are able to come up with. These problem types were a great way to involve my 8 year old while working with my 14 year old.
The concept that solving math problems doesn’t always happen instantly or quickly. Fermat’s last theorem wasn’t solved for 358 years with Andrew Wiles taking 7 years to solve it. This has really helped our children with the frustration around problems taking longer to solve than they would like.
The 9 mathematical strategies cartoon has become part of our children’s maths folders and is something we use regularly when they get stuck on a problem.
Using reflective journaling alongside our maths for the day has proved really powerful for our reluctant mathematician. It has helped put a lot of her concerns in perspective. The reflective questions from the Reflection worksheet have been a great starting point.
Both the strategies cartoon and the reflection worksheet can be found here
Business Spotlight: Braidy
Angela Wheeler, Family Literacy, Homeschooling & Worldschooling Consultant, Advisor for the Language Comprehension Institute and Australasian supplier of The Braidy Approach, located in New Zealand
Angela is a homeschooling mother of three, who like many others struggled with finding what worked best for her developing children. After searching far and wide she stumbled across the Braidy eleven years ago and upon seeing the magic in her children’s eyes when they used it she immediately understood the value of the Braidy and she was sold on it.
Angela was so passionate about the Braidy and how it could help children she and her family travelled across the world so she could complete training with the founder of Braidy and become the Australasian representative and supplier of the Braidy. Now eight years later, not only was she successful in completing her training, she has now earned a place on the Language Comprehension Institutes advisory board as a Homeschooling consultant.
What is the Braidy?
The Braidy is a hands-on tool that helps children to develop / improve language and literacy skills. “Braidy® is evidence based, research based and aligns with Structured Literacy.”
With the combination of the Braidy tool and the Braidy approach (which provides E-book, weekly lessons and regular zoom support) parents can feel confident in scaffolding their child’s learning with real world experience.
Using Braidy supports development and improvement of language, literacy, cognitive skills, social skills, emotional skills and mental well-being. It helps children to organise and express their thoughts and feelings so they can communicate under pressure.
While the Braidy helps children aged three to sixteen, it is a particularly powerful tool for those with learning difficulties, neurodivergence and anxious communicators as it is a simple step by step process to organise their thoughts and then communicate through verbal or written medium.
Visit www.braidy.co.nz or contact Angela via email at angela@braidy.co.nz
Angela will also be available at HEART if you wish to talk in person.
National & Online Events/Activities
Maths Week/Wiki Pangarau 2025
Maths Week is a major event that is held each year. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers, a number of resources are written to support the mathematics and statistics curriculum and made available to teachers and students in Years 1 – 11. Maths Week resources are free.
The aims of Maths Week are:
to encourage students’ interest in mathematics and statistics
to give teachers resources that they can use in the classroom, particularly material that requires some research and which may not be readily available to them, or that can be used electronically in class.
to show the pleasure that mathematics can provide and some of the everyday places where mathematics and statistics can be used
to give teachers material that can provide extension.
Maths Week 2025 will be held between Monday 11 August and Friday 15 August.
Registrations are open now. To register, go to https://www.mathsweek.co.nz
For more information about Maths Week and the resources, go to https://www.mathsweek.co.nz/forteachers
Teacher files contain the answers to questions in the student resources, and any additional notes, and are available to teachers who register. Teachers who register will be able to access and familiarise themselves with the worksheet resources from Monday 28 July.
This year, an event is being held for teachers and home educators and students – to submit a way to promote Maths Week. Prizes are on offer. For details, go to https://www.mathsweek.co.nz/forteachers
About NCHENZ
The National Council of Home Educators NZ (NCHENZ) has been an Incorporated Society since 1998, dedicated to supporting and advancing home education across Aotearoa NZ at a national level.
We are the only nationwide homeschooling body in NZ representing all home educators, and we hold a strong commitment to neutrality. As per our Constitution, we do not endorse or promote any particular political, religious, educational, parenting, or socio-economic philosophy or methodology. Our focus is on creating an inclusive environment where all members, regardless of their cultural background or beliefs, feel welcomed and respected.
We have had zero membership fees for many years to ensure that the organisation is accessible to the entire homeschooling community, regardless of personal circumstances.
Email us on info@nchenz.org.nz