Review of 2021 Census Topics

This submission does not propose a new Census topic, it seeks to amend response categories for the existing Question 25: What type of educational institution is the person attending. Specifically:
 Amending existing response category from ‘Preschool’ to ‘Preschool/Kindergarten Program’; and
 Amending existing response category from ‘Infants/Primary School’ to ‘Primary School’; and
 Adding ‘Home education’ as a new response category.

Amending existing response category from ‘Preschool’ to ‘Preschool/Kindergarten Program’ and
Amending existing response category from ‘Infants/Primary School’ to ‘Primary School’
Responses to the existing Question 25 provide useful data sets to jurisdictions regarding attendance at preschool and kindergarten programs and primary school. Amendment of these categories would support respondent’s improved understanding of response categories, providing a more robust and reliable data set.
Inclusion of the term Infants may potentially confuse respondents and skew results. Removal of the term Infants would provide clarity regarding the Primary Schooling response categories and prove consistency with the format of the Secondary Schooling options.
Adding ‘Home education’ as a new response category
Education standards and funding in Australia is an ongoing topical conversation. The option to register children for home education is increasingly being pursued by Australian parents.

Amendment of response categories will improve responses collected for this existing question.
Amending existing response category from ‘Preschool’ to ‘Preschool/Kindergarten Program’ and
Amending existing response category from ‘Infants/Primary School’ to ‘Primary School’
Kindergarten is used interchangeably across a range of jurisdictions.
Inclusion of the term Infants may potentially confuse respondents and skew results. Removal of the term Infants would provide clarity regarding the Primary Schooling response categories and prove consistency with the format of the Secondary Schooling options.
Adding ‘Home education’ as a new response category
All states and territories in Australia currently have provision for registration for home education/schooling to satisfy compulsory school enrolment and attendance obligations on parents.

This is an existing question on the Census and amendment of response categories would support respondent’s improved understanding of the correct category required to be completed; providing a more robust and reliable data set.

Amendment of existing response categories is not controversial and will assist respondents to correctly classify responses. It will help to remove confusion potentially caused by inconsistent use of terms across jurisdictions for the classification of the year before full-time schooling and by use of the term Infants in connection with Primary Schooling. Addition of a home schooling category will provide a response category for respondents who previously may have had difficulty classifying their response.

The proposed amendments to response categories will allow more clarity to inform responses, and it is not anticipated that they would increase impost on respondents or require lengthy instruction or explanation.

There will be a continuing need for data on types of educational institutions attended and it is important to ensure clarity of terms to assist respondents to classify their responses.
Informal consultation with other states and territories conducted by Redacted textindicates that other states and territories have seen similar and rapid increases in the number of children registered for home education increasing the relevance of data on this group of students.

Amending existing response category from ‘Preschool’ to ‘Preschool/Kindergarten Program’ and
Amending existing response category from ‘Infants/Primary School’ to ‘Primary School’
See Criteria 1, 3, 4 and 5.
Adding ‘Home education’ as a new response category
There is currently no suitable option on the Census collection form to capture children registered for home education in Australia. Data currently collected data in regards to school age children may therefore be inaccurate due to there being no home education response category and respondents may select varying alternatives when seeking to classify responses.