Full Breakdown
Ministry of Education’s Homeschool Approval for Tom Phillips Family Under Scrutiny
5/14/2026, 5:15:36 AM
Homeschool Exemption Approved for Tom Phillips Family
In July 2021 the Ministry of Education granted three certificates of exemption for home education to the children of Tom Phillips—then aged 5, 7 and 8. The applications, submitted by Phillips as legal guardian, were processed online and approved before the family vanished from public view in December 2021. The exemption allowed Phillips to keep his children out of school while he lived in dense Waikato bush, later committing a series of crimes before being shot dead by police in September 2024.
Background: Homeschooling Oversight in New Zealand
Homeschooling has risen to a record level, with 3 % of New Zealand children now educated at home. The Education Review Office (ERO), which once performed regular three-yearly reviews of homeschool programmes, had its funding cut in 2010. Since then, ERO conducts reviews only on request or when a public concern is raised. The lack of systematic monitoring has raised questions about the Ministry’s ability to verify the quality and welfare of home-educated children.
Data & Statistics
- Homeschooled children (July 2025): 11,010 across 6,518 families – roughly the enrolment of the three largest state schools combined.
- ERO reviews: ~500 annually pre-2010; 16 in 2023, 106 in 2024, 111 in 2025. The Phillips family’s programme was never reviewed.
- Annual allowance: $2,030 per family for three children, payable upon approval.
- Application requirements: Parents must outline teaching plans, resources, goals for the next 12 months and methods for assessing progress.
Official Statements & Responses
Marcus Freke, Director of Education for Waikato, confirmed that the Phillips children possessed valid exemption certificates and that the Ministry had awarded them before July 2021. Chief Ombudsman John Allen emphasized that releasing the exemption records serves a substantial public interest by clarifying whether government agencies acted sufficiently in relation to the children’s disappearance. The ERO reiterated that its regular review cycle ended after the 2010 budget cuts, noting that it now intervenes only on specific triggers.
Criticism & Opposition
Education scholars have warned that the absence of regular ERO visits leaves the well-being of homeschooled children largely unknown. Professor Stuart McNaughton of the University of Auckland argued that without systematic evaluation, there is “huge variation in educational quality – from excellence all the way down,” and expressed concern that the Ministry’s screening processes may be inadequate to ensure child welfare.
Verbatim Quotes
- “All three of the Phillips children had valid certificates of exemption for home education,” — Marcus Freke, Director of Education, Waikato
- “The release of this information would provide transparency and accountability around the ministry’s role in managing the homeschool applications and would clarify that the children’s absence from school was approved,” — John Allen, Chief Ombudsman
- “In a statement to the Herald, ERO said: “Pre-2010, ERO found good-quality homeschooling practices and committed caregivers based on approximately 500 reviews conducted and completed each year.” — Education Review Office statement
- “Professor Stuart McNaughton from the University of Auckland’s faculty of education told the Herald “you’d have to be worried” if ERO wasn’t monitoring homeschool programmes.” — Prof. Stuart McNaughton, University of Auckland
- “ Education expert Professor Stuart McNaughton said that without "regular and representative" ERO visits, we simply don't know about the well-being of New Zealand's 11,000 homeschooled children.” — Prof. Stuart McNaughton
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Ministry initially refused the Herald’s Official Information Act request, keeping the exemption details undisclosed until the Ombudsman intervened. No ERO review was ever conducted for the Phillips family, leaving a gap in the official record of the children’s educational environment and welfare.
What’s Next
The Ombudsman’s involvement has prompted calls for renewed parliamentary scrutiny of homeschooling oversight. Stakeholders are urging the Ministry to reinstate systematic ERO reviews and to tighten the vetting process for exemption applications, especially in cases where families disappear from public oversight.
