WA Homeschool Withdrawal Letter Template: What to Send Your Principal

Most parents agonise over the withdrawal letter. They draft paragraphs justifying their reasons, apologising for inconvenience, or asking permission. None of that is necessary — and some of it can work against you.

In Western Australia, withdrawing your child from school to home educate is a notification, not a negotiation. The principal cannot refuse it. Your letter's only job is to create a clear, dated record that attendance has ceased.

Here is what to write, why each element matters, and what to leave out.

The Legal Basis for Withdrawal

Under the School Education Act 1999 (Part 4), a parent or legal guardian who meets the eligibility criteria may apply to register for home education. The act does not require the school's agreement or the principal's approval.

When you notify the school that your child will no longer attend, you are exercising a right that exists independently of anything the school thinks about it. The letter is a courtesy and an administrative record — not a request.

Because the 14-day registration window begins from your child's last day of attendance, the withdrawal letter also functions as your timestamp. Date it clearly and keep a copy.

What Your Letter Must Include

A valid withdrawal notification to a WA school principal should contain:

1. Your child's full name and date of birth This identifies the student clearly and prevents any ambiguity in school records.

2. Your child's current year level and class Makes it easy for administrative staff to locate records and process the departure.

3. The last date of attendance State this explicitly. This is the date from which your 14-day registration window with the Education Directorate begins.

4. A statement that you intend to provide home education One sentence is sufficient. You do not need to explain your reasons, your curriculum, or your qualifications.

5. A request for relevant documents You are entitled to request transfer documents, including any learning support records, assessment history, and the child's official record. Ask for these in the letter so the request is in writing.

6. Your contact details and signature Name, phone number, and email address.

Template Wording

The following can be adapted directly:

[Date]

[Principal's Name] [School Name] [School Address]

Dear [Principal's Name],

I am writing to formally notify you that my child, [Child's Full Name] (DOB: [date]), currently enrolled in [Year Level], will cease attendance at [School Name] effective [Last Day of Attendance].

We have made the decision to pursue home education under the School Education Act 1999.

I would be grateful if you could arrange for [Child's Name]'s transfer documentation and any relevant records to be made available for collection.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours sincerely, [Your Name] [Phone] [Email]

That is the entire letter. No explanation of your reasons. No apology. No request for the school's opinion.

What to Leave Out

Do not explain why you are withdrawing. You have no legal obligation to justify this decision. Providing reasons opens a conversation the school may use to delay, discourage, or pressure you. Principals — especially at faith-based schools — sometimes treat a stated reason as something to be addressed or negotiated.

Do not phrase it as a request. Words like "I am hoping to" or "we are considering" signal uncertainty. The school may respond by scheduling a meeting or asking you to reconsider. State it as a decision already made.

Do not include your curriculum plan or teaching approach. This information is relevant to the Education Directorate's registration process, not to the school. Sharing it with the principal serves no purpose.

Do not apologise. Brief acknowledgement of any good experiences is fine; lengthy apology suggests you feel you are doing something wrong. You are not.

How to Deliver the Letter

Deliver the letter in a way that produces confirmation of receipt:

• Email to the principal's official school address — you will have a timestamp and a sent record.
• Registered post — confirmation of delivery.
• Hand delivery with a date-stamped copy — ask reception to stamp or sign a copy for your records.

Avoid verbal-only notification. If a staff member tells you that an email is fine and you do not need to send anything formally, send the letter anyway. If a dispute arises later — over registration timing, truancy claims, or attendance records — your written record is what matters.

After the Letter: The 14-Day Window

Once your child's last day of attendance passes, you have 14 days to submit your home education registration application to the relevant Education Regional Office (ERO). Missing this window creates a gap in which your child is legally required to be enrolled somewhere but is not.

The registration application goes to the ERO, not the school. The letter to the principal and the ERO application are two separate steps. Sending the school letter does not complete registration.

If you are withdrawing between years, new annual registrations must be submitted by the last Friday in February. If you are mid-year, the 14-day rule applies from the last attendance date.

Catholic and Independent Schools

If your child attends a Catholic or independent school, the withdrawal process is the same under WA law — the principal does not have a legal right to refuse. However, Catholic Education WA (CEWA) schools sometimes apply additional contractual or social pressure, including requests to meet with the principal or calls home encouraging reconsideration.

These conversations are not legally binding. You can engage with them briefly and politely or decline them entirely. The written notification stands regardless.

A separate post covers the specific dynamics of withdrawing from a Catholic school in WA in more detail.

The Full Withdrawal Process

The letter is step one of a multi-step process. Getting the letter right matters, but it is the registration application, supporting documents, and ERO assessment that determine whether home education proceeds legally.

The Western Australia Legal Withdrawal Blueprint walks through every step with the exact forms, ERO contact details, eligibility checklist, and a complete documentation package so nothing is missed.

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