Our approach takes the best of Waldorf Steiner, Montessori and enquiry teaching methods. Waldorf and Montessori schools have been around for over one hundred years. There are more than 2000 schools world-wide operating in over 200 countries.
These systems are proven to work. They provide a well-researched, well documented educational curriculum suitable for a wide range of learners. Graduates of these learning systems are held in high regard globally for their creativity, academic rigour and their personable approach to working in team environments.
There is an emphasis on active learners, learning with the hands, and through the arts. There is a deep connection to learning on the land and understanding the links between the earth’s resources and humans demand for them. They pride themselves on including whanau (family) in the education process and in creating learning communities.
Functional Education takes the best from the Waldorf and Montessori systems and combines it with the latest in enquiry based modern learning producing an outstanding curriculum without the politics of a traditional schooling environment. This results in both supported, planned and rhythmical learning to ease anxiety and enhance learning, and combines it with learner-centred education to encourage students to go after their passions and delve deeper into their personal areas of interest.
Functional education is not an on-line repository of videos, with loosely associated video games for children to play. We are teachers, we're available to meet via Skype or Messenger and discuss your specific requirements, and develop a plan to help your child succeed.
We believe that quality education is supported by great parent-teacher relationships, healthy interaction with other children and with the wider community and extended family. It’s not just parents who can play a role in supporting this education, Grandparents and other family members can journey alongside the children, listening to the stories, doing the art together, cooking or whittling.
This is a fun and engaging curriculum that all ages will enjoy.
Imagine a classroom where the students can listen and engage with the teacher, without disruption. Where fun, engaging stories unfold, and activities to follow along with, all align with the curriculum.
Your children will thrive on the rhythm and routine each day, a sequential and ordered approach, to allow fun without anxiety. Learning is 1 to 1 with the teacher. There are no student chat rooms, your child will feel safe in a 100% bully free environment.
Lessons are pre-recorded videos of up to 2hrs teaching time per day, with opportunities for students to pause to complete activities in workbooks, craft, or practice an instrument. Our learning is hands-on, and we use art, music, sculpture, painting, whittling, handwork, cooking, and singing to compliment and reinforce the standard academic subjects.
You’ll also have access to our parents Facebook group, where you’ll discover like-minded parents, ask questions or perhaps organise a meet-up! Your teacher will be also be available in the group throughout the week to answer questions, or give one to one advice.
Students enjoy a complete course of active learning, covering the complete curriculum in a connected way.
Start a Free Trial today, and enjoy watching your child learn with Functional Education.
Up to 2 hours of lessons a day, plus hands on activities means you can easily give your child a quality education at home.
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Please watch our getting started video which covers a lot of the questions you may have.
The Parent Dashboard is where parents manage their Functional Education account. You can manage your plan and billing, update payment details, add or remove students, change a student’s class, view invoices, and check learning access and progress.
Students use a separate Learning Hub login to access their lessons.
New to Functional Education? Create your parent account here.
Already have an existing Functional Education account? Connect it here.
Parents can sign in to the Family Dashboard here to manage their plan, billing, students and progress.
New to Functional Education? Create your parent account here.
Already have an existing Functional Education account? Connect it here.
Start your 7-day free trial here. Create your parent account, choose a course and plan size, then add your student or students. No credit card is required to start the trial. Here is a video explaining how to get started.
Classes are numbered by the equivalent year of schooling: Class 1 is the first year, Class 2 is the second year, and so on. Choose the level that best matches your child’s current learning needs rather than relying only on their age.
If the class is too easy or too hard, you can easily change it from the Family Dashboard.
A Family Pass supports up to five students from the same family. Parents manage all students, billing and progress from one Family Dashboard account.
Each student has separate Learning Hub access and progress. Students do not share the parent’s dashboard login.
Don’t have a Family Dashboard yet? Create your parent account here.
If you have a Family Pass, sign in to the Family Dashboard and select Add student in the Your students section. Enter the student’s details and follow the prompts. Each student needs their own email address so their learning access and progress stay separate.
If you are not currently on a Family Pass, use Change plan on your dashboard to choose a plan that supports additional students.
Don’t have a Family Dashboard yet? Create your parent account here.
Sign in to the Family Dashboard. Your trial summary will show when the trial ends and which plan you selected. Choose Start plan, review the billing details, and add your payment method through Stripe Checkout.
If you are currently on a free trial, sign in to the Family Dashboard when you are ready to continue. Your trial summary will show the plan you selected; choose Start plan to continue with that plan, or Change plan to review other options before adding your payment method.
If you do not continue, your 7-day trial ends automatically and you will not be charged.
Your 7-day free trial ends automatically unless you choose Start plan in the Family Dashboard and add a payment method. If you do not continue, you will not be charged.
Check your spam or junk folder first, then make sure you entered the correct email address. You can request a new verification code from the Family Dashboard sign-in screen.
If the code still does not arrive, contact support@functionaleducation.com and tell us the email address you used to register.
Sign in to the Family Dashboard. On your Current plan card, select Change plan, choose Weekly, review the billing summary, and confirm the change.
You do not need to cancel or wait for your current billing period to end.
Don’t have a Family Dashboard yet? Connect your existing account here first.
Holidays are easier with the Family Dashboard. Sign in to the Family Dashboard and select Pause or cancel on your Current plan card.
Choose whether to pause for a number of weeks or until a specific restart date. No charges are made while your plan is paused, and billing will restart on the date you choose. Your students can continue learning until the access end date shown in the dashboard.
Don’t have a Family Dashboard yet? Connect your existing account here first.
If you need help with your account, billing or student access, email support@functionaleducation.com.
For account and billing questions, please include the parent email address associated with your Family Dashboard. For student-learning issues, include the student’s name and learning login email.
You can start your child anytime.
This question is on the MoE application form in New Zealand.
Functional Education delivers lessons that align with the standard NZ curriculum. They are designed to sequentially follow the natural learning progress for each year level. There are planning sheets provided for each topic covered and these sheets contain learning goals and outcomes so that parents can clearly see what the child is aiming to achieve. The senior classes from Class 4-7 have weekly spelling tests. Each topic is designed to have a project/presentation at its conclusion. Some children will present to their families, others will access our platform and share their projects with 'classmates' and receive/give peer feedback as part of this process.
School workbooks are kept as a record of the child's learning throughout the year, along with handcrafts, art and photographs.
Below is a playlist of videos that cover the learning steps for each class, in reading, writing and maths. You may find this useful when applying for an exemption. There is also a short description of what we cover in each course on the curriculum overview page.
Use the playlist button (top right of this youtube player) to skip between classes and subjects)
Home schooling applications are different in each country and region. Before you apply to have a homeschool exemption we suggest you follow these steps:
If you are in New Zealand, and need further help with your exemption, Cynthia Hancox has various resources on her website that can help, as well as an application writing service. Cynthia and her team have processed many exemptions for families planning to use Functional Education.
To view all the relevant laws and requirements for homeschooling in New Zealand. You can read the entire Education and Training Act 2020 here
Our friend Cynthia Hancox has written a fantastic summary of the act here: http://www.cynthiahancox.com/information/relevant-laws-education-and-training-act-2020
Fran’s teaching style is warm, calm, and consistent. Many parents tell us that children who flatly refused to participate in school activities are willing to try Functional Education — often because the classroom pressure is gone, the sensory environment is controlled, and the same familiar teacher shows up every day. The 7-day trial is the best way to find out. There is nothing to lose.
This is the question almost every parent asks. The short answer is: not with a structured programme in place. Functional Education covers all core learning areas at the appropriate level for your child’s year. Many families find that their child actually progresses faster at home, in an environment where the pace is theirs and the anxiety is lower.
info@functionaleducation.com
Questions? Chat directly with the principal on Facebook Messenger.