Open Access College

What Open Access College does

Open Access College is a state-government online and distance education school operated under the South Australian Department for Education (legal entity: Department for Education T/A South Australian Government Schools), serving students from Reception through Year 12 across South Australia. Founded in 1991 and headquartered at the Marden campus in metropolitan Adelaide, the college operates a second campus at Port Augusta that runs the School of the Air (SOTA) program for remote and isolated children across 25+ Indigenous Nations in outback South Australia. It is the only dedicated online government school in the state, with curriculum delivered entirely via video conferencing (Webex), the Daymap learning management system, Google Classroom, and Microsoft Teams, supplemented by face-to-face events at the Marden campus.

The school offers a complete R-12 curriculum including primary years, middle years, Year 10, SACE (South Australian Certificate of Education), and Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways, alongside specialist offerings in languages and music. Student support services include wellbeing programs, counselling, careers guidance, a learning technology help desk, and library services. The college is CRICOS-registered (Provider Number 00018A) and is authorized to enrol international students under the ESOS framework, in addition to maintaining NCCD compliance under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Open Access College is publicly funded through the South Australian Department for Education and also collects modest student fees (with a $100 State Government Discount on materials and services charges). Go-to-market is direct-to-family via an enrolment process on its website and through community channels including Facebook and email newsletters; there is no commercial sales motion. Current leadership includes Principal Jeane Schocroft (who succeeded former Principal Julie Taylor) and Chair of the Governing Council Leah Beard. Headcount sits in the 101–250 range, and no revenue, funding, or M&A data is publicly disclosed given its status as a state government entity.

Name

Open Access College

Legal name

Department for Education T/A South Australian Government Schools

Website

https://openaccess.edu.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Open Access College is the South Australian government's dedicated online and distance education school, delivering full Reception to Year 12 curriculum to families state-wide from its Marden and Port Augusta campuses, including the School of the Air for remote students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Distance K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Open-Access/Non-Selective Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

Keywords

• Distance education
• Online schooling
• School of the air
• SACE program
• Remote learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Funded by the South Australian Department for Education as a government school. Operating under Department for Education T/A South Australian Government Schools.
2. Student Fees: The college charges fees for enrolment and materials as referenced in their Fees and Payments section. Fee details are available through the enrolment section of the website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Open Access College is a South Australian government school delivering full Reception-to-Year 12 curriculum entirely online through distance education. Operating from its Marden campus in Adelaide and the School of the Air (SOTA) campus in Port Augusta, it serves students who cannot attend traditional schools due to remote location, medical needs, elite sporting commitments, or family circumstances, with curriculum delivered via Webex video conferencing, Daymap LMS, Google Classroom, and Microsoft Teams.

Product overview

Open Access College is a single, unified R-12 online and distance education school operated by the South Australian Department for Education. The core offering is Open Access College itself, which provides full curriculum delivery from Reception through Year 12 via online and distance learning methods. Key integrated components include the School of the Air (SOTA) for remote students, SACE completion pathways for senior years, and VET programs for vocational training. Supporting services include specialist programs in Languages and Music, comprehensive Student Support Services (wellbeing, counselling, careers), and Library Services. The institution operates from two campuses (Marden and Port Augusta) and uses the Daymap Learning Management System as its primary digital platform for students, staff, and parents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• School of the Air (SOTA): A specialized program within Open Access College providing distance education to remote and isolated children in South Australia through radio and internet-based learning.

Products and services

• Open Access College (R-12 Online School)
• School of the Air (SOTA)
• SACE Program
• VET (Vocational Education and Training)
• Student Support Services Comprehensive student support including wellbeing services, counselling, careers guidance, student leadership programs, learning technology help desk, and strategies for learning, accessible to all enrolled students and families.
• Marden Education Centre Library

Quantifiable outcome

• Full R-12 curriculum delivery entirely online

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• South Australian Department for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen Access College operates under the South Australian Department for Education as a government school. The school is funded by and accountable to the department, operating under the Department for Education T/A South Australian Government Schools. The college follows departmental policies and participates in departmental initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alice Springs School of the Air: Alice Springs School of the Air is the Northern Territory's School of the Air, providing distance education to remote and isolated students across the Territory. Directly comparable to OAC's SOTA program in Port Augusta, both serve similar remote student populations through radio/internet-based distance learning to geographically isolated communities.
• Mount Isa School of the Air: Mount Isa School of the Air is a Queensland School of the Air serving remote students in northwest Queensland. Directly comparable to OAC as a state-funded distance education service for remote and isolated students in outback regions.
• Broken Hill School of the Air: Broken Hill School of the Air is a NSW School of the Air serving remote students in far western NSW. Directly comparable to OAC's SOTA program with similar mission of providing quality distance education to geographically isolated students in outback Australia.
• Sydney Distance Education Primary School: Sydney Distance Education Primary School is a NSW school providing distance education for K-6 students. Comparable to OAC's Primary Years program as a state distance education school serving students who cannot attend traditional schools.
• Brisbane School of Distance Education: Brisbane School of Distance Education is a Queensland state school providing distance education from Prep to Year 12. Directly comparable to OAC as a state-funded online school offering full R-12 curriculum to students who cannot attend traditional schools due to geographic, medical, or personal circumstances.
• Kimberley School of the Air: Kimberley School of the Air is a WA School of the Air serving remote communities in the Kimberley region. Directly comparable to OAC's SOTA program for remote and isolated students through online and radio-based distance learning.
• NSW School of Distance Education: NSW School of Distance Education is a major NSW state school providing distance education for K-12 students. Directly comparable to OAC as a state-funded online school offering full R-12 curriculum to students across a large geographic area.
• Cairns School of the Air: Cairns School of the Air is a Queensland School of the Air providing distance education to remote students in Far North Queensland. Directly comparable to OAC's SOTA program with similar distance education delivery to geographically isolated and Indigenous students through online learning.
• Australian Christian College: Australian Christian College is a private K-12 school with online learning programs operating across multiple Australian states. Comparable to OAC as an online K-12 school offering full curriculum through distance learning, though operating as a private for-profit rather than government school.
• Wilcannia School of the Air: Wilcannia School of the Air is a NSW School of the Air serving Aboriginal communities in far western NSW. Directly comparable to OAC's SOTA program for remote and isolated students through online learning and community engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OpenAccessCollegeSA

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open Access College