Open Air School

What Open Air School does

Open Air School is a specialised Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) school located in the suburb of Glenwood, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Founded on 9 February 1921 by Dr Thompson of the Natal Education Department with Miss Louisa MacDonald as first principal, it was the first school in South Africa built specifically to educate and rehabilitate physically disabled children, and today serves approximately 260 learners from pre-primary through matric. The institution is classified as a BEE-accredited Non-Profit Organisation and is registered as a government school, with continuous independent operation under successive principals.

Name

Open Air School

Legal name

Open Air School

Website

https://openairschool.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Open Air School is a South African government-funded LSEN school in Durban, founded in 1921, serving approximately 260 learners with physical impairments from pre-primary to matric through integrated academic, therapeutic, and vocational programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Special needs education
• LSEN schooling
• Therapeutic education services
• Physically disabled learners
• Specialised school accommodation

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Open Air School provides full-time specialised education for approximately 260 learners with physical impairments from pre-primary through matric (Grade 12), following the South African national curriculum with LSEN adaptations. It bundles academic instruction with on-site therapeutic services (psychology, speech, physiotherapy, occupational therapy), professional medical support from qualified nurses, skills-based vocational training, hostel accommodation for distant learners, and extracurricular sports and cultural activities. The school also operates a Braille unit for visually impaired learners and a state-of-the-art hospitality training centre.

Product overview

Open Air School is a specialised educational institution providing a comprehensive programme for approximately 260 learners with physical impairments, from pre-primary through to matric. The school operates as a unified service model combining academic instruction following the national curriculum with integrated therapeutic services (psychology, speech, physiotherapy, occupational therapy), medical support, and skills-based vocational training. Additional offerings include a hostel for term boarders, extracurricular sports and cultural programmes, a Braille unit for visually impaired learners, and a hospitality training centre. The school follows the LSEN (Learners with Special Educational Needs) classification and adapts curriculum delivery through innovative teaching methods to meet diverse learner needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hellen Keller House: One of three school houses named after famous disabled celebrities, representing Helen Keller who was deaf and blind but overcame these challenges to become an accomplished writer and lecturer.
• Douglas Bader House
• Franklin Roosevelt House

Products and services

• Specialised LSEN Education for Learners with Physical Impairments
• Therapeutic Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Many learners compete provincially, nationally and internationally in various sporting codes
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Betting Entertainment and TechnologiesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 March 2020Donated 6 Orbit readers (assistive devices for blind learners) to help access the curriculum
• Union of Jewish WomencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing charitable organization that has supported Open Air School since the tenure of Miss Doris Davies (principal from 1940-1962)
• Flatfoot Dance CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer dance teachers provide weekly training for the Left Feet First Dance Group, exposing learners to contemporary dance and performance opportunities
• Durban Music SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the last three years where learners learn various instruments including clarinet, recorder, guitar, violin, trumpet, and percussion
• The Glass Recycling CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool participates in annual glass recycling competition hosted by The Glass Recycling Company between February and October
• MySchool Card ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipating retailers (Woolworths, Dirk's Meat Markets, Mugg & Bean, Everfresh) donate when supporters use MySchool cards
• Bread Tags for WheelchairsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity initiative collecting bread bag tags and bottle tops; proceeds fund wheelchairs for those in need (200kg of tags buys one wheelchair)
• Jumping kidsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides prosthetic limbs to learners, such as running blades for children who need them
• Jes Foord FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConducts assemblies to speak to high school learners about awareness of rights and prevention of sexual crimes

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Prinshof School: Pretoria-based LSEN school providing specialized education for learners with disabilities under the South African national curriculum. Comparable as a fellow government-funded special needs school offering adapted curriculum and therapy support.
• Malamulele Onward: South African non-profit focused on children with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities, providing therapy and caregiver training. Comparable in target population and therapeutic service model even though not a full school.
• QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA): National South African organization supporting quadriplegics and persons with similar physical disabilities. Comparable in serving the same learner demographic and offering rehabilitation, skills development, and community integration.
• Ethembeni School: Special needs school based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal serving learners with a range of physical and intellectual disabilities. Highly comparable in mission, geography, and service mix as a fellow specialized KwaZulu-Natal LSEN institution.
• Vista Nova School: Special needs school in the Western Cape offering individualized education for learners with diverse disabilities. Comparable to Open Air in delivering adapted curriculum, therapy integration, and skills-based pathways within a South African LSEN framework.

Broad incumbents

• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Established US-based organization serving blind and visually impaired individuals with adaptive training, education, and assistive technology. Comparable to Open Air's Braille unit in addressing visual impairment needs, though at significantly larger scale.
• Cerebral Palsy Alliance: Large established international organization providing therapy, education, and research services for people with cerebral palsy. Comparable in integrated therapy-plus-education model but operates at a far larger scale and broader scope than Open Air.

Regional players

• Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities (APD): KwaZulu-Natal-based NGO serving persons with physical disabilities through rehabilitation, skills training, and social integration. Comparable in regional focus and target population, serving as a complementary ecosystem player rather than direct school competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/openairschool/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-air-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Air School