edmund rice education australia flexible schools

What edmund rice education australia flexible schools does

Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Schools Ltd (EREA Flexible Schools) is a not-for-profit Catholic educational entity that operates the largest national network of alternative education schools in Australia. Founded in 1987 by the Christian Brothers in Kingston, Queensland, the organisation became part of Edmund Rice Education Australia in 2007 and was established as an independent legal entity in 2023. It supports more than 2,500 young people who have disengaged from mainstream schooling due to trauma, exclusion, disadvantage, or marginalisation, with 33%+ of students identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The portfolio consists of 23 Flexi School sites across all Australian states and territories except ACT and Victoria, plus two special schools in New South Wales (St Edmund's College and St Gabriel's School) serving students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and sensory impairments. Vocational pathways are delivered through Flexi RTO, including hospitality and barista certification programs.

The core operating model is grounded in the proprietary Flexi Practice Framework (with three defining characteristics: Standing on Common Ground, An Inclusive Community, and Resilient and Hopeful Young People) and the Transformative Learning Model. Educational delivery is relationship-based, trauma-informed, and explicitly excludes exclusionary discipline; methodologies include Collaborative Problem Solving (via Think Kids) and Creating Calm. The technology stack is intentionally light — this is an education services organisation, not a platform business — and the company relies on organic community engagement, conference presentations, a national youth documentary project, and LinkedIn for outreach rather than commercial marketing.

EREA Flexible Schools operates primarily through government recurrent funding arrangements for school-age students, supplemented by the broader Catholic education network's resources. As a not-for-profit, commercial pricing is not publicly disclosed; enrolment is handled via Expression of Interest forms and direct family contact with regional offices in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Wollongong. The organisation does not generate revenue in the conventional commercial sense, instead channeling public funding into the operation of 25+ school sites under a unified national framework, with a Strategic Plan covering 2025-2027 guiding expansion and quality priorities.

Name

edmund rice education australia flexible schools

Legal name

EREA Flexible Schools Ltd

Website

https://ereafsn.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Schools Ltd is Australia's largest alternative education network, operating 23 Flexi Schools and 2 special schools to provide trauma-informed, relationship-based Catholic education to over 2,500 young people disengaged from mainstream schooling across all Australian states and territories except ACT and Victoria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (6117), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE), Special Education (SPED), IEP & Accessibility/Assistive Technology (EDAJAMAH), Special Needs & Learning Differences Private Schools (EDAJABAH)

Keywords

• Alternative education services
• Catholic secondary education
• Trauma-informed learning
• Special education schools
• Vocational training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Eagle Farm

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Schools operates the largest national network of alternative Catholic education in Australia, comprising 23 Flexible Schools across all states and territories except ACT and Victoria, plus two Special Education Schools (St Edmund's College and St Gabriel's School). It provides relationship-based, trauma-informed education to young people disengaged from mainstream schooling due to disadvantage, exclusion, marginalisation, or special educational needs. The organisation supports over 2,500 young people, with more than 33% identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and operates a Registered Training Organisation (Flexi RTO) for vocational pathways.

Product overview

Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Schools (EREA Flexis) is the largest national provider of alternative education in Australia, operating as a platform of educational services under a unified Flexi Practice Framework. The core offering consists of 23 Flexible Schools across Australia providing relationship-based, trauma-informed alternative education to young people who have disengaged from mainstream schooling, supplemented by two Special Schools in NSW (St Edmund's College and St Gabriel's School) serving students with intellectual disabilities. The portfolio is anchored by the Flexi Practice Framework and Transformative Learning Model, which guide educational practice across all sites. Additional programs include vocational training (e.g., barista certification), the national Flexi Film Project documentary initiative, and a Strategic Plan 2025-2027. The organisation supports more than 2,500 young people, with over 33% identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flexi RTO: Registered Training Organisation providing vocational education and training services
• St Edmund's College
• St Gabriel's School

Products and services

• Flexible Schools Network A national network of 23 alternative education schools supporting young people who have disengaged from mainstream schooling through relationship-based, trauma-informed education grounded in the Flexi Practice Framework. Schools operate across all Australian states and territories except ACT and Victoria.
• St Edmund's College A Year 7-12 co-educational special high school in Wahroonga, NSW for students with mild to moderate intellectual disability, autism, and sensory impairments, delivering individualised academic and wellbeing programs with technology-enhanced learning and co-curricular activities including dance, creative art, music, and sport.
• St Gabriel's School A special education school in Castle Hill, NSW serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or low vision, autistic, or have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, delivering tailored primary and secondary curriculum in a purpose-built environment.
• Flexi RTO A Registered Training Organisation providing vocational education and training services, supporting young people to develop workforce-ready skills through nationally recognised qualifications alongside their alternative education pathway.
• School Coffee Van / Hospitality Program A practical hospitality training program at St Francis Flexible School where students gain work experience through a school coffee van, completing Certificate in Fundamentals of Barista Workshop and developing workforce-ready skills.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• McFarlands Quality MeatsminorOthersLocal business contributor to Colours in the WILD creative project at St Edmund's College, providing donations and support for the student art exhibition.
• Bakers Delight HornsbyminorOthersLocal business contributor to Colours in the WILD creative project at St Edmund's College.
• IGA WahroongaminorOthersLocal business contributor to Colours in the WILD creative project at St Edmund's College.
• St Pius X CollegeminorOthersPartner school providing volunteers for the Colours in the WILD art exhibition event, running the barbecue and art-making station.
• Catholic Education TasmaniaminorOthersProvides policy framework and guidelines for St Francis Flexible School in Tasmania under their governance structure.
• Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of Edmund Rice schools and organisations globally. EREA Flexible Schools staff participate in leadership symposia alongside 30 other key leaders from Edmund Rice schools worldwide, sharing common vision for social justice and improving outcomes for young people.
• Think Kids (Collaborative Problem Solving)minorOthersEvidence-based practice provider for Collaborative Problem Solving methodology used across EREA Flexible Schools.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Berry Street: Major Australian community services organization running education, out-of-home care, and family services including alternative education programs in Victoria and beyond. Comparable because it serves disengaged young people through school-based and community education models, overlapping EREAFSL's primary cohort in adjacent geographies.
• The Smith Family: Major Australian children's education charity focused on supporting disadvantaged students through learning programs, scholarships, and school-based interventions. Comparable because it targets the same disadvantaged-youth education cohort via a national footprint, though through supplemental programs rather than dedicated schools.
• Salvation Army Australia — Salvo Schools and Youth Services: Operates youth programs and education-focused services for at-risk and disengaged young people in Australia. Comparable as a faith-based, mission-driven provider serving overlapping disadvantaged-youth cohorts through community-based education programs.

Direct peers

• Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect): Australia's largest autism-specific education provider, operating a national network of autism-specific schools. Comparable to EREAFSL's special schools (St Edmund's, St Gabriel's) as a national non-profit delivering individualized curriculum for students with autism and intellectual disability.
• Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC): Special education provider operating schools and early-intervention services for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision — directly comparable to St Gabriel's School within the EREAFSL network.
• MacKillop Education / MacKillop Family Services: Catholic not-for-profit providing alternative education, out-of-home care, and family services across multiple Australian states. Comparable because it operates alternative education settings for disengaged and vulnerable youth, often through Catholic auspices similar to EREAFSL's Edmund Rice heritage.
• Youth+ (Marist Schools Australia): Catholic alternative education network operating flexible learning centres for young people disengaged from mainstream schooling. The closest direct alternative-education peer to EREAFSL, with similar Catholic-charism foundations, trauma-informed practice, and flexible learning centre model.

Emerging players

• Children's Ground: First-Led organization working with First Nations children and families across the Northern Territory and Central Australia through education, health, and economic development. Comparable because it serves a similar cohort of disengaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, overlapping EREAFSL's33%+ First Nations student base.
• Australian Childhood Foundation: Not-for-profit specializing in trauma-informed therapeutic care and education for children and young people affected by abuse and neglect. Comparable through its trauma-informed practice base and focus on vulnerable young people, though it operates more in therapeutic care than dedicated schools.

Regional players

• Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand: Catholic not-for-profit providing education, community, and family services across Australia and New Zealand, with programs targeting women, young people, and families experiencing disadvantage. Comparable as a Catholic mission-driven education provider for vulnerable populations, though with broader social-service remit than dedicated alternative schooling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/edmund-rice-education-australia-flexible-schools-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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