History
EREA Flexible Schools have been supporting young people in Australia for almost 40 years, with the first Flexible Learning Centre opened by the Christian Brothers in 1987 on Yugambeh lands in Kingston, Queensland.
After working in Queensland’s Juvenile Justice System, the Brothers recognised a need for a different model of education – one that was grounded in radical inclusion and inspired by the teachings and philosophies of Edmund Rice. In collaboration with local teachers, social workers, the Presentation Sisters and outdoor education workers from The Outlook at Boonah, the first Flexi school was opened and Flexis’ counter-cultural approach to education was born.
In 2007, Flexis formed part of Edmund Rice Education Australia and in 2010, six Flexi Schools were supporting young people in various locations across Australia.
In 2023, EREA Flexible Schools Ltd became its own entity through a restructure of Edmund Rice Education Australia, with a new, aligned and unified approach: to ensure that young people who attend Flexi Schools experience the highest quality education possible in the safest and most dynamic schools in the country. Alongside this, we continued our commitment to work meaningfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for reconciliation and justice, and to be inspired and nurtured by their wisdom, spirituality and experiences.
Today, EREA Flexis is the largest national provider of alternative education in the country with 21 Flexible Schools and two Special Education Schools in all states and territories except the ACT and Victoria. We support more than 2,400 young people, with more than 33% identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
