School of the Air in Australia
How School of the Air and distance education support students in remote Australia through online lessons, learning materials and a home learning supervisor.
School of the Air is the best-known name for Australian distance education developed for children who could not attend a local school. The original lessons travelled by radio. Today, schools generally combine live online classes, teacher contact, digital or printed learning materials, assessment and activities that bring students together.
The name is not used for one national school or one national enrolment system. Each state and territory sets its own providers, eligibility rules, year levels and fees.
How it works today
A student enrols in a registered distance education school and follows the relevant Australian or state curriculum. The exact program differs by school, but it can include:
- scheduled live lessons with a teacher and classmates
- independent work using online and printed materials
- submitted assignments and teacher feedback
- individual teacher contact
- school visits, camps, excursions or local activity days
- support from a learning supervisor where the student studies.
The learning supervisor is often a parent, carer or another approved adult. They help organise the day, supervise activities and communicate with the school. The classroom teacher remains responsible for teaching, assessment and the education program.
Reliable internet is now important for many live lessons, although schools may use printed or offline material where connectivity is limited.
Who can enrol?
Geographic isolation remains an important enrolment category, but it is not the only possible one. Depending on the jurisdiction, distance education may also be available in circumstances involving medical needs, travel, elite performance, temporary isolation, subject access or other special situations.
Eligibility is not automatic and rules can be detailed. Check the responsible education department and the school before making plans. New South Wales, for example, publishes current distance education information and provider details. Queensland lists its schools of distance education.
Distance education is also different from home education. In distance education, the child is enrolled in a school that supplies and assesses the program. A family registered for home education has different responsibilities under its state or territory rules.
From radio to online classrooms
The first School of the Air opened in Alice Springs on 8 June 1951. Lessons used the Royal Flying Doctor Service radio network to reach children on remote properties. The model expanded and changed as telephone, satellite and internet services became available.
The Alice Springs School of the Air celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2026. The Northern Territory Department of Education describes it as the first school of its kind in the world.
Radio is now mainly part of the story rather than the normal classroom technology. Queensland records that HF radio teaching was replaced across the state by 2005, followed by increasingly capable online systems. See the department’s history of distance education.
Is School of the Air a good fit?
It can provide continuity and connection for a child who cannot attend a local school, but it also asks a great deal of the household. Before enrolling, ask about the daily timetable, adult supervision, internet requirements, materials, support for disability, social activities, attendance expectations, assessments and any costs.
Start with our current provider and location guide, then confirm every detail with the school or education department.