Is Cairns School of Distance Education a government, Catholic or independent school?

Cairns School of Distance Education is a government primary and secondary school in Queensland. Its governing body is Queensland Department of Education.

What years does Cairns School of Distance Education teach?

Cairns School of Distance Education teaches Prep to Year 12, for boys and girls.

How many students are enrolled at Cairns School of Distance Education?

Cairns School of Distance Education had 3,692 students in 2025, according to ACARA. That is about 22.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, which is not the same as class size.

Government primary and secondary school in Manunda

Cairns School of Distance Education

Cairns School of Distance Education is a government primary and secondary school for boys and girls, from Prep to Year 12, in Manunda, Queensland.

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About the school

What Cairns School of Distance Education is like

It has 3,692 students (2,080 girls and 1,612 boys) and the equivalent of 163.3 full-time teachers, about 23 students for each teacher.

As a government school it is run by the Queensland Department of Education. Tuition is free for Australian citizens and permanent residents, although schools usually ask for a voluntary contribution and charge for some materials and activities. Many government schools have a local enrolment area (catchment), and students who live inside it are guaranteed a place.

Its ICSEA value is 1024, against a national average of 1000. ICSEA describes the educational advantage of the families a school serves, not the quality of the school; read it alongside the school's results on My School.

The nearest private school is The BUSY School, 0.7 km away. You can enquire with private schools near Manunda in one step.

At a glance

Cairns School of Distance Education at a glance

Students: 3,692; 2025
Girls and boys: 56% / 44%; 2,080 girls, 1,612 boys
Teachers: 163.3; full-time equivalent
Students per teacher: 22.6 to 1; not the same as class size
Years: Prep to Year 12

Catchment: Check an address with EdMap (Queensland Government).

Students, staff and years: Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), School Profile 2025. Results are on My School, not here.

Results

NAPLAN results and the school profile

Australian schools are not given inspection grades. Each school’s NAPLAN results, finances, attendance and student background are published by ACARA on My School: Cairns School of Distance Education on My School.

Government schools are reviewed by the Queensland Department of Education. Ask the school for its most recent annual report, which every Australian school publishes.

Enrolment

How to get a place

Enrol directly with the school. Most government schools have a local enrolment area: if you live inside it your child has a place, and families from outside can apply if there is room. Enrolment for Prep usually opens in the year before your child starts. See our guide to how school enrolment works.

The Queensland Department of Education explains who can enrol where and what to bring: Enrolling your child (Queensland Department of Education).

Questions

Common questions about Cairns School of Distance Education

Is Cairns School of Distance Education a government, Catholic or independent school?: Cairns School of Distance Education is a government primary and secondary school in Queensland. Its governing body is Queensland Department of Education.
What years does Cairns School of Distance Education teach?: Cairns School of Distance Education teaches Prep to Year 12, for boys and girls.
How many students are enrolled at Cairns School of Distance Education?: Cairns School of Distance Education had 3,692 students in 2025, according to ACARA. That is about 22.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, which is not the same as class size.
What is the ICSEA value of Cairns School of Distance Education?: Cairns School of Distance Education has an ICSEA value of 1024, against a national average of 1000. ICSEA describes the educational advantage of the families a school serves, not the quality of the school; read it alongside the school's results on My School.

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