Is Cairns State High School a government, Catholic or independent school?

Cairns State High School is a government secondary school in Queensland. Its governing body is Queensland Department of Education.

What years does Cairns State High School teach?

Cairns State High School teaches Years 7 to 12, for boys and girls.

How many students are enrolled at Cairns State High School?

Cairns State High School had 1,636 students in 2025, according to ACARA. That is about 13.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, which is not the same as class size.

Government secondary school in Cairns North

Cairns State High School

Cairns State High School is a government secondary school for boys and girls, from Year 7 to Year 12, in Cairns North, Queensland.

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About the school

What Cairns State High School is like

It has 1,636 students (846 girls and 790 boys) and the equivalent of 124.1 full-time teachers, about 13 students for each teacher.

Compared with the 4 other secondary schools within about 3 km, it is about average in size.

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 1019, 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 St Monica's College, 0.6 km away. You can enquire with private schools near Cairns North in one step.

At a glance

Cairns State High School at a glance

Students: 1,636; 2025
Girls and boys: 52% / 48%; 846 girls, 790 boys
Teachers: 124.1; full-time equivalent
Students per teacher: 13.2 to 1; not the same as class size
Years: Years 7 to 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 State High School 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 Year 7 usually opens in the year before, through your child's primary school. 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 State High School

Is Cairns State High School a government, Catholic or independent school?: Cairns State High School is a government secondary school in Queensland. Its governing body is Queensland Department of Education.
What years does Cairns State High School teach?: Cairns State High School teaches Years 7 to 12, for boys and girls.
How many students are enrolled at Cairns State High School?: Cairns State High School had 1,636 students in 2025, according to ACARA. That is about 13.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, which is not the same as class size.
What is the ICSEA value of Cairns State High School?: Cairns State High School has an ICSEA value of 1019, 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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