SCHOOLS IN QUEENSLAND

Choosing Queensland for your Primary or secondary school studies.

Queensland's Primary/High Schools

Queensland schools offer students a wide choice of subjects and extracurricular activities. With a reputation for academic excellence, they deliver individualised learning experiences, internationally recognised qualifications and flexible pathways to further study.

  • Secondary School

    Secondary, senior or high school is the final period of compulsory education for Queensland students and is delivered from Year 7 to 12.

  • Primary School

    Primary school is compulsory education delivered from Prep to Year 6 and students are taught a range of foundational skills and knowledge based on a combination of the Australian Curriculum and the Queensland Curriculum.

  • Prep Year

    Queensland children are required to undertake Prep prior to Year 1. Prep is a full-time program that children attend from Monday to Friday during normal school hours, generally from 9am to 3pm. Children must be aged 5 years by 30 June in the year they start Prep.  

Queensland's three schooling sectors

Queensland schools offer students a wide choice of subjects and extra-curricular activities in a welcoming, safe and nurturing environment.

State Schools

Queensland Government schools provide students with the best choice of study pathways, enabling them to achieve their academic, career and personal development goals in a supportive and healthy environment.

Academic Excellence and Integrated University Pathways

  • 90% of Queensland Government high school year 12 graduates receive an offer to a tertiary institution.
  • There are strong pathways with universities and TAFE colleges with opportunities to study university subjects in high school and obtain credit towards university studies.
  • Education Queensland International (EQI) has recently received a 98% overall student satisfaction rating for our international Student Programs (ISP).
  • Queensland's internationally recognised high school qualifications combine theoretical and practical learning to equip students for tertiary studies and professional careers.

Quality assurance

  • Teachers at Queensland Government high schools hold a minimum four-year undergraduate university degree, and many have postgraduate qualifications.
  • Class sizes are important with 25 students per class in senior high school and 30 students per class in junior high school.

Independent Schools

Independent schools have been providing high quality educational services to students for more than 150 years. Around 190 independent schools educate more than 116,000 students, representing 15% of Queensland's school enrolments.

Independent schools offer parents a choice in the education of their children. They enable families to select schools that best serve their child's needs and promote the values they believe are important.

Parents in Australia and around the world choose independent schools for:

  • High educational standards
  • Moral and spiritual values
  • Pastoral care and discipline
  • Programs to meet the needs and interests of individual students
  • Strong home-school partnerships
  • a wide variety of extra and co-curricular activities

Find out more

Catholic Schools

There are 296 Catholic schools throughout Queensland educating about 18.5% of Queensland students. There are 3,705 overseas students studying on a visa, of which 295 are full-fee paying overseas students.

Catholic schools in Queensland strive to provide a high quality education, advancing the common good of Australian society. In addition, Catholic schools believe in the intrinsic value of each student based on a distinctive educational vision inspired by the example of Jesus Christ.

Research shows that parents and students choose Catholic schools for a number of reasons including:

  • The Christian values taught by Catholic schools
  • Care for the well-being of students, teachers and staff
  • A commitment to the holistic development of students - spiritually, intellectually, physically, culturally, socially and emotionally
  • The pursuit of academic excellence
  • The teaching of self-discipline based on respect for others
  • A vision of hope for the future
  • Strong partnerships with parents, parish and community.