Cairns schools: Bentley Park College tops short suspension list
New data shows which school has recorded the highest number of short-term suspensions in the city area.
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BENTLEY PARK College has suspended the most students over short periods in the Cairns area, according to new data.
The southern Cairns school recorded 311 short suspensions and 47 long suspensions in 2019.
The numbers of short suspensions are down from 2018, when the school issued 455.
Division 2 Councillor Rob Pyne said the school was in capable hands to tackle challenges facing its student body.
“Bentley Park isn’t the easiest school to manage but we have the right man for the job in principal Bruce Houghton,” Cr Pyne said.
“I know kids who go to the school, I see them all the time. Mr Houghton is very inclusive and active in the areas of getting training and vocational opportunities for the students.
“Coming from a previous appointment in Woree he has had experience in a similar catchment.”
Comment has been sought from the school.
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Cr Pyne said bullying was a troubling problem for students in his division.
“Mental health is not just for adults, it affects teens as well,” he said.
Also to the south, in Edmonton, Hambledon State School doled out 151 short suspensions in 2019.
The number is slightly up from 133 in 2018 but significantly lower than 2016 and 2017, when the school recorded 197 and 213 short term suspensions respectively.
Trinity Bay State High School is among the schools to have handed out the most long suspensions in Queensland last year.
However schools in the Tablelands have also recorded troubling numbers.
Ravenshoe State school issued 345 short term suspensions in 2019, a jump of 75 from 2018.
Numbers have steadily climbed for the school since 2016, when 115 short term suspensions were issued.
The following year the number jumped to 164.
In 2018 the short term suspension count leapt to 270.
Conversely, the school only recorded eight long term suspensions in 2019.
The new data also shows physical attacks on teachers have soared in the past five years resulting in thousands of Queensland students being suspended each year.
The number of suspensions for attacks on adults with objects increased from 1486 incidents in 2015 to 1919 incidents in 2019 – a rise of 29 per cent.
Originally published as Cairns schools: Bentley Park College tops short suspension list