Every Brisbane state high school’s behaviour report card revealed

More than 400 disciplinary actions a day were handed out to Queensland state high school students last year, with some schools recording alarming spikes. SEARCH THE FULL LIST

Two of Ipswich’s largest state high schools recorded major spikes in suspensions and expulsion rates last year.

Queensland state high schools handed out more than 400 disciplinary actions per day last year with some of the state’s most popular schools recording alarming spikes in student suspensions and expulsions.

More than 83,000 disciplinary actions were dished out across the state in 2021 including for physical violence, drug possession and vaping.

A Courier-Mail analysis of school annual report has revealed the state’s public schools with the worst behaviour report cards.

Ipswich State High School’s total disciplines jumped from 851 in 2019 to 1206 in 2021 while its neighbour Bremer State High School’s increased from 633 to 726. 2020 numbers were skewed from the Covid pandemic.

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Bremer State High School. Photo Inga Williams / The Queensland Times

Collectively, the Ipswich and Bremer schools kicked out 72 students last year while more than 1600 students were given short or long suspensions.

There were 83,095 disciplinary actions dished out in Queensland last year, slightly higher than 2019 figures but overall down compared to 2018.

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Elsewhere across Brisbane, Marsden State High School’s disciplinary actions rose from 705 in 2019 to 916 last year, Caboolture State High School jumped from 445 to 604 and Bellbird Park State Secondary College increased from 315 to 586.

Other schools to record significant spikes included Rockhampton State High School (up 146), Burnside State High School (up 112) and Ormeau Woods State High School (up 158).

Not all schools across the state had high discipline rates, including two of the city’s largest in Brisbane State High School and Mansfield State High School, which collectively handed out fewer than 400 actions.

Queensland Secondary Principals Association president Mark Breckenridge said disciplinary actions were a “last resort” for any school principal.

Mr Breckenridge said all schools were doing an “enormous” amount to maximise student learning and that no principal actively set out to remove a student from school.

Where possible, Mr Breckenridge said school leaders would opt for in and after-school detentions, restricted lunches and parental conversations instead of imposing a suspension or exclusion.

“If the student’s actions are serious or persistent enough, principals might believe that time out of school is appropriate,” Mr Breckenridge said.

“If a student’s behaviour is significant enough that the safety and wellbeing of other students and staff is compromised then a long suspension might be imposed.”

Queensland Secondary Principal’s Association president Mark Breckenridge. Picture: File

Mr Breckenridge said the vast majority of students would go through from Prep to Year 12 without an action against them.

He said each cohort and school community was different with behaviour patterns impossible to predict.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said decisions to suspend students from school were not taken lightly by principals.

She said schools had a wide range of supports and programs to support student behaviour and ensure state schools could facilitate high standards of behaviour for the whole school community.

The spokeswoman said preliminary departmental statistics indicated the 2022 disciplinary rates were trended towards some of the lowest levels in recent years.

Marsden State High School. (AAP Image/Renae Droop)

It comes following a request from Education Minister Grace Grace for school disciplinary absences be reduced after “concerning” rates.

“The department is working closely with other relevant agencies and is focused on creating

partnerships, providing early and expert assistance and reviewing decision-making

processes to further support schools in minimising the number of disciplinary absences,” the spokeswoman said.

“We are also working with principals, teachers and school staff on the supports and

strategies required to maximise the days of learning for every student.”

The spokeswoman said maximising learning days and addressing disciplinary actions was identified as a key priority in the draft Equity and Excellence strategy released by the minister in October.

A view of a new building at Caboolture State High School.