Revealed: The Sunshine Coast’s worst behaved high schools

Shocking new data reveals suspension rates have quadrupled at some Sunshine Coast schools, with hundreds of students being excluded from classrooms.

The Courier-Mail's analysis of school data reveals Queensland's worst behaved high school students.

Queensland’s worst behaved state high schools for 2024 have been revealed, with some Sunshine Coast institutions recording worrying numbers of suspensions and exclusions.

This troubling trend has spread across the region, though some schools seem to have had more behavioural problems than others.

In the southern suburbs, Beerwah State High School recorded the highest rate of suspensions per 100 students on the Sunshine Coast.

With 286 suspensions from a total 872 enrolments, the school had a suspension rate of 33.14 per cent.

At 30.63 per cent, Palmview State Secondary College recorded the second highest rate on the Coast.

Palmview has also seen a steep increase in bad behaviour.

In 2023, the high school issued just 21 suspensions but in 2024, that number more than quadrupled to 87.

Baringa State Secondary College, Nambour State College and Burnside State High School also recorded high suspension rates, at 22.47 per cent, 21.17 per cent and 20.94 per cent, respectively.

Teacher’s Professional Association Queensland president Scott Stanford said, while the data was concerning, suspension rates could appear higher due to improved transparency around reporting and increased protections for teachers.

Mr Stanford said it was “important to note” a school recording dozens of suspensions could be the result of a small number of children being suspended multiple times, rather than many individuals behaving poorly.

The Coast’s state schools with the lowest suspension rates were Chancellor State College with 6.01 per cent, Kawana Waters State College with 6.58 per cent, and Coolum State High School with 8.96 per cent.

Chancellor State College had the lowest discipline rates in the region. (Photo AAP/Megan Slade)

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the government was committed to establishing and maintaining “high standards of student behaviour in Queensland state schools”.

“The annual data confirms that the vast majority of Queensland state school students act safely, respectfully and responsibly at school and come ready to learn,” the spokesperson said.

“However, for a small proportion of students in the state who engage in behaviour that threatens the safety and wellbeing of others, Queensland state school principals have the autonomy and authority to use suspension or exclusion to remove these students from the school.

“Suspension rates at Beerwah State High School, Palmview State Secondary College, and Baringa State Secondary College are consistent with similar sized secondary schools across the state.

“The Education Department works with schools to “respond to the changing needs of students, school staff, parents and communities”, the spokesperson added, citing the Behaviour Boost initiative as an example.

“The $44m Behaviour Boost initiative, announced on February 17, 2025, supports every Queensland state school to provide extra hands-on, practical support in managing student behaviour,” they said.

“Behaviour Boost provides principals with the flexibility to engage staff, such as social workers, guidance officers, behaviour teachers, therapists and family support coordinators to support student behaviour and staff in their school.”

Originally published as Revealed: The Sunshine Coast’s worst behaved high schools