Sunshine Coast state schools reveal 2022 annual reports

New documents reveal the number of suspensions and how class sizes compare across 48 of the Sunshine Coast’s state schools. See how your school compares.

New school data has revealed which Sunshine Coast state schools are exceeding class size recommendations and suspending the most students as annual reports are released.

The 2022 annual reports show total student enrolments and the average class size at each state school for classes of preps to year three and year four to year six, as well as total disciplinary absences.

The target class size for prep to year three is 25 students per teacher, while the target for years four to year six classes is 28.

Maroochydore State College was the only state school in the Sunshine Coast area to exceed the recommended class size with an average of 31 students per teacher for years four to six.

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The smallest class size averages were at Eudlo State School, Kin Kin State School and Federal State School.

The annual reports also provide the total number of disciplinary absences for each school, combining short suspensions, long suspensions and expulsions for 2022.

After low disciplinary absences rates in 2020 and 2021, as Covid lockdowns meant more students were at home, the 2022 data more accurately showed suspension and expulsion rates in Sunshine Coast state schools.

Chevallum State School, Woombye State School and Cooran State School, each schools with more than 100 students but less than 1000, recorded zero disciplinary absences for 2022.

Peregian Springs State School, Buderim Mountain State School and Baringa State School were the only schools with more than 1000 students to record less than 50 disciplinary absences.

While Burnside State School, a school with 376 enrolments, recorded 102 disciplinary absences for the year.

The disciplinary absence figures represent each suspension rather each student, as one student may be suspended multiple times in the year.

The data comes as Sunshine Coast state schools experience a drop in enrolments according to the Department of Education.

A spokesperson from the Department of Education said student numbers had fallen over the past two years, while the region dodged teacher shortages impacting the rest of the state.

“Overall, state schools in the Sunshine Coast region have experienced a small decrease in enrolments from 2020 to 2022,” they said.

“Sunshine Coast schools are some of the most desired locations in the State for teachers and mostly supply outstrips demand; there are some specialist areas that require targeted recruitment from time to time.

“The teacher vacancy rate for the Sunshine Coast is 0.05 per cent. The teacher vacancy rate in Queensland state schools is around 2 per cent of the total teacher workforce of almost 48,000 FTE.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast state schools reveal 2022 annual reports