Top 39 public primary schools in Cairns (2025)
Government schools offering primary years. Ranked by the Success Index from official ACARA data; 39 schools shown out of all eligible public primary schools in Cairns.
- Primary Schools
- High Schools
- Public Schools
- Private Schools
- Catholic Schools
- Independent Schools
- Public High Schools
- Private Primary Schools
- Private High Schools
- Girls' Schools
- Boys' Schools
- K-12 Schools
- VCE Schools by Median Study Score
- Schools with Top ATAR Students (WA)
- VCE Schools by Study Scores of 40+
- Fastest-Growing Schools
- Schools With the Best Student–Teacher Ratio
- Largest Schools
- 163Freshwater State SchoolFreshwater · Government PrimaryICSEA 1064 · 594 students
- 259Caravonica State SchoolCaravonica · Government PrimaryICSEA 1020 · 540 students
- 357Yungaburra State SchoolYungaburra · Government PrimaryICSEA 1025 · 217 students
- 455Cairns School of Distance EducationManunda · Government CombinedICSEA 1024 · 3,692 students
- 553Port Douglas State SchoolPort Douglas · Government PrimaryICSEA 1012 · 230 students
- 650Miallo State SchoolMiallo · Government PrimaryICSEA 996 · 176 students
- 747Tropical North Learning Academy - Trinity Beach State SchoolTrinity Beach · Government PrimaryICSEA 996 · 899 students
- 846Edge Hill State SchoolEdge Hill · Government PrimaryICSEA 1016 · 864 students
- 946Malanda State SchoolMalanda · Government PrimaryICSEA 1001 · 410 students
- 1045Yorkeys Knob State SchoolYorkeys Knob · Government PrimaryICSEA 998 · 321 students
- 1140Redlynch State CollegeRedlynch · Government CombinedICSEA 1007 · 1,834 students
- 1240Whitfield State SchoolWhitfield · Government PrimaryICSEA 974 · 774 students
- 1339Parramatta State SchoolParramatta Park · Government PrimaryICSEA 887 · 482 students
- 1438Tolga State SchoolTolga · Government PrimaryICSEA 981 · 269 students
- 1538Mission Beach State SchoolWongaling Beach · Government PrimaryICSEA 991 · 296 students
- 1634Herberton State SchoolMoomin · Government CombinedICSEA 930 · 154 students
- 1732Mourilyan State SchoolMourilyan · Government PrimaryICSEA 943 · 165 students
- 1831Tully State SchoolTully · Government PrimaryICSEA 885 · 268 students
- 1930Babinda State SchoolBabinda · Government CombinedICSEA 931 · 280 students
- 2030Kairi State SchoolKairi · Government PrimaryICSEA 940 · 99 students
- 2130Machans Beach State SchoolMachans Beach · Government PrimaryICSEA 944 · 135 students
- 2230Ravenshoe State SchoolRavenshoe · Government CombinedICSEA 848 · 351 students
- 2328Innisfail State CollegeInnisfail Estate · Government CombinedICSEA 889 · 951 students
- 2426Mossman State SchoolMossman · Government PrimaryICSEA 879 · 321 students
- 2525Atherton State SchoolAtherton · Government PrimaryICSEA 903 · 331 students
- 2625Bentley Park CollegeBentley Park · Government CombinedICSEA 869 · 1,771 students
- 2724Balaclava State SchoolMooroobool · Government PrimaryICSEA 797 · 381 students
- 2824Kuranda District State CollegeKuranda · Government CombinedICSEA 862 · 285 students
- 2924Yarrabah State SchoolYarrabah · Government CombinedICSEA 688 · 405 students
- 3023Cairns West State SchoolManunda · Government PrimaryICSEA 784 · 481 students
- 3122Gordonvale State SchoolGordonvale · Government PrimaryICSEA 886 · 403 students
- 3221Innisfail State SchoolInnisfail · Government PrimaryICSEA 771 · 117 students
- 3320Goondi State SchoolGoondi Bend · Government PrimaryICSEA 919 · 330 students
- 3420Isabella State SchoolEdmonton · Government PrimaryICSEA 899 · 496 students
- 3517Innisfail East State SchoolEast Innisfail · Government PrimaryICSEA 814 · 148 students
- 3617White Rock State SchoolWhite Rock · Government PrimaryICSEA 837 · 439 students
- 3716Woree State SchoolWoree · Government PrimaryICSEA 860 · 530 students
- 3815Hambledon State SchoolEdmonton · Government PrimaryICSEA 865 · 378 students
- 3915Mareeba State SchoolMareeba · Government PrimaryICSEA 855 · 695 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index | ICSEA | Students | Students : teacher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freshwater State School Freshwater · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 62.5 Top 50% | 1064 | 594 | 14.8 |
| 2 | Caravonica State School Caravonica · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 59.3 Top 50% | 1020 | 540 | 14.2 |
| 3 | Yungaburra State School Yungaburra · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 57.1 Top 50% | 1025 | 217 | 14.1 |
| 4 | Cairns School of Distance Education Manunda · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 54.5 Top 50% | 1024 | 3,692 | 10.6 |
| 5 | Port Douglas State School Port Douglas · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 52.9 Top 50% | 1012 | 230 | 12.4 |
| 6 | Miallo State School Miallo · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 49.8 Top 50% | 996 | 176 | 12.5 |
| 7 | Tropical North Learning Academy - Trinity Beach State School Trinity Beach · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 46.8 Lower 50% | 996 | 899 | 14.4 |
| 8 | Edge Hill State School Edge Hill · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 46.2 Lower 50% | 1016 | 864 | 15.7 |
| 9 | Malanda State School Malanda · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 45.8 Lower 50% | 1001 | 410 | 15.0 |
| 10 | Yorkeys Knob State School Yorkeys Knob · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 44.9 Lower 50% | 998 | 321 | 15.1 |
| 11 | Redlynch State College Redlynch · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 40.1 Lower 50% | 1007 | 1,834 | 13.5 |
| 12 | Whitfield State School Whitfield · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 39.9 Lower 50% | 974 | 774 | 15.8 |
| 13 | Parramatta State School Parramatta Park · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 39.2 Lower 50% | 887 | 482 | 10.4 |
| 14 | Tolga State School Tolga · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 38.3 Lower 50% | 981 | 269 | 13.7 |
| 15 | Mission Beach State School Wongaling Beach · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 37.9 Lower 50% | 991 | 296 | 15.7 |
| 16 | Herberton State School Moomin · Combined · Prep-10 | Government | 33.9 Lower 50% | 930 | 154 | 9.7 |
| 17 | Mourilyan State School Mourilyan · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 31.8 Lower 50% | 943 | 165 | 13.4 |
| 18 | Tully State School Tully · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 31.3 Lower 50% | 885 | 268 | 10.2 |
| 19 | Babinda State School Babinda · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 30.4 Lower 50% | 931 | 280 | 11.7 |
| 20 | Kairi State School Kairi · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 30.3 Lower 50% | 940 | 99 | 14.1 |
| 21 | Machans Beach State School Machans Beach · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 30.3 Lower 50% | 944 | 135 | 15.3 |
| 22 | Ravenshoe State School Ravenshoe · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 30.1 Lower 50% | 848 | 351 | 9.9 |
| 23 | Innisfail State College Innisfail Estate · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 27.9 Lower 50% | 889 | 951 | 10.6 |
| 24 | Mossman State School Mossman · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 26.4 Lower 50% | 879 | 321 | 13.6 |
| 25 | Atherton State School Atherton · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 25.2 Lower 50% | 903 | 331 | 11.3 |
| 26 | Bentley Park College Bentley Park · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 24.6 Lower 50% | 869 | 1,771 | 13.1 |
| 27 | Balaclava State School Mooroobool · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 23.9 Lower 50% | 797 | 381 | 11.8 |
| 28 | Kuranda District State College Kuranda · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 23.6 Lower 50% | 862 | 285 | 10.4 |
| 29 | Yarrabah State School Yarrabah · Combined · Prep-10 | Government | 23.5 Lower 50% | 688 | 405 | 9.2 |
| 30 | Cairns West State School Manunda · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 22.5 Lower 50% | 784 | 481 | 11.5 |
| 31 | Gordonvale State School Gordonvale · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 21.7 Lower 50% | 886 | 403 | 13.0 |
| 32 | Innisfail State School Innisfail · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 20.5 Lower 50% | 771 | 117 | 5.4 |
| 33 | Goondi State School Goondi Bend · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 20.3 Lower 50% | 919 | 330 | 15.1 |
| 34 | Isabella State School Edmonton · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 20.3 Lower 50% | 899 | 496 | 14.4 |
| 35 | Innisfail East State School East Innisfail · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 17.3 Lower 50% | 814 | 148 | 12.1 |
| 36 | White Rock State School White Rock · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 17.2 Lower 50% | 837 | 439 | 13.5 |
| 37 | Woree State School Woree · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 15.6 Lower 50% | 860 | 530 | 14.8 |
| 38 | Hambledon State School Edmonton · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 15.3 Lower 50% | 865 | 378 | 12.5 |
| 39 | Mareeba State School Mareeba · Primary · Prep-6 | Government | 14.7 Lower 50% | 855 | 695 | 14.0 |
There are 39 public primary schools in Cairns eligible for this list; the top 39 are shown. Freshwater State School in Freshwater is ranked first with a Success Index of 62.5 and an ICSEA of 1064. 39 of the top 39 are government schools and 0 are Catholic or independent; the median ICSEA across the list is 919.
The top 10 public primary schools in Cairns for 2025 are: 1. Freshwater State School (Freshwater); 2. Caravonica State School (Caravonica); 3. Yungaburra State School (Yungaburra); 4. Cairns School of Distance Education (Manunda); 5. Port Douglas State School (Port Douglas); 6. Miallo State School (Miallo); 7. Tropical North Learning Academy - Trinity Beach State School (Trinity Beach); 8. Edge Hill State School (Edge Hill); 9. Malanda State School (Malanda); 10. Yorkeys Knob State School (Yorkeys Knob).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best public primary school in Cairns?
Freshwater State School in Freshwater ranks first among public primary schools in Cairns with a Success Index of 62.5 out of 100 and an ICSEA of 1064.
How are public primary schools in Cairns ranked?
Each school's Success Index combines five factors from ACARA's 2025 school profile data: ICSEA (50%), share of students in the top socio-educational quarter (15%), students per teacher (15%), five-year enrolment growth (10%) and five-year ICSEA trend (10%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type nationally. Schools with fewer than 80 students are excluded.
How many public schools are in the top 100 public primary schools in Cairns?
39 of the top 39 public primary schools in Cairns are government schools; 0 are Catholic or independent.
Do these rankings include NAPLAN or ATAR results?
Not yet. ACARA does not publish school-level NAPLAN results in bulk, and ATAR results are released by state authorities in different formats. The Success Index uses the measures ACARA publishes for every school so that all schools are compared on identical data. Where a school publishes its own results we link to its website.