Cairns West State School
Updated Oct 2026 · ACARA 2025Manunda, Queensland 4870 · Cairns LGA
#720 of 804 primary schools in QLD
#4652 of 4,908 nationally
About Cairns West State School
Cairns West State School is a public primary school located in Manunda, Queensland (4870), within the Cairns local government area. It caters for students from Prep to 6 and in 2025 enrolled 481 students (229 girls and 252 boys).
Cairns West State School has an ICSEA value of 784, indicating a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. That places it in the 2nd percentile of Australian schools. 1% of students come from the top socio-educational quarter and 78% from the bottom quarter.
The school employs 45 teachers (41.8 full-time equivalent) and 40 non-teaching staff, giving a student-to-teacher ratio of about 11.5 to 1. Enrolments have fallen by 29% over the past five years.
On the Success Index, Cairns West State School scores 22.5 out of 100, placing it in the lower 50% of primary schools nationally and 720th of 804 primary schools in QLD (18th of 23 in the Cairns area).
Success Index breakdown
Each component is a percentile against schools of the same type across Australia.
- Socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) (50%)ICSEA 784
- Students in the top advantage quarter (15%)1% of students
- Teacher resourcing (students per teacher) (15%)11.5 students per teacher
- Enrolment growth vs local area (5 years) (10%)-29% enrolments since 2020 (area median -11%)
- ICSEA trend (5 years) (10%)+12 ICSEA points since 2020
The Success Index summarises the academic environment of a school community using official ACARA data. It is not a measure of teaching quality or student results. Read the methodology.
Student profile
Distribution of students across socio-educational advantage (SEA) quarters, plus community characteristics.
Enrolments by year level
How Cairns West State School's 481 students are spread across year levels in 2025.
Enrolment trend
How enrolments at Cairns West State School have changed over the past decade.
Free academic assessment
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Schools near Cairns West State School
Closest schools by straight-line distance, with their Success Index.
St Francis Xavier's School
Manunda · Catholic primary · Prep-6
382 students · ICSEA 953 · 100 m away
Cairns School of Distance Education
Manunda · Government combined · Prep-12
3,692 students · ICSEA 1024 · 902 m away
Trinity Bay State High School
Manunda · Government high school · 7-12
1,784 students · ICSEA 908 · 992 m away
Balaclava State School
Mooroobool · Government primary · Prep-6
381 students · ICSEA 797 · 1.4 km away
The BUSY School
Cairns · Independent high school · 11-12
1,780 students · ICSEA 975 · 1.6 km away
Whitfield State School
Whitfield · Government primary · Prep-6
774 students · ICSEA 974 · 2.0 km away
Edge Hill State School
Edge Hill · Government primary · Prep-6
864 students · ICSEA 1016 · 2.1 km away
Our Lady Help of Christians School
Earlville · Catholic primary · Prep-6
506 students · ICSEA 1025 · 2.2 km away
Parramatta State School
Parramatta Park · Government primary · Prep-6
482 students · ICSEA 887 · 2.2 km away
St Joseph's School
Parramatta Park · Catholic primary · Prep-6
348 students · ICSEA 1029 · 2.6 km away
Similar schools
Government primary schools in QLD with a comparable ICSEA.
Rasmussen State School
Rasmussen · Government primary · Prep-6
336 students · ICSEA 784
Blackwater State School
Blackwater · Government primary · Prep-6
127 students · ICSEA 785
Kennedy State School
Kennedy · Government primary · Prep-6
24 students · ICSEA 786
Croydon State School
Croydon · Government primary · Prep-6
29 students · ICSEA 787
Mount Isa Central State School
Mount Isa · Government primary · Prep-6
211 students · ICSEA 791
Townview State School
Townview · Government primary · Prep-6
209 students · ICSEA 776
Frequently asked questions
Is Cairns West State School a public or private school?
Cairns West State School is a public (government) school run by the Queensland education department.
What year levels does Cairns West State School offer?
Cairns West State School offers Prep to 6. It is classified by ACARA as a primary school.
How many students attend Cairns West State School?
In 2025, Cairns West State School had 481 enrolled students (229 girls, 252 boys), a change of -29% over five years.
What is the ICSEA of Cairns West State School?
Cairns West State School has an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of 784. The national average is 1000, so this indicates a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. ICSEA reflects the school community, not teaching quality.
How does Cairns West State School rank in QLD?
Cairns West State School ranks 720th of 804 primary schools in Queensland on the Success Index (22.5/100), and 4652nd of 4,908 nationally.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Cairns West State School?
Cairns West State School has about 11.5 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, based on 2025 ACARA staffing data.
How many students start Prep at Cairns West State School each year?
In 2025, Cairns West State School had 61 students in Prep and 70 in Year 6.
Is Cairns West State School co-ed?
Yes. Cairns West State School is a co-educational school enrolling both girls and boys.
What other schools are near Cairns West State School?
There are 10 other schools within 15 km of Cairns West State School in our database. Scroll up to the "Nearby schools" section to compare them by Success Index, ICSEA and enrolments, or use the Compare tool.
Where can I get tutoring near Cairns West State School?
The closest Success Tutoring centre is Success Tutoring North Lakes, about 1369 km from the school. Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment to identify your child's strengths and learning gaps before any sessions begin.