Cairns State Special School vs Our Lady Help of Christians School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Queensland, 2.1 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Cairns State Special School
Woree · Government special · Prep-12
130 students · ICSEA 913
Our Lady Help of Christians School
Earlville · Catholic primary · Prep-6
506 students · ICSEA 1025
| Measure | Cairns State Special School Woree QLD | Our Lady Help of Christians School Earlville QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 49 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #347 of 804 |
| National rank (type) | – | #2795 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | Prep-12 | Prep-6 |
| Students | 130 | 506 |
| Girls / boys | 38 / 92 | 260 / 246 |
| Foundation intake | 9 | 74 |
| Year 7 cohort | 10 | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 15 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +67% | -11% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 913 | 1025 |
| ICSEA percentile | 14th | 58th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 16% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 43% | 15% |
| Students per teacher | 4.0 | 15.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 32.8 | 32.8 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 42.5 | 23.8 |
| Language background other than English | 24% | 16% |
| Indigenous students | 42% | 10% |
| Suburb | Woree 4868 | Earlville 4870 |
| Council area | Cairns | Cairns |
| Remoteness | Outer Regional | Outer Regional |
| Website | cairnsstatespecs.eq.edu.au | www.olhoc.qld.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Our Lady Help of Christians School has the higher ICSEA (1025 vs 913), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Cairns State Special School has fewer students per teacher (4.0 vs 15.4).
- •Our Lady Help of Christians School is the larger school with 506 students compared with 130.
- •Cairns State Special School has grown faster over five years (67% vs -11%).
- •Cairns State Special School is a government school while Our Lady Help of Christians School is a catholic school, so fees and enrolment rules differ.
The Success Index summarises community advantage, resourcing and momentum from ACARA data. It does not measure teaching quality, results or fit. Methodology.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Cairns State Special School better than Our Lady Help of Christians School?
The two schools are very close on the Success Index. Differences in sector, size, year range and distance from home will matter more than the score.
How far apart are Cairns State Special School and Our Lady Help of Christians School?
About 2.1 km in a straight line, between Woree and Earlville in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Cairns State Special School has 4.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Our Lady Help of Christians School has 15.4.
How do Cairns State Special School and Our Lady Help of Christians School rank in QLD?
Cairns State Special School is unranked and Our Lady Help of Christians School is 347th of 804 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.