Coolum State High School

Coolum State High School
Location
Havana Road East Coolum Beach , Queensland Australia
Coordinates	26°30′02″S153°05′10″E / 26.5005°S 153.086°E / -26.5005; 153.086
Information
Type	Public, secondary
Motto	Care, Respect, Excellence
Established	1985
Principal	Troy Ascott
Grades	7–12
Enrolment	1112 (2018) [1]
Colours	Navy blue and gold
Website

Coolum State High School is a coeducational public secondary school based in Coolum Beach in the Sunshine Coast Region of Queensland, Australia.

Since 2017, Coolum State High School's current role of Principal had been held by Troy Ascott. ^[1] The school also consists of four Deputy Principals, fourteen Heads of Department, two Guidance Officers, one School Chaplain, one School-based Nurse and six Heads of Year. ^[2]

Staff Members

Coolum State High School is managed by experienced educators committed to providing researched based education to all of our students.

Staff expertise ensures that the that the full range of curriculum areas are catered for as in any modern State Secondary School.

Executive Management Team

Troy Ascot, Principle

Emma Curnow, Deputy Principle

Terry Proctor, Deputy Principle

Bec McCann, Deputy Principle

Lisa Fowler, Deputy Principle

Sharyn O'Brien, Business Manager (BM)

Head Of Departments

Tara Gundry, Create Arts

Bec Gould, Diverse Leaners (Special Education)

Jeanette Samson, English

Tamika Megawatt, HPE (Health Physical Education)

Kate Javernig, Humanities

Ryan Stewart, Languages/ALPHA/ISP (Academic Learning Program for High Achievers, International Student Program)

Steven Griffin, Mathematics

Paul Olsen, Science

Sean Sweeney, Senior Schooling

Tracy Ford, Student Services

Robbie Kock, Student Services

Casey Gray, Teaching and Learning

Belinda Lohmann, Teaching and Learning

Glenn Blair, Technology

Matt Winning, Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Student Welfare

Liz Mortimer, Guidance Officer

Pamela Hulsman, Guidance Officer

Bek Sayers, School based Nurse

Heads Of Years

Billy Toll, Year 7

Bradley Ralph, Year 8

Poppy Benaud, Year 9

Lyell Reck, Year 10

Scott Musson, Year 11-12

Academy programs

Coolum State High School offers the following Academy Programs to students of excellence:

• Academic Learning Program for High Achievers (ALPHA)
• Basketball Academy
• Cheerleading Academy
• Development programs
• Instrumental Music
• Surfing Academy
• Touch Football Academy
• Young Entrepreneurs

Notable Achievements

The school’s programs in surfing, music and other areas have achieved high levels of recognition.

For example, students from the Surfing Academy have progressed to national levels.

Annual Report

Parent / Caregiver Survey

• Parent / Caregiver Survey In 2022: 88.4 % of parents/caregivers agreed “This is a good school”.
• Coolum State High School In 2023: 89.8 %.
• Coolum State High School In 2024: 88.1 %. Coolum State High School Items such as “My child’s learning needs are being met” increased from 83.4% in 2022 to 84.5% in 2023.
• Coolum State High School +1 Interpretation: Parent satisfaction is relatively high and stable, with slight fluctuations.

Parent satisfaction is relatively high and stable, with slight fluctuations.

Staff Survey

• Confidence in embedding Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives: 74.3% in 2022; rose to 85.6% in 2023; down to 74.2% in 2024. Coolum State High School+1
• “I enjoy working at this school”: 77.8% in 2022; 88.1% in 2023; 86.8% in 2024. Coolum State High School

• “I feel this school is a safe place in which to work”: 83.3% in 2022; 83.9% in 2023; 88.4% in 2024. Coolum State High School

Staff morale appears to be high and improving in many areas, though some indicators (like embedding Indigenous perspectives) show variability.

Student Attendance

• Overall attendance rate: 84% in 2022; 87% in 2023; 87% in 2024. Coolum State High School+2Coolum State High School+2
• By year level for 2024: Year 7 – 89%, Year 8 – 85%, Year 9 – 86%, Year 10 – 87%, Year 11 – 87%, Year 12 – 86%

Attendance has improved from 2022 to 2023 and stayed stable in 2024, but lower attendance is still evident in some lower year levels (e.g., Year 8). Good trend overall.

Disciplinary Absences (Suspensions, Exclusions)

• In 2022: Short suspensions = 168; long suspensions = 18; exclusions = 4. Coolum State High School
• In 2023: Short suspensions = 134; long suspensions = 18; exclusions = 3. Coolum State High School
• In 2024: Short suspensions = 119; long suspensions = 12; exclusions = 2; cancellations = 1. Coolum State High School

The number of disciplinary absences is trending downward — a positive sign for school culture and behaviour.

Year 12 Outcomes (2022 and 2023 cohorts)

• In 2022: 99% of Year 12 students awarded a QCE or QCIA. Coolum State High School
• In 2023: 100% awarded a QCE or QCIA; 99% completing or continuing a SAT or awarded one or more of QCE, IBD, VET qualification. Coolum State High School
• Number of students awarded a VET Certificate II+ in 2023: 165. Coolum State High School Excellent senior outcomes — high completion rates and strong vocational/technical qualification uptake.

References

• Official website
• Coolum State High School, School annual report Queensland state school reporting 2024
• Coolum State High School, School annual report Queensland state school reporting 2023
• Coolum State High School, School annual report Queensland state school reporting 2022

1. "Coolum State High School Executive Summary (School Improvement Unit)" (PDF). Department of Education and Training (Queensland) . Retrieved 22 April 2019.
2. "Coolum State High School - Our Staff". Coolum State High School. Retrieved 22 April 2019.