Make a difference. Teach > Starting your teaching career > Teaching in Queensland >

Teaching in state schools

Queensland state schools are widely varied in their size and location.

State Schools are located from the Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula to the borders of New South Wales and the Northern Territory and everywhere in between.

They can range from a one-teacher school to one with more than 2000 students, from single or multi-age classes to a cluster of schools.

They include:

Primary schools (Prep to Year 7);
Secondary schools (Year 8 to 12);
P10/12 schools (Prep to Year 10/12);
Queensland Academies;
Special schools;
Hospital schools;
Schools of distance education;
Centres for continuing secondary education; and
Outdoor and environmental education centres.

From 2015 Year 7 will become the first year of high school in Queensland as part of the Flying Start for Queensland Children initiative.

All state schools are coeducational and operate in partnership with their communities.

Queensland state schools develop school curriculum plans using the Key Learning Area syllabuses.

The P-12 Curriculum Framework captures all curriculum requirements for state schools from Prep to year 12. The framework consists of a policy that is supported by a comprehensive set of online guidelines.

The school year usually runs from late January to mid-December. It is divided into two semesters, with two terms in each semester and vacation breaks for Easter, winter, spring and summer. The department produces an annual calendar indicating Queensland state school holiday and term dates.

^ Top of page