Very remote government combined school (Prep–12) in Barcaldine, QLD; 216 students with strong Indigenous representation.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages and solid student growth; the result is a B- overall.
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School is also known as BPSS, BPSS Barcaldine and Barcaldine Prep-12 State.
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School draws students from the Barcaldine Prep-12 SS (and 2 more zones).
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School has an overall SchoolRank score of 46.4/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 35/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 921, below the national average of 1,000. Notably, the school shows strong student growth over time (61/100), meaning students tend to improve well regardless of their starting point.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Barcaldine Prep-12 State School, Year 3 students averaged 352 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 407 for that year level, and Year 5 students averaged 405, well below the national average of 490 for that year level, and Year 7 students averaged 524, below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 534, below the national average of 569 for that year level. National averages are specific to each year level, because NAPLAN scores are scaled so older year levels score higher, a school-wide average can't be compared with a single national figure.
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School is a small government combined school with approximately 216 students. It offers education for years Prep-12. As a government school, enrolment is generally available to students living within the school's designated catchment zone. Families outside the zone may apply for out-of-area placement subject to availability.
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School is a government school, so there are no tuition fees. Families may be asked to contribute to voluntary school fees covering materials, excursions, and activities. The school has a value score of 37/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 10.1:1. This is below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 38% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 87%, which is moderate.
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School is located in Barcaldine, QLD, classified as a very remote school. With an ICSEA of 921 (15th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is below average, which means the school serves a community with greater socio-educational challenges. ICSEA measures the educational advantage of a school's community, not the school's quality, a lower ICSEA school with strong academic scores may indicate particularly effective teaching.