Blackwater State High School is a co-educational government secondary serving the Blackwater community with a strong focus on vocational education pathways.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages and solid student growth; the result is a C+ overall.
Blackwater State High School is a co-educational government secondary serving the Blackwater community with a strong focus on vocational education pathways. The school values traditional structure and careful pastoral support, creating a framework where students can explore work-ready skills alongside their academic learning. It suits families seeking a school that prioritises care and discipline alongside practical training for post-school careers.
Blackwater State High School is also known as BSHS, BSHS Blackwater and Blackwater State HS.
Blackwater State High School draws students from the Blackwater SHS (and 1 more zone).
Blackwater State High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 36.3/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 29/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 880, below the national average of 1,000. Notably, the school shows strong student growth over time (67/100), meaning students tend to improve well regardless of their starting point.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Blackwater State High School, Year 7 students averaged 468 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 514, well 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.
Blackwater State High School is a small government secondary school with approximately 307 students. It offers education for years 7-12. 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.
Blackwater State High 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 30/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Blackwater State High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 9.1:1. This is well below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 35% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 80%, which is below the national benchmark.
Blackwater State High School is located in Blackwater, QLD, classified as a outer regional school. With an ICSEA of 880 (7th 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.