Government primary school (Prep–6) in outer regional Bowen, QLD, with 508 students.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages; the result is a C+ overall.
Bowen State School is also known as BSS Bowen.
Bowen State School draws students from the Bowen SS.
Bowen State School has an overall SchoolRank score of 37.3/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 34/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 927, below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Bowen State School, Year 3 students averaged 357 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 407 for that year level, and Year 5 students averaged 441, well below the national average of 490 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.
Bowen State School is a medium-sized government primary school with approximately 508 students. It offers education for years Prep-6. 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.
Bowen 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 36/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Bowen State School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.0:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 32% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 88%, which is moderate.
Bowen State School is located in Bowen, QLD, classified as a outer regional school. With an ICSEA of 927 (17th 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.