Coolum State High School sits on the Sunshine Coast in a setting where sport, music and the ocean are woven into school life.
NAPLAN in line with national year-level averages and growth below the national median; the result is a B- overall.
Coolum State High School sits on the Sunshine Coast in a setting where sport, music and the ocean are woven into school life. The school runs selective academy programs in basketball, surfing, touch football and instrumental music, alongside offerings in cheerleading, entrepreneurship and vocational pathways. Its Wind Symphony and surfing program have a strong local reputation. Beyond the academies, the school is known for its pastoral character and support for all learners, including a Year 7 transition program and assistance for students with additional needs.
Coolum State High School is also known as CSHS, Coolum State HS and CSHS Coolum Beach.
Coolum State High School draws students from the Coolum SHS (and 1 more zone).
Coolum State High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 49/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 54/100, indicating moderate performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 1040, above the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Coolum State High School, Year 7 students averaged 533 across the tested NAPLAN domains, in line with the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 565, in line with 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.
Coolum State High School is a large government secondary school with approximately 1,551 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.
Coolum 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 57/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Coolum State High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.3:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 26% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 88%, which is moderate.
The Year 12 completion rate is 100%.
Coolum State High School is located in Coolum Beach, QLD, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 1040 (64th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is around the national average. 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.