Tagai State College serves Thursday Island as a combined government school with a strong vocational focus.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages; the result is a C overall.
Tagai State College serves Thursday Island as a combined government school with a strong vocational focus. Alongside academic pathways, the school offers trade training and practical qualifications, making it a good fit for students drawn to hands-on learning. Known for its tight-knit community feel and robust pastoral care, Tagai supports students with disability through dedicated learning support. The school's smaller size and close connections mean students get to know staff well, which tends to work especially well for young people who thrive with consistent relationships and clear expectations.
Tagai State College is also known as TSC Thursday Island.
Tagai State College has an overall SchoolRank score of 18.2/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 10/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 742, below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Tagai State College, Year 3 students averaged 293 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 407 for that year level, and Year 5 students averaged 380, well below the national average of 490 for that year level, and Year 7 students averaged 434, well below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 435, 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.
Tagai State College is a large government combined school with approximately 1,261 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.
Tagai State College 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 10/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Tagai State College has a student-to-teacher ratio of 8.1:1. This is well below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 48% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 74%, which is below the national benchmark.
Tagai State College is located in Thursday Island, QLD, classified as a very remote school. With an ICSEA of 742 (2th 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.