Open Learning Campus
The Open Learning Campus (OLC) vision is to engage young people in academic programs designed to deliver authentic education, training and well-being programs via blended learning (on-campus, face-to-face & online). Enrolment scope is for young people in years 9-12 who have disconnected, are significantly disengaged or at risk of disengagement from education. OLC enrolment is limited to young people living in the Cairns area who meet the criteria for enrollment and have a transport plan in place.
The OLC is focused on re-engaging young people with education, training and/or employment pathways. OLC staff intentionally collaborate with students and their families to re-connect with schooling and transition to an appropriate 'learning or earning' pathway. While each student's needs are different, we expect students to make a transition out from the OLC within 12-24 months of their enrollment.
The primary focus of our programming is to assist young people in the attainment of skills, achievements and qualifications that align with personal wellbeing, education and training standards that reflect community expectations.
Each student is unique and has a diverse range of needs. We acknowledge this and schedule termly care, goal-setting and academic review sessions with our students and their support team(s). Goal setting reflects academic, behavioral, social and personal progress; our teachers use a range of data to track student progress, in line with the four improvement measures identified in the State Schools Improvement Strategy 2025-2029: Brighter futures: Delivering excellence in every state school, for every student.
Enrolment
The Principal will be responsible for determining an applicant's eligibility for enrolment in the OLC. The Head of Department will formally advise the parent and young person when an application meets the eligibility criteria and has been approved by the Principal.
The Deputy Principal will formally advise the parent and young person when an application does not meet the eligibility requirements for enrolment.
Scope of the Program
The scope of the Cairns SDE OLC is to ensure that every young person has a clearly defined pathway that focuses on engagement, wellbeing and academic achievement leading towards:
- Transitioning to quality paid employment (including traineeships and apprenticeships)
- Achieving a QLD Certificate of Education (QCE)
- Transitioning to a mainstream school enrolment, or
- Transitioning to a clearly articulated Vocational Education and Training (VET) or University pathway.
As part of this service commitment and delivery of programs, young people will have:
- access to an individual learning program (formatting consistent)
- access to online learning platform(s)
- access to face-to-face on-campus contact sessions (within enrolment criteria and where determined suitable by OLC staff)
- access to engagement and educational case management to support identified needs
Categories and Scope of Enrolment in the Open Learning Campus at Cairns SDE
- Disconnected from education (not enrolled in a school)
- Young people not enrolled and requiring individualised support beyond what their local school can provide.
- Disengaged from education (attendance below 50%)
- Transition to the OLC requires evidence that reasonable in-school adjustments were made but were insufficient.
- At significant risk of disengagement (assessed individually)
- Transition requires evidence that necessary in-school adjustments cannot be provided to support engagement.
- Young people that will not pose an unacceptable risk to the safety or wellbeing of members of the school community.
Parents/carers play a vital role in supporting their child's engagement in the OLC. This includes encouraging regular attendance, maintaining communication with staff, and reinforcing expectations around learning, behaviour, and wellbeing. Ongoing parent/carer support is essential to each young person's success in the program.
- All young people are Cairns SDE students once enrolled.
- Enrolments are managed by the OLC, on behalf of Cairns SDE.
- The OLC is not a school, it is a program at Cairns SDE, students are enrolled at Cairns SDE.
- There are attendance expectations that differentiate OLC students from traditional Cairns SDE students.
- Students enrolling in the OLC may be exempt/waived from the general Cairns SDE enrolment fees due to extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of the principal.
- By enrolling at the OLC, you agree to the Cairns SDE Student Code of Conduct
The OLC is a face-to-face program run by Cairns School of Distance Education. Places are limited, and students are expected to attend campus four days per week with a minimum 85% attendance rate. Where barriers to full-time on-campus attendance exist, the school will consider options to support engagement in a full-time equivalent program. Students who cannot maintain attendance expectations may have their enrolment transitioned from the OLC to a full-time Cairns SDE home-based enrolment. This includes situations where transport issues, behaviour, or ongoing medical conditions impact attendance.
The Cairns SDE OLC delivers programs via blended learning (online and on-campus sessions) to young people residing in Cairns. A clearly defined Transport Plan is an essential requirement of enrolment. Transport Plans need to detail how the student will access the campus and include alternative strategies to ensure students can access the full program.
Enrolling at Cairns SDE's Open Learning Centre
For enrolment and program enquiries, please contact the relevant enrolments team using the email address listed below for your child’s enrolling year level.
2026 New Enrolments - Enrolment forms
Required forms – please note if these forms are not submitted with your application, your enrolment will not be processed:If applicable:
Required forms – please note if these forms are not submitted with your application, your enrolment will not be processed:If applicable: