Students at Cairns West State School are taking ownership of their learning and building stronger school habits, with a simple approach within an existing school program already delivering powerful results.
As part of the Cowboys’ Try for 5! program, an attendance card system is helping students who have faced challenges with regular attendance visually track each day they attend school, creating a sense of achievement and encouraging consistency.
At Cairns West, a small group of around eight students involved in the initiative has already shown measurable improvement in attendance in 2026. One student has lifted their attendance from approximately 10 per cent in 2025 to 67 per cent as of mid-March.
For Deputy Principal – Partnership Initiative Christian Gleave, the impact goes far beyond the numbers.
“Being at school is where students build the skills to contribute to their community and their future,” Gleave said. “When they’re here, they’re learning, they’re engaging and they’re setting themselves up for long-term success.”
With Far North Queensland continuing to face some of the lowest school attendance rates in the state, and positive change tracking slower than the state average, improvements at Cairns West highlight the impact of targeted, student-focused support delivered through the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys’ ongoing commitment to local schools.
Cowboys Programs Lead and former NRLW player Tahlulah Tillett said the program is designed to empower students to take the lead in their own progress.
“It’s the students who are doing the hard work – we’re just there to support them,” Tillett said. “When they can see their progress each day, it builds confidence, pride and motivation to keep showing up.”
The attendance cards form part of a broader, relationship-based approach that includes regular school visits, family engagement and personalised support for students facing barriers to attendance.
“We work closely with students and their families to understand what’s getting in the way and set small, achievable goals,” Tillett said. “Tools like the attendance cards help break that down into small, manageable steps, so students can build their attendance over time.”
The long-term impact is also extending beyond individual students, with flow-on benefits for families and siblings.
“When one student builds strong attendance habits, it often influences others in the family,” Gleave said. “We’re seeing better attendance not just from individuals, but across households.”
The impact is already being felt both inside and outside the classroom, with the school noting increased family involvement alongside improved attendance.
“It’s not just about getting them through the gate,” Gleave said. “Once students are here consistently, they engage in learning – and that opens up pathways for their future, whether that’s further education, employment or contributing to the community.”
Cairns West State School has been part of the Try for 5! program since 2019 and continues to show steady improvement, with attendance increasing by 2.2 percentage points since 2022, outperforming broader statewide trends.
The long-term impact of improved attendance is also being seen beyond individual students. One Cairns West student who previously struggled with attendance went on to achieve near-full attendance before transitioning to high school, where they have maintained that consistency. Their progress has also influenced younger siblings, who are now attending school more regularly.
“When one student builds those strong habits, it doesn’t just stop with them – it flows through to their siblings and their whole family,” Tillett said. “That’s when you see real, lasting change in a community.”
Across the Cairns region, early 2026 results show encouraging improvement across all four Try for 5! partner schools – Balaclava, Cairns West, White Rock and Woree State Schools, reflecting renewed momentum.
Individual success stories highlight the broader impact of the program. Some students have improved attendance from below 60 per cent to near-full attendance within a single term, alongside increased confidence, classroom engagement and academic progress.
“We’ve seen students go from being quite disengaged to attending nearly every day, becoming more confident and participating in class,” Tillett said. “That’s when you know it’s making a real difference.”
More broadly, schools involved in the Try for 5! program across Queensland have continued to improve attendance outcomes despite wider challenges. Between 2023 and 2025, average attendance across Try for 5! schools increased by 0.3 percentage points, while the state average declined by 0.5 percentage points over the same period – highlighting the impact of sustained, targeted support.
The Cowboys Try for 5! program uses the influence of the Cowboys brand to support schools in building positive attendance habits, strengthening engagement and improving outcomes over time.
For more information on the program, visit cowboysfoundation.org.au/tryfor5.
