Lightning Ridge Central School
Updated Oct 2026 · ACARA 2025Lightning Ridge, New South Wales 2834 · Walgett LGA
#311 of 314 combined schools in NSW
#1211 of 1,259 nationally
About Lightning Ridge Central School
Lightning Ridge Central School is a public combined (K–12) school located in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales (2834), within the Walgett local government area. It caters for students from K to 12 and in 2025 enrolled 311 students (156 girls and 155 boys).
Lightning Ridge Central School has an ICSEA value of 790, indicating a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. That places it in the 3rd percentile of Australian schools. 4% of students come from the top socio-educational quarter and 71% from the bottom quarter.
The school employs 31 teachers (32.5 full-time equivalent) and 20 non-teaching staff, giving a student-to-teacher ratio of about 9.6 to 1. Enrolments have fallen by 6% over the past five years.
On the Success Index, Lightning Ridge Central School scores 22.8 out of 100, placing it in the lower 50% of combined schools nationally and 311th of 314 combined schools in NSW.
Success Index breakdown
Each component is a percentile against schools of the same type across Australia.
- Socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) (50%)ICSEA 790
- Students in the top advantage quarter (15%)4% of students
- Teacher resourcing (students per teacher) (15%)9.6 students per teacher
- Enrolment growth vs local area (5 years) (10%)-6% enrolments since 2020
- ICSEA trend (5 years) (10%)-41 ICSEA points since 2020
The Success Index summarises the academic environment of a school community using official ACARA data. It is not a measure of teaching quality or student results. Read the methodology.
Student profile
Distribution of students across socio-educational advantage (SEA) quarters, plus community characteristics.
Enrolments by year level
How Lightning Ridge Central School's 311 students are spread across year levels in 2025.
Enrolment trend
How enrolments at Lightning Ridge Central School have changed over the past decade.
Free academic assessment
Is your child on track at Lightning Ridge Central School?
Rankings tell you about a school community. A free Success Tutoring assessment tells you about your child: exactly where they are in English and Maths, where the gaps are, and a plan to close them. Small-group, Australian-curriculum tutoring with no lock-in contracts.
- Personalised learning plan mapped to the Australian Curriculum
- English & Maths from Kindergarten to Year 12
- Flexible memberships, no lock-in contracts
- Your nearest centre: Success Tutoring Belmont
Similar schools
Government combined schools in NSW with a comparable ICSEA.
Bonalbo Central School
Bonalbo · Government combined · K-12
84 students · ICSEA 791
Mungindi Central School
Mungindi · Government combined · P-12
66 students · ICSEA 795
Baradine Central School
Baradine · Government combined · K-12
101 students · ICSEA 785
Warren Central School
Warren · Government combined · K-12
228 students · ICSEA 783
Ashford Central School
Ashford · Government combined · K-12
119 students · ICSEA 808
Binnaway Central School
Binnaway · Government combined · K-12
44 students · ICSEA 815
Frequently asked questions
Is Lightning Ridge Central School a public or private school?
Lightning Ridge Central School is a public (government) school run by the New South Wales education department.
What year levels does Lightning Ridge Central School offer?
Lightning Ridge Central School offers K to 12. It is classified by ACARA as a combined school.
How many students attend Lightning Ridge Central School?
In 2025, Lightning Ridge Central School had 311 enrolled students (156 girls, 155 boys), a change of -6% over five years.
What is the ICSEA of Lightning Ridge Central School?
Lightning Ridge Central School has an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of 790. The national average is 1000, so this indicates a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. ICSEA reflects the school community, not teaching quality.
How does Lightning Ridge Central School rank in NSW?
Lightning Ridge Central School ranks 311th of 314 combined schools in New South Wales on the Success Index (22.8/100), and 1211th of 1,259 nationally.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Lightning Ridge Central School?
Lightning Ridge Central School has about 9.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, based on 2025 ACARA staffing data.
How big is the Year 7 cohort at Lightning Ridge Central School?
In 2025, Lightning Ridge Central School had 23 students in Year 7 and 17 in Year 12.
Is Lightning Ridge Central School co-ed?
Yes. Lightning Ridge Central School is a co-educational school enrolling both girls and boys.
Where can I get tutoring near Lightning Ridge Central School?
The closest Success Tutoring centre is Success Tutoring Belmont, about 532 km from the school. Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment to identify your child's strengths and learning gaps before any sessions begin.