Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School
Updated Oct 2026 · ACARA 2025Mullumbimby, New South Wales 2482 · Byron LGA
#154 of 314 combined schools in NSW
#482 of 1,259 nationally
About Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School is an independent combined (K–12) school located in Mullumbimby, New South Wales (2482), within the Byron local government area. It caters for students from K to 12 and in 2025 enrolled 587 students (315 girls and 272 boys). The school is affiliated with Independent Schools NSW.
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School has an ICSEA value of 1070, indicating above-average socio-educational advantage. That places it in the 75th percentile of Australian schools. 29% of students come from the top socio-educational quarter and 8% from the bottom quarter.
The school employs 78 teachers (58.6 full-time equivalent) and 67 non-teaching staff, giving a student-to-teacher ratio of about 10.0 to 1. Enrolments have fallen by 10% over the past five years.
On the Success Index, Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School scores 58.8 out of 100, placing it in the top 50% of combined schools nationally and 154th of 314 combined schools in NSW (2nd of 2 in the Byron area).
Success Index breakdown
Each component is a percentile against schools of the same type across Australia.
- Socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) (50%)ICSEA 1070
- Students in the top advantage quarter (15%)29% of students
- Teacher resourcing (students per teacher) (15%)10.0 students per teacher
- Enrolment growth vs local area (5 years) (10%)-10% enrolments since 2020 (area median +3%)
- ICSEA trend (5 years) (10%)-5 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 Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School's 587 students are spread across year levels in 2025.
Enrolment trend
How enrolments at Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School have changed over the past decade.
Free academic assessment
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Schools near Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School
Closest schools by straight-line distance, with their Success Index.
Hinterland Christian College
Mullumbimby · Independent combined · K-10
71 students · ICSEA 1048 · 2.9 km away
Mullumbimby High School
Mullumbimby · Government high school · 7-12
623 students · ICSEA 1019 · 3.4 km away
Wilsons Creek Public School
Mullumbimby · Government primary · K-6
23 students · ICSEA 1041 · 3.6 km away
St John's Primary School
Mullumbimby · Catholic primary · K-6
63 students · ICSEA 1038 · 3.7 km away
Mullumbimby Public School
Mullumbimby · Government primary · K-6
217 students · ICSEA 1026 · 4.5 km away
Goonengerry Public School
Goonengerry · Government primary · K-6
57 students · ICSEA 1048 · 6.1 km away
The Pocket Public School
The Pocket · Government primary · K-6
111 students · ICSEA 1068 · 6.1 km away
Upper Coopers Creek Public School
Upper Coopers Creek · Government primary · K-6
10 students · ICSEA 1003 · 7.9 km away
Coorabell Public School
Coorabell · Government primary · K-6
92 students · ICSEA 1066 · 8.0 km away
Main Arm Upper Public School
Upper Main Arm · Government primary · K-6
88 students · ICSEA 1016 · 8.1 km away
Similar schools
Independent combined schools in NSW with a comparable ICSEA.
Richmond Christian College
Ballina · Independent combined · K-12
327 students · ICSEA 1069
The Small School
Murwillumbah · Independent combined · K-10
67 students · ICSEA 1071
Newcastle Waldorf School
Glendale · Independent combined · K-12
237 students · ICSEA 1072
Moama Anglican Grammar School
Moama · Independent combined · K-12
721 students · ICSEA 1072
St Philip's Christian College - Port Stephens
Salamander Bay · Independent combined · K-12
821 students · ICSEA 1072
Southern Highlands Christian School
Bowral · Independent combined · K-12
363 students · ICSEA 1068
Frequently asked questions
Is Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School a public or private school?
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School is a Independent school, which makes it a non-government (private) school affiliated with Independent Schools NSW.
What year levels does Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School offer?
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School offers K to 12. It is classified by ACARA as a combined school.
How many students attend Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School?
In 2025, Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School had 587 enrolled students (315 girls, 272 boys), a change of -10% over five years.
What is the ICSEA of Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School?
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School has an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of 1070. The national average is 1000, so this indicates above-average socio-educational advantage. ICSEA reflects the school community, not teaching quality.
How does Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School rank in NSW?
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School ranks 154th of 314 combined schools in New South Wales on the Success Index (58.8/100), and 482nd of 1,259 nationally.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School?
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School has about 10.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, based on 2025 ACARA staffing data.
How big is the Year 7 cohort at Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School?
In 2025, Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School had 50 students in Year 7 and 34 in Year 12.
Is Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School co-ed?
Yes. Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School is a co-educational school enrolling both girls and boys.
What other schools are near Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School?
There are 10 other schools within 15 km of Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School in our database. Scroll up to the "Nearby schools" section to compare them by Success Index, ICSEA and enrolments, or use the Compare tool.
Where can I get tutoring near Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School?
The closest Success Tutoring centre is Success Tutoring Mount Gravatt East, about 119 km from the school. Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment to identify your child's strengths and learning gaps before any sessions begin.