Papunya School
Updated Oct 2026 · ACARA 2025Papunya, Northern Territory 0872 · MacDonnell LGA
About Papunya School
Papunya School is a public combined (K–12) school located in Papunya, Northern Territory (0872), within the MacDonnell local government area. It caters for students from T to 12 and in 2025 enrolled 71 students (36 girls and 35 boys).
Papunya School has an ICSEA value of 582, indicating a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. That places it in the 0th percentile of Australian schools. 0% of students come from the top socio-educational quarter and 96% from the bottom quarter.
The school employs 12 teachers (10.3 full-time equivalent) and 2 non-teaching staff, giving a student-to-teacher ratio of about 6.8 to 1. Enrolments have fallen by 39% over the past five years.
On the Success Index, Papunya School scores 19.8 out of 100. Because it has fewer than 80 students it is not included in ranking tables, where small enrolments make year-to-year comparisons unreliable.
Success Index breakdown
Each component is a percentile against schools of the same type across Australia.
- Socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) (50%)ICSEA 582
- Students in the top advantage quarter (15%)0% of students
- Teacher resourcing (students per teacher) (15%)6.8 students per teacher
- Enrolment growth vs local area (5 years) (10%)-39% enrolments since 2020 (area median +4%)
- ICSEA trend (5 years) (10%)+28 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 Papunya School's 71 students are spread across year levels in 2025.
Enrolment trend
How enrolments at Papunya School have changed over the past decade.
Free academic assessment
Is your child on track at Papunya 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 Windsor Gardens
Similar schools
Government combined schools in NT with a comparable ICSEA.
Bonya School
Anatye · Government combined · T-6
7 students · ICSEA 579
Wugularr School
Beswick · Government combined · T-12
138 students · ICSEA 585
Areyonga School
Areyonga · Government combined · 1-6
29 students · ICSEA 586
Amanbidji School
Timber Creek · Government combined · T-9
22 students · ICSEA 576
Alyarrmandumanja Umbakumba School
Umbakumba · Government combined · T-11
49 students · ICSEA 591
Kalkaringi School
Kalkarindji · Government combined · T-11
164 students · ICSEA 593
Frequently asked questions
Is Papunya School a public or private school?
Papunya School is a public (government) school run by the Northern Territory education department.
What year levels does Papunya School offer?
Papunya School offers T to 12. It is classified by ACARA as a combined school.
How many students attend Papunya School?
In 2025, Papunya School had 71 enrolled students (36 girls, 35 boys), a change of -39% over five years.
What is the ICSEA of Papunya School?
Papunya School has an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of 582. The national average is 1000, so this indicates a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. ICSEA reflects the school community, not teaching quality.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Papunya School?
Papunya School has about 6.8 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, based on 2025 ACARA staffing data.
How big is the Year 7 cohort at Papunya School?
In 2025, Papunya School had 6 students in Year 7 and 1 in Year 12.
Is Papunya School co-ed?
Yes. Papunya School is a co-educational school enrolling both girls and boys.
Where can I get tutoring near Papunya School?
The closest Success Tutoring centre is Success Tutoring Windsor Gardens, about 1452 km from the school. Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment to identify your child's strengths and learning gaps before any sessions begin.