Lightning Reef Primary School
Updated Oct 2026 · ACARA 2025Bendigo, Victoria 3550 · Greater Bendigo LGA
#1266 of 1,290 primary schools in VIC
#4440 of 4,908 nationally
About Lightning Reef Primary School
Lightning Reef Primary School is a public primary school located in Bendigo, Victoria (3550), within the Greater Bendigo local government area. It caters for students from Prep to 6 and in 2025 enrolled 165 students (74 girls and 91 boys).
Lightning Reef Primary School has an ICSEA value of 858, indicating a community facing significant socio-educational disadvantage. That places it in the 5th percentile of Australian schools. 1% of students come from the top socio-educational quarter and 79% from the bottom quarter.
The school employs 23 teachers (18.5 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff, giving a student-to-teacher ratio of about 8.9 to 1. Enrolments have fallen by 8% over the past five years.
On the Success Index, Lightning Reef Primary School scores 25.9 out of 100, placing it in the lower 50% of primary schools nationally and 1266th of 1,290 primary schools in VIC (30th of 31 in the Greater Bendigo area).
Success Index breakdown
Each component is a percentile against schools of the same type across Australia.
- Socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) (50%)ICSEA 858
- Students in the top advantage quarter (15%)1% of students
- Teacher resourcing (students per teacher) (15%)8.9 students per teacher
- Enrolment growth vs local area (5 years) (10%)-8% enrolments since 2020 (area median -6%)
- ICSEA trend (5 years) (10%)+25 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 Reef Primary School's 165 students are spread across year levels in 2025.
Enrolment trend
How enrolments at Lightning Reef Primary School have changed over the past decade.
Free academic assessment
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Schools near Lightning Reef Primary School
Closest schools by straight-line distance, with their Success Index.
Kalianna School
Bendigo · Government special · U
221 students · ICSEA 895 · 886 m away
St Peter's School
North Bendigo · Catholic primary · Prep-6
132 students · ICSEA 979 · 887 m away
California Gully Primary School
California Gully · Government primary · Prep-6
181 students · ICSEA 913 · 1.7 km away
St Liborius' School
Eaglehawk · Catholic primary · Prep-6
258 students · ICSEA 1018 · 1.8 km away
Catherine McAuley College
Bendigo · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,567 students · ICSEA 1055 · 1.9 km away
Eaglehawk Secondary College
Eaglehawk · Government high school · 7-10
561 students · ICSEA 922 · 1.9 km away
Eaglehawk Primary School
Eaglehawk · Government primary · Prep-6
159 students · ICSEA 869 · 2.2 km away
Bendigo Senior Secondary College
Bendigo · Government high school · 10-12
1,918 students · ICSEA 1003 · 2.2 km away
Camp Hill Primary School
Bendigo · Government primary · Prep-6
251 students · ICSEA 1040 · 2.3 km away
Bendigo Primary School
Bendigo · Government primary · Prep-6
196 students · ICSEA 1005 · 2.3 km away
Similar schools
Government primary schools in VIC with a comparable ICSEA.
Kerang Primary School
Kerang · Government primary · Prep-6
57 students · ICSEA 856
Ararat North Primary School
Ararat · Government primary · Prep-6
49 students · ICSEA 862
Girgarre Primary School
Girgarre · Government primary · Prep-6
27 students · ICSEA 863
Bealiba Primary School
Bealiba · Government primary · 5-6
2 students · ICSEA 850
Harston Primary School
Harston · Government primary · Prep-5
7 students · ICSEA 848
Eaglehawk Primary School
Eaglehawk · Government primary · Prep-6
159 students · ICSEA 869
Frequently asked questions
Is Lightning Reef Primary School a public or private school?
Lightning Reef Primary School is a public (government) school run by the Victoria education department.
What year levels does Lightning Reef Primary School offer?
Lightning Reef Primary School offers Prep to 6. It is classified by ACARA as a primary school.
How many students attend Lightning Reef Primary School?
In 2025, Lightning Reef Primary School had 165 enrolled students (74 girls, 91 boys), a change of -8% over five years.
What is the ICSEA of Lightning Reef Primary School?
Lightning Reef Primary School has an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of 858. 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 Reef Primary School rank in VIC?
Lightning Reef Primary School ranks 1266th of 1,290 primary schools in Victoria on the Success Index (25.9/100), and 4440th of 4,908 nationally.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Lightning Reef Primary School?
Lightning Reef Primary School has about 8.9 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, based on 2025 ACARA staffing data.
How many students start Prep at Lightning Reef Primary School each year?
In 2025, Lightning Reef Primary School had 22 students in Prep and 21 in Year 6.
Is Lightning Reef Primary School co-ed?
Yes. Lightning Reef Primary School is a co-educational school enrolling both girls and boys.
What other schools are near Lightning Reef Primary School?
There are 10 other schools within 15 km of Lightning Reef Primary 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 Lightning Reef Primary School?
The closest Success Tutoring centre is Success Tutoring Craigieburn, about 111 km from the school. Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment to identify your child's strengths and learning gaps before any sessions begin.