Alesco Secondary College vs Valley Hope Christian School
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in New South Wales, 412 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Alesco Secondary College
Cooks Hill · Independent special · 9-12
664 students · ICSEA 949
Valley Hope Christian School
Townsend · Independent special · U
51 students · ICSEA 951
| Measure | Alesco Secondary College Cooks Hill NSW | Valley Hope Christian School Townsend NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Independent | Independent |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | 9-12 | U |
| Students | 664 | 51 |
| Girls / boys | 461 / 203 | 18 / 33 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 91 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +66% | – |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 949 | 951 |
| ICSEA percentile | 24th | 25th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 8% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 49% | 40% |
| Students per teacher | 10.5 | 6.1 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 63.2 | 8.4 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 42.6 | 10.3 |
| Language background other than English | 0% | 4% |
| Indigenous students | 19% | 25% |
| Suburb | Cooks Hill 2300 | Townsend 2463 |
| Council area | Newcastle | Clarence Valley |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Inner Regional |
| Website | atwea.edu.au/high-school-at-alesco/ | www.valleyhope.nsw.edu.au/ |
The verdict
- •Valley Hope Christian School has the higher ICSEA (951 vs 949), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Valley Hope Christian School has fewer students per teacher (6.1 vs 10.5).
- •Alesco Secondary College is the larger school with 664 students compared with 51.
The Success Index summarises community advantage, resourcing and momentum from ACARA data. It does not measure teaching quality, results or fit. Methodology.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Alesco Secondary College better than Valley Hope Christian School?
The two schools are very close on the Success Index. Differences in sector, size, year range and distance from home will matter more than the score.
How far apart are Alesco Secondary College and Valley Hope Christian School?
About 412 km in a straight line, between Cooks Hill and Townsend in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Alesco Secondary College has 10.5 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Valley Hope Christian School has 6.1.
How do Alesco Secondary College and Valley Hope Christian School rank in NSW?
Alesco Secondary College is unranked and Valley Hope Christian School is unranked among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.