Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School vs Highlands School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 5.7 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School
Bowral · Independent combined · K-12
131 students · ICSEA 1052
Highlands School
Mittagong · Government special · U
37 students · ICSEA 860
| Measure | Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School Bowral NSW | Highlands School Mittagong NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 60 Top 50% | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | #141 of 314 | – |
| National rank (type) | #454 of 1,259 | – |
| Sector | Independent | Government |
| Type | Combined | Special |
| Year range | K-12 | U |
| Students | 131 | 37 |
| Girls / boys | 64 / 67 | 14 / 23 |
| Foundation intake | 17 | – |
| Year 7 cohort | 9 | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 5 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +17% | +12% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1052 | 860 |
| ICSEA percentile | 69th | 6th |
| Top SEA quarter | 30% | 5% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 18% | 74% |
| Students per teacher | 10.4 | 4.2 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 12.6 | 8.9 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 5.7 | 9.0 |
| Language background other than English | 6% | 8% |
| Indigenous students | 11% | 27% |
| Suburb | Bowral 2576 | Mittagong 2575 |
| Council area | Wingecarribee | Wingecarribee |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | aurorasteiner.nsw.edu.au/ | highlands-s.schools.nsw.gov.au |
The verdict
- •Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School has the higher ICSEA (1052 vs 860), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Highlands School has fewer students per teacher (4.2 vs 10.4).
- •Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School is the larger school with 131 students compared with 37.
- •Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School is a independent school while Highlands School is a government school, so fees and enrolment rules differ.
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 Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School better than Highlands 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 Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School and Highlands School?
About 5.7 km in a straight line, between Bowral and Mittagong in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School has 10.4 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Highlands School has 4.2.
How do Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School and Highlands School rank in NSW?
Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School is 141st of 314 and Highlands School is unranked among combined schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.