Budawang School vs St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 1.6 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Budawang School
Milton · Government special · U
44 students · ICSEA 909
St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School
Milton · Catholic primary · K-6
125 students · ICSEA 1044
| Measure | Budawang School Milton NSW | St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Milton NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 62 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #579 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1769 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | K-6 |
| Students | 44 | 125 |
| Girls / boys | 8 / 36 | 55 / 70 |
| Foundation intake | – | 21 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +33% | -3% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 909 | 1044 |
| ICSEA percentile | 13th | 66th |
| Top SEA quarter | 3% | 23% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 56% | 15% |
| Students per teacher | 4.8 | 9.9 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 9.1 | 12.6 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 9.4 | 7.5 |
| Language background other than English | 7% | 3% |
| Indigenous students | 30% | 7% |
| Suburb | Milton 2538 | Milton 2538 |
| Council area | Shoalhaven | Shoalhaven |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | budawang-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | www.sosmdow.catholic.edu.au/ |
The verdict
- •St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1044 vs 909), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Budawang School has fewer students per teacher (4.8 vs 9.9).
- •St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is the larger school with 125 students compared with 44.
- •Budawang School has grown faster over five years (33% vs -3%).
- •Budawang School is a government school while St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is a catholic 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 Budawang School better than St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary 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 Budawang School and St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School?
About 1.6 km in a straight line, between Milton and Milton in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Budawang School has 4.8 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School has 9.9.
How do Budawang School and St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School rank in NSW?
Budawang School is unranked and St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is 579th of 1,619 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.