Caldera School vs Tweed River High School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 1.4 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Caldera School
Tweed Heads South · Government special · U
24 students · ICSEA 936
Tweed River High School
Tweed Heads South · Government high school · 7-12
590 students · ICSEA 940
| Measure | Caldera School Tweed Heads South NSW | Tweed River High School Tweed Heads South NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 35 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #383 of 539 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1072 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | U | 7-12 |
| Students | 24 | 590 |
| Girls / boys | 7 / 17 | 249 / 341 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | 97 |
| Year 12 cohort | – | 69 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | -8% | -16% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 936 | 940 |
| ICSEA percentile | 20th | 21th |
| Top SEA quarter | 10% | 4% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 45% | 45% |
| Students per teacher | 2.9 | 9.9 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 8.2 | 59.3 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 9.0 | 15.3 |
| Language background other than English | 4% | 13% |
| Indigenous students | 33% | 24% |
| Suburb | Tweed Heads South 2486 | Tweed Heads South 2486 |
| Council area | Tweed | Tweed |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | caldera-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | tweedriver-h.schools.nsw.gov.au |
The verdict
- •Tweed River High School has the higher ICSEA (940 vs 936), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Caldera School has fewer students per teacher (2.9 vs 9.9).
- •Tweed River High School is the larger school with 590 students compared with 24.
- •Caldera School has grown faster over five years (-8% vs -16%).
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 Caldera School better than Tweed River High 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 Caldera School and Tweed River High School?
About 1.4 km in a straight line, between Tweed Heads South and Tweed Heads South in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Caldera School has 2.9 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Tweed River High School has 9.9.
How do Caldera School and Tweed River High School rank in NSW?
Caldera School is unranked and Tweed River High School is 383rd of 539 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.