Castle Cove Public School vs St Thomas' Catholic Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two primary schools in New South Wales, 1.4 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Castle Cove Public School
Castle Cove · Government primary · K-6
273 students · ICSEA 1167
St Thomas' Catholic Primary School
Willoughby · Catholic primary · K-6
277 students · ICSEA 1161
| Measure | Castle Cove Public School Castle Cove NSW | St Thomas' Catholic Primary School Willoughby NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 75 Top 10% | 75 Top 10% |
| State rank (type) | #156 of 1,619 | #136 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | #575 of 4,908 | #531 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Primary | Primary |
| Year range | K-6 | K-6 |
| Students | 273 | 277 |
| Girls / boys | 133 / 140 | 144 / 133 |
| Foundation intake | 32 | 38 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | -39% | -23% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1167 | 1161 |
| ICSEA percentile | 97th | 97th |
| Top SEA quarter | 67% | 65% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 1% | 0% |
| Students per teacher | 16.7 | 15.3 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 16.3 | 18.1 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 3.1 | 4.1 |
| Language background other than English | 37% | 26% |
| Indigenous students | 0% | 0% |
| Suburb | Castle Cove 2069 | Willoughby 2068 |
| Council area | Willoughby | Willoughby |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | castlecove-p.schools.nsw.gov.au | www.stwdbb.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Both schools have almost identical Success Index scores (74.5 vs 75.1).
- •Castle Cove Public School has the higher ICSEA (1167 vs 1161), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •St Thomas' Catholic Primary School has fewer students per teacher (15.3 vs 16.7).
- •St Thomas' Catholic Primary School is the larger school with 277 students compared with 273.
- •St Thomas' Catholic Primary School has grown faster over five years (-23% vs -39%).
- •Castle Cove Public School is a government school while St Thomas' 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 Castle Cove Public School better than St Thomas' 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 Castle Cove Public School and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School?
About 1.4 km in a straight line, between Castle Cove and Willoughby in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Castle Cove Public School has 16.7 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School has 15.3.
How do Castle Cove Public School and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School rank in NSW?
Castle Cove Public School is 156th of 1,619 and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School is 136th of 1,619 among primary schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.