Cook School vs St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 1.3 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Cook School
Loftus · Government special · U
66 students · ICSEA 956
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
Sutherland · Catholic primary · K-6
603 students · ICSEA 1106
| Measure | Cook School Loftus NSW | St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Sutherland NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 70 Top 25% |
| State rank (type) | – | #312 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1040 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | K-6 |
| Students | 66 | 603 |
| Girls / boys | 20 / 46 | 300 / 303 |
| Foundation intake | – | 84 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +69% | +23% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 956 | 1106 |
| ICSEA percentile | 27th | 86th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 40% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 47% | 5% |
| Students per teacher | 4.1 | 18.6 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 16.1 | 32.4 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 15.8 | 7.8 |
| Language background other than English | 31% | 33% |
| Indigenous students | 14% | 1% |
| Suburb | Loftus 2232 | Sutherland 2232 |
| Council area | Sutherland | Sutherland |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | cook-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | stpsutherland.syd.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Patrick's Catholic Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1106 vs 956), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Cook School has fewer students per teacher (4.1 vs 18.6).
- •St Patrick's Catholic Primary School is the larger school with 603 students compared with 66.
- •Cook School has grown faster over five years (69% vs 23%).
- •Cook School is a government school while St Patrick's 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 Cook School better than St Patrick's 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 Cook School and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School?
About 1.3 km in a straight line, between Loftus and Sutherland in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Cook School has 4.1 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School has 18.6.
How do Cook School and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School rank in NSW?
Cook School is unranked and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School is 312th of 1,619 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.