Cook School vs St Patrick's College Sutherland
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 1.1 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 College Sutherland
Sutherland · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,227 students · ICSEA 1093
| Measure | Cook School Loftus NSW | St Patrick's College Sutherland Sutherland NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 68 Top 25% |
| State rank (type) | – | #129 of 539 |
| National rank (type) | – | #320 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | U | 7-12 |
| Students | 66 | 1,227 |
| Girls / boys | 20 / 46 | 623 / 604 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | 201 |
| Year 12 cohort | – | 199 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +69% | -6% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 956 | 1093 |
| ICSEA percentile | 27th | 82th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 33% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 47% | 6% |
| Students per teacher | 4.1 | 13.7 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 16.1 | 89.7 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 15.8 | 19.9 |
| Language background other than English | 31% | 27% |
| 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 | spcsutherland.syd.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Patrick's College Sutherland has the higher ICSEA (1093 vs 956), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Cook School has fewer students per teacher (4.1 vs 13.7).
- •St Patrick's College Sutherland is the larger school with 1,227 students compared with 66.
- •Cook School has grown faster over five years (69% vs -6%).
- •Cook School is a government school while St Patrick's College Sutherland 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 College Sutherland?
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 College Sutherland?
About 1.1 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 College Sutherland has 13.7.
How do Cook School and St Patrick's College Sutherland rank in NSW?
Cook School is unranked and St Patrick's College Sutherland is 129th of 539 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.