Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town vs North Academy
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in New South Wales, 140 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town
Engadine · Independent special · 4-12
55 students · ICSEA 962
North Academy
West Wallsend · Independent special · 9-11
35 students · ICSEA 966
| Measure | Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town Engadine NSW | North Academy West Wallsend NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Independent | Independent |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | 4-12 | 9-11 |
| Students | 55 | 35 |
| Girls / boys | 18 / 37 | 22 / 13 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | 6 | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 4 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +28% | – |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 962 | 966 |
| ICSEA percentile | 30th | 32th |
| Top SEA quarter | 5% | 11% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 43% | 29% |
| Students per teacher | 5.6 | 5.0 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 9.8 | 7.0 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 21.8 | 5.0 |
| Language background other than English | 2% | 0% |
| Indigenous students | 15% | 31% |
| Suburb | Engadine 2233 | West Wallsend 2286 |
| Council area | Sutherland | Lake Macquarie |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | www.dunleacentre.org.au | northacademy.nsw.edu.au/about-us/location |
The verdict
- •North Academy has the higher ICSEA (966 vs 962), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •North Academy has fewer students per teacher (5.0 vs 5.6).
- •Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town is the larger school with 55 students compared with 35.
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 Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town better than North Academy?
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 Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town and North Academy?
About 140 km in a straight line, between Engadine and West Wallsend in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town has 5.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and North Academy has 5.0.
How do Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town and North Academy rank in NSW?
Dunlea Centre, Australia's Original Boys' Town is unranked and North Academy is unranked among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.