Fisher Road School vs The Hills School
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in New South Wales, 26 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Fisher Road School
Dee Why · Government special · U
62 students · ICSEA 1050
The Hills School
Northmead · Government special · U
112 students · ICSEA 1046
| Measure | Fisher Road School Dee Why NSW | The Hills School Northmead NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | U | U |
| Students | 62 | 112 |
| Girls / boys | 17 / 45 | 46 / 66 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +15% | +5% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1050 | 1046 |
| ICSEA percentile | 68th | 67th |
| Top SEA quarter | 28% | 25% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 24% | 23% |
| Students per teacher | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 12.9 | 25.6 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 13.1 | 23.1 |
| Language background other than English | 59% | 71% |
| Indigenous students | 2% | 2% |
| Suburb | Dee Why 2099 | Northmead 2152 |
| Council area | Northern Beaches | Parramatta |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | fisherrd-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | thehills-s.schools.nsw.gov.au |
The verdict
- •Fisher Road School has the higher ICSEA (1050 vs 1046), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •The Hills School is the larger school with 112 students compared with 62.
- •Fisher Road School has grown faster over five years (15% vs 5%).
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 Fisher Road School better than The Hills 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 Fisher Road School and The Hills School?
About 26 km in a straight line, between Dee Why and Northmead in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Fisher Road School has 4.8 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and The Hills School has 4.4.
How do Fisher Road School and The Hills School rank in NSW?
Fisher Road School is unranked and The Hills School is unranked among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.