Five Islands School vs St Paul's Catholic College
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 463 m apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Five Islands School
Booragul · Government special · U
51 students · ICSEA 890
St Paul's Catholic College
Booragul · Catholic high school · 7-12
636 students · ICSEA 1026
| Measure | Five Islands School Booragul NSW | St Paul's Catholic College Booragul NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 59 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #217 of 539 |
| National rank (type) | – | #546 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | U | 7-12 |
| Students | 51 | 636 |
| Girls / boys | 15 / 36 | 340 / 296 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | 118 |
| Year 12 cohort | – | 74 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +38% | -25% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 890 | 1026 |
| ICSEA percentile | 9th | 58th |
| Top SEA quarter | 3% | 15% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 69% | 19% |
| Students per teacher | 5.0 | 9.9 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 10.3 | 64.5 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 10.4 | 17.0 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 13% |
| Indigenous students | 24% | 9% |
| Suburb | Booragul 2284 | Booragul 2284 |
| Council area | Lake Macquarie | Lake Macquarie |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | fiveis-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | booragul.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Paul's Catholic College has the higher ICSEA (1026 vs 890), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Five Islands School has fewer students per teacher (5.0 vs 9.9).
- •St Paul's Catholic College is the larger school with 636 students compared with 51.
- •Five Islands School has grown faster over five years (38% vs -25%).
- •Five Islands School is a government school while St Paul's Catholic College 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 Five Islands School better than St Paul's Catholic College?
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 Five Islands School and St Paul's Catholic College?
About 463 m in a straight line, between Booragul and Booragul in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Five Islands School has 5.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Paul's Catholic College has 9.9.
How do Five Islands School and St Paul's Catholic College rank in NSW?
Five Islands School is unranked and St Paul's Catholic College is 217th of 539 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.