Fowler Road School vs St Margaret Mary's Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 815 m apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Fowler Road School
Merrylands · Government special · U
55 students · ICSEA 895
St Margaret Mary's Primary School
Merrylands · Catholic primary · K-6
574 students · ICSEA 1050
| Measure | Fowler Road School Merrylands NSW | St Margaret Mary's Primary School Merrylands NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 59 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #660 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | – | #2012 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | K-6 |
| Students | 55 | 574 |
| Girls / boys | 11 / 44 | 307 / 267 |
| Foundation intake | – | 95 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +2% | +1% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 895 | 1050 |
| ICSEA percentile | 10th | 68th |
| Top SEA quarter | 3% | 20% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 64% | 19% |
| Students per teacher | 5.3 | 16.6 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 10.3 | 34.6 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 11.4 | 7.2 |
| Language background other than English | 60% | 70% |
| Indigenous students | 24% | 1% |
| Suburb | Merrylands 2160 | Merrylands 2160 |
| Council area | Cumberland | Cumberland |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | fowlerroad-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | www.stmmmerrylands.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Margaret Mary's Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1050 vs 895), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Fowler Road School has fewer students per teacher (5.3 vs 16.6).
- •St Margaret Mary's Primary School is the larger school with 574 students compared with 55.
- •Fowler Road School is a government school while St Margaret Mary's 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 Fowler Road School better than St Margaret Mary's 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 Fowler Road School and St Margaret Mary's Primary School?
About 815 m in a straight line, between Merrylands and Merrylands in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Fowler Road School has 5.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Margaret Mary's Primary School has 16.6.
How do Fowler Road School and St Margaret Mary's Primary School rank in NSW?
Fowler Road School is unranked and St Margaret Mary's Primary School is 660th of 1,619 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.