Garden Suburb Public School vs Newcastle Junior School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 1.2 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Garden Suburb Public School
Garden Suburb · Government primary · K-6
227 students · ICSEA 1045
Newcastle Junior School
Hillsborough · Government special · U
63 students · ICSEA 940
| Measure | Garden Suburb Public School Garden Suburb NSW | Newcastle Junior School Hillsborough NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 66 Top 25% | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | #458 of 1,619 | – |
| National rank (type) | #1372 of 4,908 | – |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Primary | Special |
| Year range | K-6 | U |
| Students | 227 | 63 |
| Girls / boys | 103 / 124 | 20 / 43 |
| Foundation intake | 27 | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +9% | +13% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1045 | 940 |
| ICSEA percentile | 66th | 21th |
| Top SEA quarter | 29% | 12% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 17% | 51% |
| Students per teacher | 13.6 | 4.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 16.7 | 14.3 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 5.4 | 11.5 |
| Language background other than English | 12% | 25% |
| Indigenous students | 13% | 22% |
| Suburb | Garden Suburb 2289 | Hillsborough 2290 |
| Council area | Lake Macquarie | Lake Macquarie |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | gardensub-p.schools.nsw.gov.au | newcastlej-s.schools.nsw.gov.au |
The verdict
- •Garden Suburb Public School has the higher ICSEA (1045 vs 940), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Newcastle Junior School has fewer students per teacher (4.4 vs 13.6).
- •Garden Suburb Public School is the larger school with 227 students compared with 63.
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 Garden Suburb Public School better than Newcastle Junior 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 Garden Suburb Public School and Newcastle Junior School?
About 1.2 km in a straight line, between Garden Suburb and Hillsborough in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Garden Suburb Public School has 13.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Newcastle Junior School has 4.4.
How do Garden Suburb Public School and Newcastle Junior School rank in NSW?
Garden Suburb Public School is 458th of 1,619 and Newcastle Junior School is unranked among primary schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.