Giant Steps Sydney vs St Lucy's School
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in New South Wales, 13 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Giant Steps Sydney
Gladesville · Independent special · U
113 students · ICSEA 1103
St Lucy's School
Wahroonga · Independent special · U
246 students · ICSEA 1104
| Measure | Giant Steps Sydney Gladesville NSW | St Lucy's School Wahroonga NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Independent | Independent |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | U | U |
| Students | 113 | 246 |
| Girls / boys | 26 / 87 | 71 / 175 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +26% | +46% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1103 | 1104 |
| ICSEA percentile | 85th | 85th |
| Top SEA quarter | 42% | 43% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 5% | 6% |
| Students per teacher | 4.0 | 5.6 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 27.2 | 43.6 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 83.5 | 76.8 |
| Language background other than English | 13% | 33% |
| Indigenous students | 3% | 2% |
| Suburb | Gladesville 2111 | Wahroonga 2076 |
| Council area | Ryde | Ku-ring-gai |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | www.giantsteps.net.au | www.stlucys.nsw.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Lucy's School has the higher ICSEA (1104 vs 1103), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Giant Steps Sydney has fewer students per teacher (4.0 vs 5.6).
- •St Lucy's School is the larger school with 246 students compared with 113.
- •St Lucy's School has grown faster over five years (46% vs 26%).
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 Giant Steps Sydney better than St Lucy's 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 Giant Steps Sydney and St Lucy's School?
About 13 km in a straight line, between Gladesville and Wahroonga in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Giant Steps Sydney has 4.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Lucy's School has 5.6.
How do Giant Steps Sydney and St Lucy's School rank in NSW?
Giant Steps Sydney is unranked and St Lucy's School is unranked among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.