Harwood Island Public School vs Valley Hope Christian School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 4.6 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Harwood Island Public School
Harwood · Government primary · K-6
34 students · ICSEA 943
Valley Hope Christian School
Townsend · Independent special · U
51 students · ICSEA 951
| Measure | Harwood Island Public School Harwood NSW | Valley Hope Christian School Townsend NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 31 Lower 50% | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Government | Independent |
| Type | Primary | Special |
| Year range | K-6 | U |
| Students | 34 | 51 |
| Girls / boys | 14 / 20 | 18 / 33 |
| Foundation intake | 6 | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | -31% | – |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 943 | 951 |
| ICSEA percentile | 22th | 25th |
| Top SEA quarter | 3% | 8% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 47% | 40% |
| Students per teacher | 12.1 | 6.1 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 2.8 | 8.4 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 0.9 | 10.3 |
| Language background other than English | 3% | 4% |
| Indigenous students | 18% | 25% |
| Suburb | Harwood 2465 | Townsend 2463 |
| Council area | Clarence Valley | Clarence Valley |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | harwood-p.schools.nsw.gov.au | www.valleyhope.nsw.edu.au/ |
The verdict
- •Valley Hope Christian School has the higher ICSEA (951 vs 943), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Valley Hope Christian School has fewer students per teacher (6.1 vs 12.1).
- •Valley Hope Christian School is the larger school with 51 students compared with 34.
- •Harwood Island Public School is a government school while Valley Hope Christian School is an independent 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 Harwood Island Public School better than Valley Hope Christian 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 Harwood Island Public School and Valley Hope Christian School?
About 4.6 km in a straight line, between Harwood and Townsend in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Harwood Island Public School has 12.1 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Valley Hope Christian School has 6.1.
How do Harwood Island Public School and Valley Hope Christian School rank in NSW?
Harwood Island Public School is unranked and Valley Hope Christian School is unranked among primary schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.