Havenlee School vs Shoalhaven River College
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in New South Wales, 2.1 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Havenlee School
North Nowra · Government special · U
67 students · ICSEA 849
Shoalhaven River College
Bomaderry · Independent special · 9-12
48 students · ICSEA 931
| Measure | Havenlee School North Nowra NSW | Shoalhaven River College Bomaderry NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Government | Independent |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | U | 9-12 |
| Students | 67 | 48 |
| Girls / boys | 23 / 44 | 31 / 17 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | 3 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +10% | +7% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 849 | 931 |
| ICSEA percentile | 5th | 18th |
| Top SEA quarter | 3% | 7% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 71% | 41% |
| Students per teacher | 5.2 | 7.6 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 12.8 | 6.3 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 12.5 | 6.8 |
| Language background other than English | 6% | 0% |
| Indigenous students | 48% | 38% |
| Suburb | North Nowra 2541 | Bomaderry 2541 |
| Council area | Shoalhaven | Shoalhaven |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | havenlee-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | shoalhavenrivercollege.org.au/ |
The verdict
- •Shoalhaven River College has the higher ICSEA (931 vs 849), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Havenlee School has fewer students per teacher (5.2 vs 7.6).
- •Havenlee School is the larger school with 67 students compared with 48.
- •Havenlee School is a government school while Shoalhaven River College 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 Havenlee School better than Shoalhaven River 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 Havenlee School and Shoalhaven River College?
About 2.1 km in a straight line, between North Nowra and Bomaderry in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Havenlee School has 5.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Shoalhaven River College has 7.6.
How do Havenlee School and Shoalhaven River College rank in NSW?
Havenlee School is unranked and Shoalhaven River College is unranked among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.