Kotara School vs St James' Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 612 m apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Kotara School
Kotara · Government special · U
25 students · ICSEA 816
St James' Primary School
Kotara South · Catholic primary · K-6
334 students · ICSEA 1104
| Measure | Kotara School Kotara NSW | St James' Primary School Kotara South NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 62 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #556 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1704 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | K-6 |
| Students | 25 | 334 |
| Girls / boys | 1 / 24 | 169 / 165 |
| Foundation intake | – | 48 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | -11% | -15% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 816 | 1104 |
| ICSEA percentile | 3th | 85th |
| Top SEA quarter | 0% | 40% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 73% | 4% |
| Students per teacher | 4.2 | 16.2 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 6.0 | 20.6 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 6.6 | 8.2 |
| Language background other than English | 0% | 11% |
| Indigenous students | 28% | 3% |
| Suburb | Kotara 2289 | Kotara South 2289 |
| Council area | Newcastle | Newcastle |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | kotara-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | kotarasouth.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St James' Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1104 vs 816), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Kotara School has fewer students per teacher (4.2 vs 16.2).
- •St James' Primary School is the larger school with 334 students compared with 25.
- •Kotara School is a government school while St James' 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 Kotara School better than St James' 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 Kotara School and St James' Primary School?
About 612 m in a straight line, between Kotara and Kotara South in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Kotara School has 4.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St James' Primary School has 16.2.
How do Kotara School and St James' Primary School rank in NSW?
Kotara School is unranked and St James' Primary School is 556th of 1,619 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.