Lakeside School vs St Paul's Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 1.1 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Lakeside School
Gateshead · Government special · U
58 students · ICSEA 910
St Paul's Primary School
Gateshead · Catholic primary · K-6
294 students · ICSEA 1023
| Measure | Lakeside School Gateshead NSW | St Paul's Primary School Gateshead NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 50 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #873 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | – | #2670 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | K-6 |
| Students | 58 | 294 |
| Girls / boys | 16 / 42 | 148 / 146 |
| Foundation intake | – | 31 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +26% | +2% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 910 | 1023 |
| ICSEA percentile | 13th | 57th |
| Top SEA quarter | 3% | 23% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 55% | 19% |
| Students per teacher | 5.0 | 15.2 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 11.6 | 19.3 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 11.6 | 5.4 |
| Language background other than English | 5% | 8% |
| Indigenous students | 22% | 18% |
| Suburb | Gateshead 2290 | Gateshead 2290 |
| Council area | Lake Macquarie | Lake Macquarie |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | lakeside-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | gatesheadsp.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Paul's Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1023 vs 910), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Lakeside School has fewer students per teacher (5.0 vs 15.2).
- •St Paul's Primary School is the larger school with 294 students compared with 58.
- •Lakeside School has grown faster over five years (26% vs 2%).
- •Lakeside School is a government school while St Paul's 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 Lakeside School better than St Paul's 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 Lakeside School and St Paul's Primary School?
About 1.1 km in a straight line, between Gateshead and Gateshead in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Lakeside School has 5.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Paul's Primary School has 15.2.
How do Lakeside School and St Paul's Primary School rank in NSW?
Lakeside School is unranked and St Paul's Primary School is 873rd of 1,619 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.