Mackillop Education Waranara School vs NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in New South Wales, 14 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Mackillop Education Waranara School
Annandale · Independent special · 9-12
85 students · ICSEA 1019
NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program
Macquarie Park · Independent special · U
7 students · ICSEA 1017
| Measure | Mackillop Education Waranara School Annandale NSW | NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program Macquarie Park NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Independent | Independent |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | 9-12 | U |
| Students | 85 | 7 |
| Girls / boys | 50 / 35 | 3 / 4 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 13 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +55% | – |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1019 | 1017 |
| ICSEA percentile | 56th | 55th |
| Top SEA quarter | 21% | 17% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 24% | 27% |
| Students per teacher | 9.4 | – |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 9.0 | 1.5 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 8.6 | 4.1 |
| Language background other than English | 13% | 33% |
| Indigenous students | 13% | 14% |
| Suburb | Annandale 2038 | Macquarie Park 2113 |
| Council area | Inner West | Ryde |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | www.goodshep.org.au/find-a-service/educational-pathways/ | www.ridbc.org.au |
The verdict
- •Mackillop Education Waranara School has the higher ICSEA (1019 vs 1017), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Mackillop Education Waranara School is the larger school with 85 students compared with 7.
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 Mackillop Education Waranara School better than NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program?
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 Mackillop Education Waranara School and NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program?
About 14 km in a straight line, between Annandale and Macquarie Park in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Staffing data is not available for one of the schools.
How do Mackillop Education Waranara School and NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program rank in NSW?
Mackillop Education Waranara School is unranked and NextSense School - Blind Deafblind Program is unranked among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.