Mount St Patrick Primary School vs The Small School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 391 m apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Mount St Patrick Primary School
Murwillumbah · Catholic primary · K-6
373 students · ICSEA 1061
The Small School
Murwillumbah · Independent combined · K-10
67 students · ICSEA 1071
| Measure | Mount St Patrick Primary School Murwillumbah NSW | The Small School Murwillumbah NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 63 Top 50% | 64 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | #532 of 1,619 | – |
| National rank (type) | #1624 of 4,908 | – |
| Sector | Catholic | Independent |
| Type | Primary | Combined |
| Year range | K-6 | K-10 |
| Students | 373 | 67 |
| Girls / boys | 182 / 191 | 35 / 32 |
| Foundation intake | 51 | 6 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | 6 |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +4% | +168% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1061 | 1071 |
| ICSEA percentile | 72th | 76th |
| Top SEA quarter | 25% | 29% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 14% | 10% |
| Students per teacher | 16.3 | 10.8 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 22.9 | 6.2 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 6.8 | 6.4 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 15% |
| Indigenous students | 4% | 3% |
| Suburb | Murwillumbah 2484 | Murwillumbah 2484 |
| Council area | Tweed | Tweed |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | www.murplism.catholic.edu.au/ | www.thesmallschool.org.au/ |
The verdict
- •Both schools have almost identical Success Index scores (63.2 vs 63.8).
- •The Small School has the higher ICSEA (1071 vs 1061), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •The Small School has fewer students per teacher (10.8 vs 16.3).
- •Mount St Patrick Primary School is the larger school with 373 students compared with 67.
- •The Small School has grown faster over five years (168% vs 4%).
- •Mount St Patrick Primary School is a catholic school while The Small 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 Mount St Patrick Primary School better than The Small 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 Mount St Patrick Primary School and The Small School?
About 391 m in a straight line, between Murwillumbah and Murwillumbah in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Mount St Patrick Primary School has 16.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and The Small School has 10.8.
How do Mount St Patrick Primary School and The Small School rank in NSW?
Mount St Patrick Primary School is 532nd of 1,619 and The Small School is unranked among primary schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.