Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School vs St Thomas' Catholic Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two primary schools in New South Wales, 1.5 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School
Chatswood · Catholic primary · K-6
355 students · ICSEA 1144
St Thomas' Catholic Primary School
Willoughby · Catholic primary · K-6
277 students · ICSEA 1161
| Measure | Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School Chatswood NSW | St Thomas' Catholic Primary School Willoughby NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 75 Top 10% | 75 Top 10% |
| State rank (type) | #146 of 1,619 | #136 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | #550 of 4,908 | #531 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Catholic | Catholic |
| Type | Primary | Primary |
| Year range | K-6 | K-6 |
| Students | 355 | 277 |
| Girls / boys | 214 / 141 | 144 / 133 |
| Foundation intake | 49 | 38 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +11% | -23% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1144 | 1161 |
| ICSEA percentile | 94th | 97th |
| Top SEA quarter | 58% | 65% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 2% | 0% |
| Students per teacher | 17.3 | 15.3 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 20.5 | 18.1 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 4.5 | 4.1 |
| Language background other than English | 82% | 26% |
| Indigenous students | 0% | 0% |
| Suburb | Chatswood 2067 | Willoughby 2068 |
| Council area | Willoughby | Willoughby |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | www.olddbb.catholic.edu.au | www.stwdbb.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Both schools have almost identical Success Index scores (74.8 vs 75.1).
- •St Thomas' Catholic Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1161 vs 1144), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •St Thomas' Catholic Primary School has fewer students per teacher (15.3 vs 17.3).
- •Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School is the larger school with 355 students compared with 277.
- •Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School has grown faster over five years (11% vs -23%).
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 Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School better than St Thomas' Catholic 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 Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School?
About 1.5 km in a straight line, between Chatswood and Willoughby in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School has 17.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School has 15.3.
How do Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School rank in NSW?
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School is 146th of 1,619 and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School is 136th of 1,619 among primary schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.