Royal Far West School vs St Mary's Catholic Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in New South Wales, 435 m apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Royal Far West School
Manly · Government special
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Manly · Catholic primary · K-6
330 students · ICSEA 1159
| Measure | Royal Far West School Manly NSW | St Mary's Catholic Primary School Manly NSW |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 80 Top 5% |
| State rank (type) | – | #43 of 1,619 |
| National rank (type) | – | #186 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | – | K-6 |
| Students | – | 330 |
| Girls / boys | – / – | 179 / 151 |
| Foundation intake | – | 51 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | – | +17% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | – | 1159 |
| ICSEA percentile | – | 97th |
| Top SEA quarter | – | 65% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | – | 2% |
| Students per teacher | – | 16.9 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 11.8 | 19.5 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 10.2 | 4.0 |
| Language background other than English | – | 26% |
| Indigenous students | – | 0% |
| Suburb | Manly 2095 | Manly 2095 |
| Council area | Northern Beaches | Northern Beaches |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | royalfarwe-s.schools.nsw.gov.au | www.smmdbb.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Royal Far West School is a government school while St Mary's Catholic 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 Royal Far West School better than St Mary's 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 Royal Far West School and St Mary's Catholic Primary School?
About 435 m in a straight line, between Manly and Manly in New South Wales.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Staffing data is not available for one of the schools.
How do Royal Far West School and St Mary's Catholic Primary School rank in NSW?
Royal Far West School is unranked and St Mary's Catholic Primary School is 43rd of 1,619 among special schools in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index.