Acacia Hill School vs Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Northern Territory, 2.3 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Acacia Hill School
Sadadeen · Government special · T-12
96 students · ICSEA 789
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College
Alice Springs · Catholic combined · T-12
823 students · ICSEA 1028
| Measure | Acacia Hill School Sadadeen NT | Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College Alice Springs NT |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 49 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #6 of 40 |
| National rank (type) | – | #670 of 1,259 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Combined |
| Year range | T-12 | T-12 |
| Students | 96 | 823 |
| Girls / boys | 23 / 73 | 383 / 440 |
| Foundation intake | 7 | 65 |
| Year 7 cohort | 5 | 82 |
| Year 12 cohort | 3 | 47 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +17% | +10% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 789 | 1028 |
| ICSEA percentile | 3th | 59th |
| Top SEA quarter | 7% | 24% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 63% | 17% |
| Students per teacher | 4.2 | 13.0 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 22.8 | 63.3 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 35.5 | 46.2 |
| Language background other than English | 60% | 51% |
| Indigenous students | 82% | 11% |
| Suburb | Sadadeen 0871 | Alice Springs 0870 |
| Council area | Alice Springs | Alice Springs |
| Remoteness | Remote | Remote |
| Website | www.acaciahill.nt.edu.au/ | www.olshalice.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College has the higher ICSEA (1028 vs 789), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Acacia Hill School has fewer students per teacher (4.2 vs 13.0).
- •Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College is the larger school with 823 students compared with 96.
- •Acacia Hill School has grown faster over five years (17% vs 10%).
- •Acacia Hill School is a government school while Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College 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 Acacia Hill School better than Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College?
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 Acacia Hill School and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College?
About 2.3 km in a straight line, between Sadadeen and Alice Springs in Northern Territory.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Acacia Hill School has 4.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College has 13.0.
How do Acacia Hill School and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College rank in NT?
Acacia Hill School is unranked and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College is 6th of 40 among special schools in Northern Territory on the 2025 Success Index.