Clifford Park Special School vs Darling Downs Adventist College
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Queensland, 2.0 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Clifford Park Special School
Newtown · Government special · 7-12
183 students · ICSEA 937
Darling Downs Adventist College
Toowoomba · Independent combined · Prep-12
362 students · ICSEA 1038
| Measure | Clifford Park Special School Newtown QLD | Darling Downs Adventist College Toowoomba QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 58 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #94 of 275 |
| National rank (type) | – | #498 of 1,259 |
| Sector | Government | Independent |
| Type | Special | Combined |
| Year range | 7-12 | Prep-12 |
| Students | 183 | 362 |
| Girls / boys | 50 / 133 | 161 / 201 |
| Foundation intake | – | 17 |
| Year 7 cohort | 24 | 49 |
| Year 12 cohort | 41 | 18 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +20% | +84% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 937 | 1038 |
| ICSEA percentile | 20th | 63th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 19% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 47% | 19% |
| Students per teacher | 4.3 | 12.1 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 42.6 | 30.0 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 53.2 | 29.2 |
| Language background other than English | 9% | 26% |
| Indigenous students | 25% | 4% |
| Suburb | Newtown 4350 | Toowoomba 4350 |
| Council area | Toowoomba | Toowoomba |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | cliffordparkspecs.eq.edu.au | www.ddcs.qld.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Darling Downs Adventist College has the higher ICSEA (1038 vs 937), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Clifford Park Special School has fewer students per teacher (4.3 vs 12.1).
- •Darling Downs Adventist College is the larger school with 362 students compared with 183.
- •Darling Downs Adventist College has grown faster over five years (84% vs 20%).
- •Clifford Park Special School is a government school while Darling Downs Adventist College 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 Clifford Park Special School better than Darling Downs Adventist 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 Clifford Park Special School and Darling Downs Adventist College?
About 2.0 km in a straight line, between Newtown and Toowoomba in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Clifford Park Special School has 4.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Darling Downs Adventist College has 12.1.
How do Clifford Park Special School and Darling Downs Adventist College rank in QLD?
Clifford Park Special School is unranked and Darling Downs Adventist College is 94th of 275 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.