Clifford Park Special School vs Harristown State High School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Queensland, 1.5 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
Harristown State High School
Harristown · Government high school · 7-12
1,641 students · ICSEA 929
| Measure | Clifford Park Special School Newtown QLD | Harristown State High School Harristown QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 23 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #243 of 269 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1363 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | 7-12 | 7-12 |
| Students | 183 | 1,641 |
| Girls / boys | 50 / 133 | 854 / 787 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | 24 | 304 |
| Year 12 cohort | 41 | 203 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +20% | -10% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 937 | 929 |
| ICSEA percentile | 20th | 18th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 5% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 47% | 52% |
| Students per teacher | 4.3 | 12.1 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 42.6 | 135.1 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 53.2 | 58.1 |
| Language background other than English | 9% | 28% |
| Indigenous students | 25% | 18% |
| Suburb | Newtown 4350 | Harristown 4350 |
| Council area | Toowoomba | Toowoomba |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | cliffordparkspecs.eq.edu.au | harristownshs.eq.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Clifford Park Special School has the higher ICSEA (937 vs 929), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Clifford Park Special School has fewer students per teacher (4.3 vs 12.1).
- •Harristown State High School is the larger school with 1,641 students compared with 183.
- •Clifford Park Special School has grown faster over five years (20% vs -10%).
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 Harristown State High 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 Clifford Park Special School and Harristown State High School?
About 1.5 km in a straight line, between Newtown and Harristown in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Clifford Park Special School has 4.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Harristown State High School has 12.1.
How do Clifford Park Special School and Harristown State High School rank in QLD?
Clifford Park Special School is unranked and Harristown State High School is 243rd of 269 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.