Gympie Special School vs St Patrick's College
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.
Gympie Special School
Gympie · Government special · Prep-12
88 students · ICSEA 962
St Patrick's College
Gympie · Catholic high school · 7-12
514 students · ICSEA 1037
| Measure | Gympie Special School Gympie QLD | St Patrick's College Gympie QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 59 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #70 of 269 |
| National rank (type) | – | #536 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | Prep-12 | 7-12 |
| Students | 88 | 514 |
| Girls / boys | 29 / 59 | 265 / 249 |
| Foundation intake | 10 | – |
| Year 7 cohort | 11 | 98 |
| Year 12 cohort | 4 | 71 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +29% | +10% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 962 | 1037 |
| ICSEA percentile | 30th | 63th |
| Top SEA quarter | 9% | 16% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 42% | 19% |
| Students per teacher | 3.8 | 12.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 23.2 | 41.4 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 24.2 | 24.5 |
| Language background other than English | 4% | 5% |
| Indigenous students | 15% | 4% |
| Suburb | Gympie 4570 | Gympie 4570 |
| Council area | Gympie | Gympie |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | gympiespecs.eq.edu.au | www.spcgympie.qld.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Patrick's College has the higher ICSEA (1037 vs 962), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Gympie Special School has fewer students per teacher (3.8 vs 12.4).
- •St Patrick's College is the larger school with 514 students compared with 88.
- •Gympie Special School has grown faster over five years (29% vs 10%).
- •Gympie Special School is a government school while St Patrick's 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 Gympie Special School better than St Patrick's 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 Gympie Special School and St Patrick's College?
About 1.5 km in a straight line, between Gympie and Gympie in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Gympie Special School has 3.8 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Patrick's College has 12.4.
How do Gympie Special School and St Patrick's College rank in QLD?
Gympie Special School is unranked and St Patrick's College is 70th of 269 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.