Hervey Bay Special School vs Sandy Strait State School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Queensland, 2.4 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Hervey Bay Special School
Kawungan · Government special · Prep-12
105 students · ICSEA 970
Sandy Strait State School
Urangan · Government primary · Prep-6
706 students · ICSEA 965
| Measure | Hervey Bay Special School Kawungan QLD | Sandy Strait State School Urangan QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 35 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #529 of 804 |
| National rank (type) | – | #3755 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | Prep-12 | Prep-6 |
| Students | 105 | 706 |
| Girls / boys | 36 / 69 | 314 / 392 |
| Foundation intake | 5 | 85 |
| Year 7 cohort | 10 | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 6 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +5% | -1% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 970 | 965 |
| ICSEA percentile | 33th | 31th |
| Top SEA quarter | 10% | 8% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 38% | 41% |
| Students per teacher | 4.2 | 15.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 24.9 | 45.9 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 25.1 | 25.1 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 7% |
| Indigenous students | 17% | 17% |
| Suburb | Kawungan 4655 | Urangan 4655 |
| Council area | Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | herveybayspecs.eq.edu.au | sandystraitss.eq.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Hervey Bay Special School has the higher ICSEA (970 vs 965), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Hervey Bay Special School has fewer students per teacher (4.2 vs 15.4).
- •Sandy Strait State School is the larger school with 706 students compared with 105.
- •Hervey Bay Special School has grown faster over five years (5% vs -1%).
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 Hervey Bay Special School better than Sandy Strait State 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 Hervey Bay Special School and Sandy Strait State School?
About 2.4 km in a straight line, between Kawungan and Urangan in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Hervey Bay Special School has 4.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Sandy Strait State School has 15.4.
How do Hervey Bay Special School and Sandy Strait State School rank in QLD?
Hervey Bay Special School is unranked and Sandy Strait State School is 529th of 804 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.