Mackay District Special School vs Pioneer State High School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Queensland, 1.0 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Mackay District Special School
Beaconsfield · Government special · Prep-12
82 students · ICSEA 949
Pioneer State High School
Andergrove · Government high school · 7-12
536 students · ICSEA 875
| Measure | Mackay District Special School Beaconsfield QLD | Pioneer State High School Andergrove QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 16 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #263 of 269 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1450 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | Prep-12 | 7-12 |
| Students | 82 | 536 |
| Girls / boys | 22 / 60 | 267 / 269 |
| Foundation intake | 7 | – |
| Year 7 cohort | 3 | 107 |
| Year 12 cohort | 6 | 57 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +0% | -9% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 949 | 875 |
| ICSEA percentile | 24th | 7th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 2% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 49% | 66% |
| Students per teacher | 4.0 | 11.2 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 20.4 | 47.9 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 21.7 | 31.0 |
| Language background other than English | 9% | 13% |
| Indigenous students | 18% | 35% |
| Suburb | Beaconsfield 4740 | Andergrove 4740 |
| Council area | Mackay | Mackay |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | mackaydistrictspecs.eq.edu.au | pioneershs.eq.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Mackay District Special School has the higher ICSEA (949 vs 875), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Mackay District Special School has fewer students per teacher (4.0 vs 11.2).
- •Pioneer State High School is the larger school with 536 students compared with 82.
- •Mackay District Special School has grown faster over five years (0% vs -9%).
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 Mackay District Special School better than Pioneer 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 Mackay District Special School and Pioneer State High School?
About 1.0 km in a straight line, between Beaconsfield and Andergrove in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Mackay District Special School has 4.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Pioneer State High School has 11.2.
How do Mackay District Special School and Pioneer State High School rank in QLD?
Mackay District Special School is unranked and Pioneer State High School is 263rd of 269 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.