Nambour Special School vs Nambour State 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.
Nambour Special School
Burnside · Government special · Prep-12
132 students · ICSEA 1002
Nambour State College
Nambour · Government combined · Prep-12
1,469 students · ICSEA 977
| Measure | Nambour Special School Burnside QLD | Nambour State College Nambour QLD |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 35 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #206 of 275 |
| National rank (type) | – | #968 of 1,259 |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Combined |
| Year range | Prep-12 | Prep-12 |
| Students | 132 | 1,469 |
| Girls / boys | 40 / 92 | 730 / 739 |
| Foundation intake | 6 | 48 |
| Year 7 cohort | 8 | 195 |
| Year 12 cohort | 9 | 153 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | -11% | -12% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 1002 | 977 |
| ICSEA percentile | 48th | 36th |
| Top SEA quarter | 15% | 6% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 34% | 39% |
| Students per teacher | 3.5 | 10.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 37.5 | 141.0 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 36.1 | 68.1 |
| Language background other than English | 7% | 8% |
| Indigenous students | 9% | 10% |
| Suburb | Burnside 4560 | Nambour 4560 |
| Council area | Sunshine Coast | Sunshine Coast |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | nambourspecs.eq.edu.au | namboursc.eq.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Nambour Special School has the higher ICSEA (1002 vs 977), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Nambour Special School has fewer students per teacher (3.5 vs 10.4).
- •Nambour State College is the larger school with 1,469 students compared with 132.
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 Nambour Special School better than Nambour State 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 Nambour Special School and Nambour State College?
About 2.0 km in a straight line, between Burnside and Nambour in Queensland.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Nambour Special School has 3.5 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Nambour State College has 10.4.
How do Nambour Special School and Nambour State College rank in QLD?
Nambour Special School is unranked and Nambour State College is 206th of 275 among special schools in Queensland on the 2025 Success Index.