Samaritan College vs Whyalla Special Education Centre
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in South Australia, 756 m apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Samaritan College
Whyalla · Catholic combined · R-12
881 students · ICSEA 979
Whyalla Special Education Centre
Whyalla Norrie · Government special · U
63 students · ICSEA 890
| Measure | Samaritan College Whyalla SA | Whyalla Special Education Centre Whyalla Norrie SA |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | 33 Lower 50% | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | #113 of 145 | – |
| National rank (type) | #999 of 1,259 | – |
| Sector | Catholic | Government |
| Type | Combined | Special |
| Year range | R-12 | U |
| Students | 881 | 63 |
| Girls / boys | 466 / 415 | 14 / 49 |
| Foundation intake | 82 | – |
| Year 7 cohort | 104 | – |
| Year 12 cohort | 67 | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +31% | +7% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 979 | 890 |
| ICSEA percentile | 37th | 9th |
| Top SEA quarter | 8% | 5% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 37% | 52% |
| Students per teacher | 13.9 | 5.8 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 63.2 | 10.8 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 41.4 | 12.5 |
| Language background other than English | 5% | 3% |
| Indigenous students | 9% | 43% |
| Suburb | Whyalla 5600 | Whyalla Norrie 5608 |
| Council area | Whyalla | Whyalla |
| Remoteness | Outer Regional | Outer Regional |
| Website | www.samaritan.catholic.edu.au | www.whyallasp.sa.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Samaritan College has the higher ICSEA (979 vs 890), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Whyalla Special Education Centre has fewer students per teacher (5.8 vs 13.9).
- •Samaritan College is the larger school with 881 students compared with 63.
- •Samaritan College has grown faster over five years (31% vs 7%).
- •Samaritan College is a catholic school while Whyalla Special Education Centre is a government 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 Samaritan College better than Whyalla Special Education Centre?
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 Samaritan College and Whyalla Special Education Centre?
About 756 m in a straight line, between Whyalla and Whyalla Norrie in South Australia.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Samaritan College has 13.9 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Whyalla Special Education Centre has 5.8.
How do Samaritan College and Whyalla Special Education Centre rank in SA?
Samaritan College is 113th of 145 and Whyalla Special Education Centre is unranked among combined schools in South Australia on the 2025 Success Index.