Ballarat Specialist School vs Lucas Primary School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 3.4 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Ballarat Specialist School
Lake Gardens · Government special · U
453 students · ICSEA 950
Lucas Primary School
Lucas · Government primary · Prep-6
527 students · ICSEA 1029
| Measure | Ballarat Specialist School Lake Gardens VIC | Lucas Primary School Lucas VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 63 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #587 of 1,290 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1658 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | Prep-6 |
| Students | 453 | 527 |
| Girls / boys | 139 / 314 | 250 / 277 |
| Foundation intake | – | 74 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +1% | +567% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 950 | 1029 |
| ICSEA percentile | 25th | 60th |
| Top SEA quarter | 7% | 16% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 53% | 26% |
| Students per teacher | 6.3 | 13.3 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 71.9 | 39.5 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 166.1 | 20.3 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 23% |
| Indigenous students | 10% | 2% |
| Suburb | Lake Gardens 3355 | Lucas 3350 |
| Council area | Ballarat | Ballarat |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | www.ballaratss.vic.edu.au | www.lucasps.vic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Lucas Primary School has the higher ICSEA (1029 vs 950), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Ballarat Specialist School has fewer students per teacher (6.3 vs 13.3).
- •Lucas Primary School is the larger school with 527 students compared with 453.
- •Lucas Primary School has grown faster over five years (567% 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 Ballarat Specialist School better than Lucas Primary 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 Ballarat Specialist School and Lucas Primary School?
About 3.4 km in a straight line, between Lake Gardens and Lucas in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Ballarat Specialist School has 6.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Lucas Primary School has 13.3.
How do Ballarat Specialist School and Lucas Primary School rank in VIC?
Ballarat Specialist School is unranked and Lucas Primary School is 587th of 1,290 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.