Ballarat Specialist School vs Melton Specialist School
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in Victoria, 68 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
Melton Specialist School
Melton · Government special · U
406 students · ICSEA 951
| Measure | Ballarat Specialist School Lake Gardens VIC | Melton Specialist School Melton VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | U | U |
| Students | 453 | 406 |
| Girls / boys | 139 / 314 | 112 / 294 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +1% | +32% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 950 | 951 |
| ICSEA percentile | 25th | 25th |
| Top SEA quarter | 7% | 5% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 53% | 54% |
| Students per teacher | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 71.9 | 66.3 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 166.1 | 156.3 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 39% |
| Indigenous students | 10% | 8% |
| Suburb | Lake Gardens 3355 | Melton 3337 |
| Council area | Ballarat | Melton |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Major Cities |
| Website | www.ballaratss.vic.edu.au | www.meltonss.vic.edu.au/ |
The verdict
- •Melton Specialist School has the higher ICSEA (951 vs 950), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Ballarat Specialist School is the larger school with 453 students compared with 406.
- •Melton Specialist School has grown faster over five years (32% 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 Melton Specialist 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 Melton Specialist School?
About 68 km in a straight line, between Lake Gardens and Melton in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Ballarat Specialist School has 6.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Melton Specialist School has 6.1.
How do Ballarat Specialist School and Melton Specialist School rank in VIC?
Ballarat Specialist School is unranked and Melton Specialist School is unranked among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.