Ballarat Specialist School vs Our Lady Help of Christians School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 3.1 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
Our Lady Help of Christians School
Wendouree · Catholic primary · Prep-6
101 students · ICSEA 1017
| Measure | Ballarat Specialist School Lake Gardens VIC | Our Lady Help of Christians School Wendouree VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 54 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #796 of 1,290 |
| National rank (type) | – | #2392 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | Prep-6 |
| Students | 453 | 101 |
| Girls / boys | 139 / 314 | 58 / 43 |
| Foundation intake | – | 21 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +1% | -28% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 950 | 1017 |
| ICSEA percentile | 25th | 54th |
| Top SEA quarter | 7% | 14% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 53% | 32% |
| Students per teacher | 6.3 | 10.2 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 71.9 | 9.9 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 166.1 | 5.1 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 16% |
| Indigenous students | 10% | 2% |
| Suburb | Lake Gardens 3355 | Wendouree 3355 |
| Council area | Ballarat | Ballarat |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | www.ballaratss.vic.edu.au | www.olhcwendouree.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Our Lady Help of Christians School has the higher ICSEA (1017 vs 950), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Ballarat Specialist School has fewer students per teacher (6.3 vs 10.2).
- •Ballarat Specialist School is the larger school with 453 students compared with 101.
- •Ballarat Specialist School has grown faster over five years (1% vs -28%).
- •Ballarat Specialist School is a government school while Our Lady Help of Christians School is a catholic 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.
Free academic assessment
Torn between two schools? Start with your child.
Whichever you choose, a free Success Tutoring assessment shows exactly where your child is in English and Maths and how to get ahead before the next school year.
- Personalised learning plan mapped to the Australian Curriculum
- English & Maths from Kindergarten to Year 12
- Flexible memberships, no lock-in contracts
- Your nearest centre: Success Tutoring Wyndham Vale
Frequently asked questions
Is Ballarat Specialist School better than Our Lady Help of Christians 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 Our Lady Help of Christians School?
About 3.1 km in a straight line, between Lake Gardens and Wendouree in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Ballarat Specialist School has 6.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Our Lady Help of Christians School has 10.2.
How do Ballarat Specialist School and Our Lady Help of Christians School rank in VIC?
Ballarat Specialist School is unranked and Our Lady Help of Christians School is 796th of 1,290 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.