Ballarat Specialist School vs St Patrick's College
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 1.4 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
St Patrick's College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,267 students · ICSEA 1055
| Measure | Ballarat Specialist School Lake Gardens VIC | St Patrick's College Ballarat VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 68 Top 25% |
| State rank (type) | – | #110 of 348 |
| National rank (type) | – | #319 of 1,472 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Secondary |
| Year range | U | 7-12 |
| Students | 453 | 1,267 |
| Girls / boys | 139 / 314 | 0 / 1,267 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | 210 |
| Year 12 cohort | – | 180 |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | 28 |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | 2.6% |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +1% | -3% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 950 | 1055 |
| ICSEA percentile | 25th | 70th |
| Top SEA quarter | 7% | 21% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 53% | 15% |
| Students per teacher | 6.3 | 11.0 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 71.9 | 114.8 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 166.1 | 73.3 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 3% |
| Indigenous students | 10% | 5% |
| Suburb | Lake Gardens 3355 | Ballarat 3350 |
| Council area | Ballarat | Ballarat |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | www.ballaratss.vic.edu.au | www.stpats.vic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Patrick's College has the higher ICSEA (1055 vs 950), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Ballarat Specialist School has fewer students per teacher (6.3 vs 11.0).
- •St Patrick's College is the larger school with 1,267 students compared with 453.
- •Ballarat Specialist School is a government school while St Patrick's College 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.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Ballarat Specialist School better than St Patrick's 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 Ballarat Specialist School and St Patrick's College?
About 1.4 km in a straight line, between Lake Gardens and Ballarat in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Ballarat Specialist School has 6.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Patrick's College has 11.0.
How do Ballarat Specialist School and St Patrick's College rank in VIC?
Ballarat Specialist School is unranked and St Patrick's College is 110th of 348 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.