Ballarat Specialist School vs St Thomas More School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 1.7 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 Thomas More School
Alfredton · Catholic primary · Prep-6
431 students · ICSEA 1087
| Measure | Ballarat Specialist School Lake Gardens VIC | St Thomas More School Alfredton VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 68 Top 25% |
| State rank (type) | – | #457 of 1,290 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1189 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | Prep-6 |
| Students | 453 | 431 |
| Girls / boys | 139 / 314 | 208 / 223 |
| Foundation intake | – | 65 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +1% | +1% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 950 | 1087 |
| ICSEA percentile | 25th | 81th |
| Top SEA quarter | 7% | 32% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 53% | 8% |
| Students per teacher | 6.3 | 17.4 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 71.9 | 24.7 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 166.1 | 15.1 |
| Language background other than English | 8% | 17% |
| Indigenous students | 10% | 1% |
| Suburb | Lake Gardens 3355 | Alfredton 3350 |
| Council area | Ballarat | Ballarat |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | www.ballaratss.vic.edu.au | www.stmalfredton.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Thomas More School has the higher ICSEA (1087 vs 950), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Ballarat Specialist School has fewer students per teacher (6.3 vs 17.4).
- •Ballarat Specialist School is the larger school with 453 students compared with 431.
- •Ballarat Specialist School is a government school while St Thomas More 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.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Ballarat Specialist School better than St Thomas More 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 St Thomas More School?
About 1.7 km in a straight line, between Lake Gardens and Alfredton in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Ballarat Specialist School has 6.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Thomas More School has 17.4.
How do Ballarat Specialist School and St Thomas More School rank in VIC?
Ballarat Specialist School is unranked and St Thomas More School is 457th of 1,290 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.