Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School vs Mary MacKillop School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 1.9 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School
Narre Warren · Government special · U
201 students · ICSEA 990
Mary MacKillop School
Narre Warren North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
294 students · ICSEA 1058
| Measure | Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School Narre Warren VIC | Mary MacKillop School Narre Warren North VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 62 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #608 of 1,290 |
| National rank (type) | – | #1755 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | Prep-6 |
| Students | 201 | 294 |
| Girls / boys | 53 / 148 | 146 / 148 |
| Foundation intake | – | 45 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | -14% | -12% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 990 | 1058 |
| ICSEA percentile | 42th | 71th |
| Top SEA quarter | 11% | 21% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 40% | 15% |
| Students per teacher | 5.6 | 15.7 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 31.2 | 18.7 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 54.5 | 5.6 |
| Language background other than English | 59% | 41% |
| Indigenous students | 1% | 1% |
| Suburb | Narre Warren 3805 | Narre Warren North 3804 |
| Council area | Casey | Casey |
| Remoteness | Major Cities | Major Cities |
| Website | www.dandyvalley.vic.edu.au | www.marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Mary MacKillop School has the higher ICSEA (1058 vs 990), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School has fewer students per teacher (5.6 vs 15.7).
- •Mary MacKillop School is the larger school with 294 students compared with 201.
- •Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School is a government school while Mary MacKillop 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 Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School better than Mary MacKillop 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 Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School and Mary MacKillop School?
About 1.9 km in a straight line, between Narre Warren and Narre Warren North in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School has 5.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Mary MacKillop School has 15.7.
How do Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School and Mary MacKillop School rank in VIC?
Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School is unranked and Mary MacKillop School is 608th of 1,290 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.