East Gippsland Specialist School vs St Mary's School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 1.8 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
East Gippsland Specialist School
Bairnsdale · Government special · U
95 students · ICSEA 857
St Mary's School
Bairnsdale · Catholic primary · Prep-6
473 students · ICSEA 1024
| Measure | East Gippsland Specialist School Bairnsdale VIC | St Mary's School Bairnsdale VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 48 Lower 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #911 of 1,290 |
| National rank (type) | – | #2811 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | Prep-6 |
| Students | 95 | 473 |
| Girls / boys | 29 / 66 | 217 / 256 |
| Foundation intake | – | 68 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +2% | +9% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 857 | 1024 |
| ICSEA percentile | 5th | 58th |
| Top SEA quarter | 1% | 13% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 68% | 24% |
| Students per teacher | 4.5 | 17.6 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 20.6 | 26.8 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 32.8 | 16.8 |
| Language background other than English | 7% | 3% |
| Indigenous students | 33% | 4% |
| Suburb | Bairnsdale 3875 | Bairnsdale 3875 |
| Council area | East Gippsland | East Gippsland |
| Remoteness | Outer Regional | Outer Regional |
| Website | www.eastgippslandss.vic.edu.au | www.stmbairns.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St Mary's School has the higher ICSEA (1024 vs 857), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •East Gippsland Specialist School has fewer students per teacher (4.5 vs 17.6).
- •St Mary's School is the larger school with 473 students compared with 95.
- •St Mary's School has grown faster over five years (9% vs 2%).
- •East Gippsland Specialist School is a government school while St Mary's 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 East Gippsland Specialist School better than St Mary's 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 East Gippsland Specialist School and St Mary's School?
About 1.8 km in a straight line, between Bairnsdale and Bairnsdale in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
East Gippsland Specialist School has 4.5 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St Mary's School has 17.6.
How do East Gippsland Specialist School and St Mary's School rank in VIC?
East Gippsland Specialist School is unranked and St Mary's School is 911th of 1,290 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.