Merri River School vs Mornington Special Developmental School
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in Victoria, 226 km apart, using official ACARA 2025 data. Best value in each row is highlighted.
Merri River School
Warrnambool · Government special · U
189 students · ICSEA 921
Mornington Special Developmental School
Mornington · Government special · U
24 students · ICSEA 920
| Measure | Merri River School Warrnambool VIC | Mornington Special Developmental School Mornington VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | – Not rated |
| State rank (type) | – | – |
| National rank (type) | – | – |
| Sector | Government | Government |
| Type | Special | Special |
| Year range | U | U |
| Students | 189 | 24 |
| Girls / boys | 63 / 126 | 7 / 17 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +11% | -20% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 921 | 920 |
| ICSEA percentile | 15th | 15th |
| Top SEA quarter | 10% | 3% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 58% | 54% |
| Students per teacher | 5.2 | 2.6 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 35.9 | 9.2 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 38.7 | 8.5 |
| Language background other than English | 3% | 12% |
| Indigenous students | 16% | 21% |
| Suburb | Warrnambool 3280 | Mornington 3931 |
| Council area | Warrnambool | Mornington Peninsula |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Major Cities |
| Website | merrirs.vic.edu.au/ | www.morningtonsds.vic.edu.au/ |
The verdict
- •Merri River School has the higher ICSEA (921 vs 920), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Mornington Special Developmental School has fewer students per teacher (2.6 vs 5.2).
- •Merri River School is the larger school with 189 students compared with 24.
- •Merri River School has grown faster over five years (11% vs -20%).
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 Merri River School better than Mornington Special Developmental 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 Merri River School and Mornington Special Developmental School?
About 226 km in a straight line, between Warrnambool and Mornington in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Merri River School has 5.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Mornington Special Developmental School has 2.6.
How do Merri River School and Mornington Special Developmental School rank in VIC?
Merri River School is unranked and Mornington Special Developmental School is unranked among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.