Merri River School vs St John's School
A head-to-head comparison of two schools in Victoria, 2.8 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
St John's School
Dennington · Catholic primary · Prep-6
273 students · ICSEA 1009
| Measure | Merri River School Warrnambool VIC | St John's School Dennington VIC |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index | – Not rated | 59 Top 50% |
| State rank (type) | – | #682 of 1,290 |
| National rank (type) | – | #2030 of 4,908 |
| Sector | Government | Catholic |
| Type | Special | Primary |
| Year range | U | Prep-6 |
| Students | 189 | 273 |
| Girls / boys | 63 / 126 | 141 / 132 |
| Foundation intake | – | 50 |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +11% | +39% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 921 | 1009 |
| ICSEA percentile | 15th | 51th |
| Top SEA quarter | 10% | 11% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 58% | 34% |
| Students per teacher | 5.2 | 12.9 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 35.9 | 21.2 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 38.7 | 15.5 |
| Language background other than English | 3% | 6% |
| Indigenous students | 16% | 5% |
| Suburb | Warrnambool 3280 | Dennington 3280 |
| Council area | Warrnambool | Warrnambool |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | merrirs.vic.edu.au/ | www.sjdennington.catholic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •St John's School has the higher ICSEA (1009 vs 921), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Merri River School has fewer students per teacher (5.2 vs 12.9).
- •St John's School is the larger school with 273 students compared with 189.
- •St John's School has grown faster over five years (39% vs 11%).
- •Merri River School is a government school while St John'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 Merri River School better than St John'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 Merri River School and St John's School?
About 2.8 km in a straight line, between Warrnambool and Dennington in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Merri River School has 5.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and St John's School has 12.9.
How do Merri River School and St John's School rank in VIC?
Merri River School is unranked and St John's School is 682nd of 1,290 among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.