Merri River School vs Wangaratta District Specialist School
A head-to-head comparison of two special schools in Victoria, 405 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
Wangaratta District Specialist School
Wangaratta · Government special · U
171 students · ICSEA 922
| Measure | Merri River School Warrnambool VIC | Wangaratta District Specialist School Wangaratta 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 | 171 |
| Girls / boys | 63 / 126 | 56 / 115 |
| Foundation intake | – | – |
| Year 7 cohort | – | – |
| Year 12 cohort | – | – |
| VCE median study score VCAA, latest year | – | – |
| VCE study scores 40+ | – | – |
| 5-year enrolment growth | +11% | +6% |
| ICSEA Average 1000 | 921 | 922 |
| ICSEA percentile | 15th | 16th |
| Top SEA quarter | 10% | 5% |
| Bottom SEA quarter | 58% | 60% |
| Students per teacher | 5.2 | 4.7 |
| Teaching staff (FTE) | 35.9 | 36.1 |
| Non-teaching staff (FTE) | 38.7 | 50.8 |
| Language background other than English | 3% | 5% |
| Indigenous students | 16% | 15% |
| Suburb | Warrnambool 3280 | Wangaratta 3676 |
| Council area | Warrnambool | Wangaratta |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional | Inner Regional |
| Website | merrirs.vic.edu.au/ | www.wangarattass.vic.edu.au |
The verdict
- •Wangaratta District Specialist School has the higher ICSEA (922 vs 921), indicating a more advantaged community.
- •Merri River School is the larger school with 189 students compared with 171.
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 Wangaratta District Specialist 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 Wangaratta District Specialist School?
About 405 km in a straight line, between Warrnambool and Wangaratta in Victoria.
Which has the better student-to-teacher ratio?
Merri River School has 5.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher and Wangaratta District Specialist School has 4.7.
How do Merri River School and Wangaratta District Specialist School rank in VIC?
Merri River School is unranked and Wangaratta District Specialist School is unranked among special schools in Victoria on the 2025 Success Index.