Central Coast teacher student ratios compared across NSW
REVEALED: The best and worst resourced classrooms across the Central Coast. How does your school compare?
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The best and worst resourced classrooms across the Central Coast has been revealed.
An analysis of national data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has revealed the schools where teachers have the most students.
Local figures show in 2018 there were more students per teacher at Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Primary School than any other school.
According to the most up to data, that includes all state and private schools nationally, Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Primary School had 20.0 students for every teacher, the highest in the area.
The second highest student-teacher ratio was at Copacabana Public School where there was an average of 19.7 students for every teacher.
At St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School there were 19.6 students for every teacher, the coast’s third highest.
In contrast there was one teacher for every 4.0 students at Aspect Central Coast School, the region’s lowest ratio of students per teacher. The second lowest ratio was at North Gosford Learning Centre with 4.1 students per teacher, while Girrakool School recorded 4.2 students per teacher.
Each of these three schools, in the lowest category, are specialised schools with Aspect focusing on autism education, North Gosford specialising in behavioural or emotional difficulties while Girrakool School is for males aged 16 to 21.
According to ACARA the national student-teacher ratio was 13.5 students for every teacher.
Across the country independent private schools had the lowest student to teacher ratios with 11.7 students to every teacher.
Government schools had an average of 13.8 students for every teacher while Catholic schools had an average of 14 students for every teacher.
Student-teacher ratios do not take into account teacher aides or non-teaching staff at schools, only the full-time equivalent teachers.
Central Coast P and C President Sharryn Brownlee said the raw data did not reflect the true picture of the coast.
“We’ve got overcrowded schools with too many demountables as we await new school upgrades,” she said.
“In schools designed for 300-500 students, there’s 800 which causes enormous amount of traffic, upset and disquiet in the community, along with overcrowding in playgrounds.
“It’s about making sure we get extra schools built and upgrades in the north and south. Point Clare, Wamberal and Terrigal are the only schools being upgraded. The maintenance backlog here is horrific. The ratios might look good from a state perspective but we have deteriorating demountables.”
Ms Brownlee said the Department of Education was working on special needs services being available to students at their local schools.
“A lot of students are bypassing their local schools to access special needs services,” she said. “The data doesn’t show the number of students travelling outside their area.”
She said the data should also incorporate the number of multi-categorical classes in schools, along with K-2 class numbers which are often around 22-24 students.
“There may be eight students in a multi-categorical class but 30 in another class,” she said.
“The reality of what’s in the classrooms does not show. There needs to be transparency around what’s really going on.”
Central Coast’s most crowded classrooms
Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Primary School: 20.0 students per teacher
Copacabana Public School: 19.7 students per teacher
St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School: 19.6 students per teacher
Avoca Beach Public School: 19.6 students per teacher
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School: 19.6 students per teacher
Woodport Public School: 19.5 students per teacher
Tuggerah Public School: 19.4 students per teacher
Brisbania Public School: 19.3 students per teacher
Umina Beach Public School: 19.2 students per teacher
Wamberal Public School: 19.0 students per teacher
Central Coast’s least crowded classrooms
Aspect Central Coast School: 4.0 students per teacher
North Gosford Learning Centre: 4.1 students per teacher
Girrakool School: 4.2 students per teacher
HopeTown School: 4.6 students per teacher
Glenvale School: 4.9 students per teacher
The Lakes College: 7.3 students per teacher
Ngaruki Gulgul: 7.6 students per teacher
The Central Coast Montessori Primary School: 9.4 students per teacher
TLK Alesco School: 9.5 students per teacher
ET Australia Secondary College: 9.7 students per teacher