How Canberra schools compare for teacher-student ratios
An analysis of national data has revealed the schools in the Canberra region where teachers have the most and least students to teach.
Schools Hub
Don't miss out on the headlines from Schools Hub. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Dangerous toys harming kids
- Most powerful billionaires
- Child approached at Belconnen
- Canberra’s fastest growing schools
The schools with Canberra’s best and worst teacher to student ratios have been revealed.
An analysis of national data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority has revealed the schools where teachers have the most students to teach.
The figures show in 2018 in the Canberra region there were more students per teacher at Good Shepherd Primary School at Amaroo than any other school.
According to the data, which includes all state and private schools nationally, Good Shepherd Primary School had 19.9 students for every teacher.
The second highest student-teacher ratio was at Jerrabomberra Public School, with an average of 19.4 students for every teacher on campus.
At St Jude’s Primary School there were 19.2 students for every teacher, the Canberra region’s third highest.
In contrast there was one teacher for every 3.8 students at The Woden School, the region’s lowest ratio of students per teacher.
The second lowest ratio was at Communities@Work Galilee School, where there were 4.3 students per teacher.
The figures show at Black Mountain School there were 4.4 students per teacher, the third lowest ratio in the Canberra region.
Galilee School principal Tim McNevin said they aimed for a staff to student ratio of about one to five at the special assistance school, which was designed in response to the understanding that some young people have higher support needs than others.
“Our low staff to student ratio reflects the dual emphasis we have at the school on developing the social and emotional capability of our young people while at the same time advancing a rigorous academic program (which is) aligned with the Australian curriculum,” Mr McNevin said.
Galilee operates two campuses; one in Holder for Year 10 and one in Kambah for Years 7 to 9.
Their staffing team of teachers, youth workers and learning support assistants reinforces the school’s dual emphasis around social and emotional development and academic learning.
“Every young person at the school has an individual learning plan and so what we’re seeking to do is to meet the young person where they are both in their life journey and academic journey and shape a program that caters to their needs in an individual way,” Mr McNevin said.
“That underpins our need for our relatively low student to staff ratio.”
One of the school’s resulting “success” stories is Declan, who is doing very well in his metal work apprenticeship after graduating in 2018 after completing year ten.
According to ACARA, the average 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.
An ACT Education Directorate spokesman said the Government and the Australian Education Union are working together to ensure teachers are working within a manageable class size.
“The ACT Government has an ongoing program of planning and construction to deliver new and expanded school capacity to cater for the students of our growing city,” he said.
“The Directorate continually refines and regularly updates enrolment projections based on various sources of information, including population projections and land planning data.”
HIGHEST STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO SCHOOLS
Good Shepherd Primary School: 19.9 students per teacher
Jerrabomberra Public School: 19.4 students per teacher
St Jude’s Primary School: 19.2 students per teacher
Canberra Christian School: 19.2 students per teacher
Sutton Public School: 19.1 students per teacher
Mother Teresa School: 19.0 students per teacher
St Clare of Assisi Primary School: 18.7 students per teacher
St John the Apostle Primary School: 18.5 students per teacher
Holy Spirit Primary School: 18.4 students per teacher
Miles Franklin Primary School: 18.4 students per teacher
LOWEST STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO SCHOOLS
The Woden School: 3.8 students per teacher
Communities@Work Galilee School: 4.3 students per teacher
Black Mountain School: 4.4 students per teacher
Cranleigh School: 4.4 students per teacher
Malkara School: 4.6 students per teacher
Jervis Bay School: 6.3 students per teacher
Lyons Early Childhood School: 6.8 students per teacher
Karabar High School: 6.8 students per teacher
Canberra Montessori School: 6.9 students per teacher
Narrabundah Early Childhood School: 8.4 students per teacher