Revealed: Canberra and South Coast region’s most crowded schools

The most crowded schools with the worst student to teacher ratio across the NSW south coast and Canberra regions have been revealed. See if your school makes the list.

Tom McGann

@tom_mcgann

2 min read

May 1, 2024 - 5:00AM

Canberra Star

Canberra, South Coast’s most crowded schools revealed.

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The schools with Canberra and the south coast’s most crowded classrooms 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 in their classes.

The figures show in 2023 in the Canberra region, there were more students per teacher at Gundaroo Public School than any other school.

According to the 2023 data – the most up to date that includes all state and private schools nationally – Gundaroo Public School had 18.9 students for every teacher, the highest in the area.

It had 119 students enrolled and six full-time equivalent teachers.

Sussex Inlet Public School has 16 students per teacher, data reveals.

The second highest student-teacher ratios were at St Gregory’s Primary School where there was an average of 18.5 students for every teacher at the school. It had 649 students enrolled and 35 full-time equivalent teachers.

At Jerrabomberra Public School there were 17.8 students for every teacher, the Canberra region’s third highest.

It had 890 students enrolled and 49 full-time equivalent teachers.

Queanbeyan East Public School has 16 students per teacher, data reveals.

According to ACARA, the national average student teacher ratio in 2023 was 12.6 students for every teacher, a drop from the 13.3 ratio in 2021.

At a primary school level it is sitting at 13.6 and in secondary it’s 11.8.

Catholic schools have the highest national ratio for primary schools with a 14.1 ratio, followed by 13.5 for Government schools and 12 for independent schools.

Catholic schools also have the highest national ratio for secondary schools with 12 students for every teacher, followed by 11.9 for state schools and 11.5 for Independent schools.

Huskisson Public School has 16 students per teacher, data reveals.

Meanwhile, the Canberra region’s least crowded classroom was at Finigan School of Distance Education where there was an average of 2.8 students for every teacher at the school.

It had 264 students enrolled and 93 full-time equivalent teachers.

Student-teacher ratios do not take into account teacher aides or non-teaching staff at schools, only the full-time equivalent teachers.

NSW Teachers Federation organiser for Queanbeyan, Waine Donovan told The Daily Telegraph that for years, teachers in the Queanbeyan region had seen zero improvement in class sizes.

“The sooner we address this, the sooner we can give our kids the future they deserve,” he said.

“Smaller class sizes allow teachers the time and capacity to attend to the needs of all students. It means they can devote extra time to a student who might have difficulty with a concept or one who wants to accelerate.

“The current stalled funding negotiation between the Albanese Government and NSW are extremely frustrating. Under the agreed funding model, an extra $1.9 billion should be flowing from the Commonwealth into NSW classrooms.

“This can’t come soon enough, the Prime Minister really needs to step up.”