Revealed: Every Victorian school’s teacher ratio

Some Victorian schools have almost as many teachers as students while others have more than 20 kids per adult. See every school’s ratio in our searchable database.

Olinda Primary School teacher Steven Mileham, with Davyd, 7, Tyler, 12, and Amelia, 10. Picture: Jason Edwards

Lucky students at some Victorian primary schools have almost as many teachers as students.

New student-staff ratio data reveals tiny schools such as Olinda Primary School, located in the Dandenong Ranges, have just 10 students and 3.6 full-time equivalent teachers.

This accounts for the number of teachers making up full-time positions, including part-time staff.

Dhurringile Primary, located nearly 30km from Shepparton, and Ultima Primary, 350km west of Melbourne, both have just two students and 1.6 staff – the smallest in the state.

On average, Victorian primary schools have 13.1 students for every teacher, 2021 data from the My Schools website shows.

Government primary schools have an average of 13.2 students per teacher compared to 12.9 students per teacher in private primary schools.

This compares to secondary and combined schools, which have a ratio of 11.3 statewide, with no difference between public and private providers.

The smallest secondary and combined provider (primary and secondary in one school) is Fernbrook School in The Basin which has 21 students and three staff members – a ratio of seven.

Other micro schools enjoying great low ratios include Lynall Hall Community School in Richmond, Cann River P-12 and Sydney Road Community School in Brunswick.

Acting principal at Olinda Primary School Steve Mileham said small schools create a tight-knit community for students, teachers and parents.

“Having a small class size benefits the students enormously – they can have all the attention they need, and never fall through the cracks,” he said.

“Since 2021, we’ve grown to 16 students. Everyone has a strong sense of belonging and enjoys coming to school.

“For instance, we have swings scattered throughout the classroom for students with additional needs so they are able to better focus and regulate themselves when needed.”

In comparison to the micro schools, Victoria’s biggest primary schools have as many as 18 students for every staff member.

They are Point Lonsdale Primary, St Francis of Assisi in Mill Park, Camelot Rise Primary in Glen Waverley, Patterson Lakes Primary, Puckapunyal Primary and Emerald Primary.

The school with the biggest ratio is Lighthouse Christian College Cranbourne, which has 22.4 students for every teacher.

Lighthouse Christian College has the biggest ratio, with 22.4 students for every teacher.

Virtual School Victoria is next, with 19.6 students per teacher, followed by Saltwater P-9 College, which has 19.4 students per teacher.

Australian Education Union Victorian Branch President Meredith Peace said bigger class sizes are unsustainable for both teachers and students.

“It means students with additional needs miss out on the extra attention they need and workloads for teachers are increased, stretching them thin while trying to cater to a larger number of students without any additional support,” she said.

Ms Peace said due to current funding agreements between state and federal governments, public schools in Victoria only receive 90 per cent of the minimum level they need to meet basic requirements.

“The current 90 per cent of funding means that public schools have fewer resources and less capacity to employ additional teachers or support staff, which in turn leads to bigger class sizes and high student-teacher ratios,” she said.

Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said Victoria has the best student teacher ratio of any state in the nation.

“Our record investment and education reforms mean every Victorian child has access to a good education, no matter where they live,” she said.

“Small schools play an important role in communities across the state and we’ll keep backing them with the Principals and teachers they need to ensure all students have access to a great local school.”

The Victorian Budget 2022/23 includes $779m to recruit 1900 extra teachers to reduce face-to-face teaching hours and provide teachers more time for planning, preparation, assessment and developing teaching practices.