Teacher ratios: How regional schools are ranked across Victoria

The latest student-to-teacher figures for regional Victoria have been revealed. Find out which schools rank the best.

Regional Victorian classrooms are feeling the effect of statewide teacher shortages,analysis of new data revealing student-to-teacher ratios shows.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority figures showed Wunghnu Primary School, south of Numurkah, had the highest ratios in the state in 2023, with 24 students and one full-time teacher.

The school with the second highest student-teacher ratio was Bunyip Primary School in West Gippsland, with 176 students enrolled last year and nine full-time teachers, or an average of 18.7 students for every teacher at the school.

The national average student-teacher ratio in 2023 was 12.6 students for every teacher. 


The regional Victorian school with the best teacher-student ratio was Werrimull P-12, southwest of Mildura, with 33 students enrolled last year and 10 full-time equivalent teachers - an average of 3.2 students for every teacher.

The student-to-teacher ratios for regional schools across Victoria have been revealed, painting a picture of the impact of teacher shortages across the state. Picture: Jay Town

In the Victorian high country, Merrijig Primary School had a student-to-teacher ratio of 3.2, with 18 students and 5.6 teachers.

Merrijig Primary School mental health and wellbeing leader Kylie McCormack said this year was the first year the school had all teaching positions filled at the start of the year, with 20 students currently enrolled and another two set to start next term.

“Because of our small size, we do have a number of children with additional needs, and a small school allows a nurturing environment,” Ms McCormack said.

“We know the students do so well, it’s one of the positives. It’s like a big family. Our principal has worked hard to make sure the students get all they need.”

Ms McCormack said a government-funded teacher incentive program – which supplies targeted financial incentive payments to help recruit teachers to hard to staff and regional roles – had resulted in a new teacher moving from South Australia to Merrijig to teach this year.

“He’s wonderful. All the other staff here are local and have chosen to be here,” Ms McCormack said.

“There’s a huge teacher shortage post-Covid and there are many reasons for that, but historically speaking it’s been hard to get teachers because we’re out of town. Housing and accommodation is a huge problem in our region, but particularly in Merrijig.”

At Swifts Creek in Victoria’s high country, Emma Reid was Dux of Swifts Creek P-12 School in 2023.

Her mother, Deanne Reid, said her daughter benefited from having one-on-one attention from teaching staff at the small regional school.

“They’re not sharing the attention with the teachers or a huge amount of children. And generally most kids if they need help, they speak up and get heard more,” Ms Reid said.

But a choice of subjects or teachers skilled in certain disciplines was a barrier Emma faced, Ms Reid said, with her daughter undertaking a number of subjects via correspondence.