Arethusa College is an independent co-ed school on bushland grounds near Deception Bay, serving students through alternative pathways and specialist academies.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages and growth above the national median; the result is a C- overall.
Arethusa College is an independent co-ed school on bushland grounds near Deception Bay, serving students through alternative pathways and specialist academies. Its Arethusa Sport Academy and Adventure Academy offer hands-on, outdoor learning tailored to diverse strengths. Entry is referral-based. The school is known for its tight-knit, strongly pastoral environment with flexible learning pathways, wellbeing support, and a focus on experiential education. It suits families seeking an alternative to mainstream schooling with emphasis on outdoor learning and community.
Arethusa College has an overall SchoolRank score of 33.9/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 27/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 938, below the national average of 1,000. Notably, the school shows strong student growth over time (89/100), meaning students tend to improve well regardless of their starting point.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Arethusa College, Year 7 students averaged 440 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 513, well below the national average of 569 for that year level. National averages are specific to each year level, because NAPLAN scores are scaled so older year levels score higher, a school-wide average can't be compared with a single national figure.
Arethusa College is a large independent combined school with approximately 1,733 students. It offers education for years 7-12. As a independent school, enrolment typically involves an application process. Contact the school directly for enrolment criteria, waiting lists, and open day information.
Arethusa College has a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.4:1. This is below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 63% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 68%, which is below the national benchmark.
The Year 12 completion rate is 67%.
Arethusa College is located in Deception Bay, QLD, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 938 (21th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is below average, which means the school serves a community with greater socio-educational challenges. ICSEA measures the educational advantage of a school's community, not the school's quality, a lower ICSEA school with strong academic scores may indicate particularly effective teaching.