Government primary school (U–6) in Mount Gambier, SA; 379 students, outer regional.
NAPLAN 26 points below national year-level averages and solid student growth; the result is a C overall.
McDonald Park School draws students from the McDonald Park School.
McDonald Park School has an overall SchoolRank score of 49.5/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 40/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 948, below the national average of 1,000. Notably, the school shows strong student growth over time (63/100), meaning students tend to improve well regardless of their starting point.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at McDonald Park School, Year 3 students averaged 377 across the tested NAPLAN domains, below the national average of 407 for that year level, and Year 5 students averaged 468, below the national average of 490 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.
McDonald Park School is a small government primary school with approximately 379 students. It offers education for years U, R-6. As a government school, enrolment is generally available to students living within the school's designated catchment zone. Families outside the zone may apply for out-of-area placement subject to availability.
McDonald Park School is a government school, so there are no tuition fees. Families may be asked to contribute to voluntary school fees covering materials, excursions, and activities. The school has a value score of 42/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
McDonald Park School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.8:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 37% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 91%, which is moderate.
McDonald Park School is located in Mount Gambier, SA, classified as a outer regional school. With an ICSEA of 948 (24th 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.