Newcastle Senior School is a government co-ed school in Waratah that specialises in supporting students with specific learning and wellbeing needs.
NAPLAN in line with national year-level averages; the result is a B- overall.
Newcastle Senior School is a government co-ed school in Waratah that specialises in supporting students with specific learning and wellbeing needs. It combines life skills and independence development with high potential and gifted education, offering tailored learning plans co-designed with families. The school features a hydrotherapy pool, accessible trampolines, and a liberty swing, backed by dedicated learning and wellbeing support teams. Strong pastoral care and a structured approach suit families seeking focused, practical support alongside academic challenge.
Newcastle Senior School has an overall SchoolRank score of 52.9/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 51/100, indicating moderate performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 960, slightly below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Newcastle Senior School, Year 7 students averaged 528 across the tested NAPLAN domains, below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 562, in line with 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.
Newcastle Senior School is a very small government combined school with approximately 37 students. It offers education for years U. 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.
Newcastle Senior 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 54/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Newcastle Senior School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 3.3:1. This is well below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 46% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 80%, which is below the national benchmark.
Newcastle Senior School is located in Waratah, NSW, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 960 (29th 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.