Merriwa Central School
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About the school
Merriwa Central School is located in the Upper Hunter Valley, approximately 75 km west of Muswellbrook. This dynamic and creative multi-campus school caters to students from Kindergarten through to Year 12, emphasising a local community focus. The school provides a broad range of high-quality educational opportunities supported by a strong community backing. It is committed to delivering teaching and learning programs that challenge students academically while promoting individual achievement. With an emphasis on healthy attitudes and behaviours, Merriwa Central School prides itself on being a happy and safe environment for children in a small rural community.
Educational Structure and Support
Merriwa Central School features small class sizes in Kindergarten, with a maximum of twenty students. This ensures close teacher attention and fosters a strong focus on literacy and numeracy from Kindergarten to Year 12, offering opportunities for acceleration and extension. The K-12 structure aids in a smooth transition for students moving from Year 6 to Year 7, alleviating potential surprises. Primary students have access to specialised secondary teachers, while senior students are engaged with a unique, nationally recognised curriculum in smaller groups.
Community Involvement
The school values the partnerships formed with the local community and actively collaborates with families to enhance the learning experience for all students. With additional support from the teaching and wellbeing teams, Merriwa Central School ensures that the diverse learning needs of every child are met, crafting individual plans that cater to their specific educational requirements. This commitment towards fostering lifelong learners situates Merriwa Central School as a cornerstone of educational excellence in the Merriwa community.
Mission
We help every student to learn, grow and succeed. Valuing individual potential - achieving personal best.
Location & Catchment Area
- Merriwa Central School
Catchment zones
Nearby or Connected Schools
- A Sandy Hollow Public School 29.4 km
- B Cassilis Public School 38.6 km
- C Denman Public School 41.2 km
- D Martindale Public School 45.6 km
Profile (2025)
- Total enrolments
- 221 (109 girls, 112 boys)
- Enrolments (FTE) What does this mean?
- 221
- ICSEA What does this mean?
- 879 (percentile 7)
- SEA quarters What does this mean?
- 71% / 23% / 6% / 1%
- FOEI What does this mean?
- 149
- Indigenous students
- 25%
- Teaching staff (FTE) What does this mean?
- 24.6
- Non-teaching staff (FTE) What does this mean?
- 10.6
Enrolments by grade (2025)
| Grade | Headcount |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 15 |
| Year 1 | 18 |
| Year 2 | 11 |
| Year 3 | 20 |
| Year 4 | 23 |
| Year 5 | 18 |
| Year 6 | 21 |
| Year 7 | 19 |
| Year 8 | 12 |
| Year 9 | 24 |
| Year 10 | 16 |
| Year 11 | 15 |
| Year 12 | 9 |
| Total | 221 |
Year by year
Attendance data for 2020 is unavailable — NSW schools were disrupted by COVID-19 and the Department of Education did not publish figures for that year.
| Year | Enrolments | Girls | Boys | Attendance % | ICSEA | Teaching staff (FTE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 221 | 109 | 112 | - | 879 | 24.6 |
| 2024 | 213 | 102 | 111 | 80.8 | 879 | 29.5 |
| 2023 | 226 | 105 | 121 | 83.1 | 870 | 29.8 |
| 2022 | 232 | 111 | 121 | 80.5 | 886 | 29.8 |
| 2021 | 231 | 108 | 123 | 86.9 | 872 | 25.6 |
| 2020 | 222 | 108 | 114 | - | 872 | 24 |
| 2019 | 238 | 116 | 122 | 87.9 | 876 | 24 |
| 2018 | 262 | 132 | 130 | 85.6 | 868 | 23 |
| 2017 | 284 | 149 | 135 | 88.3 | 878 | 25.2 |
| 2016 | 275 | 145 | 130 | 89.7 | 879 | 24.9 |
| 2015 | 276 | 134 | 142 | 90.3 | 869 | 24.1 |
| 2014 | 250 | 122 | 128 | 91.3 | 895 | 22.5 |
| 2013 | 243 | 116 | 127 | 89.9 | 891 | 23.9 |
| 2012 | 243 | 122 | 121 | 91.1 | 903 | 21.8 |
| 2011 | 225 | 109 | 116 | 90.5 | 896 | 20.4 |
| 2010 | 217 | 112 | 105 | - | 899 | 19.8 |
| 2009 | 210 | 107 | 103 | - | 948 | 19.4 |
| 2008 | 217 | 115 | 102 | - | 948 | 21.8 |
Attendance data for 2020 is unavailable — NSW schools were disrupted by COVID-19 and the Department of Education did not publish figures for that year.