Shepherdson College
Wakirana St, Galiwinku NT 0822
Shepherdson College is a government combined primary and secondary school in Galiwinku, NT from Transition to Year 12 with about 458 students. Its ICSEA is 664, where the national average is 1000.
ICSEA, Enrolments, Language background, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander share, Teaching staff: ACARA School Profile 2025. Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Terms
About this school, from public sources
Public information suggests Shepherdson College is a government T-12 school in Galiwinku on Elcho Island, serving around 700 students from Yolŋu families. It is one of the Northern Territory's few bilingual schools, teaching in both Djambarrpuyŋu and English under a 'Both-ways' philosophy that blends Yolŋu culture and lore (Rom) with the national curriculum. Notable programs include a Literature Production Centre supporting bilingual resources, a Talking Namba numeracy framework, and maritime/biodiversity education using the school's own vessel. The school traces its origins to 1943.
Often praised
- Bilingual Yolŋu-English education
- Strong cultural/community integration
- Distinctive maritime and land programs
This note was generated from publicly available online sources (the school's website, official pages and online feedback) as at September 2026. It reflects what is said online, not an assessment by SchoolList AU or any government body, and it deliberately records only neutral and positive points. Confidence: medium. Verify anything important with the school. Report an inaccuracy.
NAPLAN
School-level NAPLAN results are published by ACARA on My School under terms that do not allow them to be reproduced here. See Shepherdson College on My School · Why some data is missing
Location and nearby schools
Straight-line distances. List every school within 5 to 50 km.
| School | Suburb | Type | Distance | ICSEA | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mapuru Yirralka College | Nt 0822 | Independent k–12 / combined | 28.6 km | 493 | 26 |
Schools with a similar ICSEA in NT
Same sector and type, ICSEA within 25 points. This is the comparison that separates teaching from postcode.
| School | Suburb | Type | Students | ICSEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borroloola School | Borroloola | Public k–12 / combined · T-12 | 169 | 665 |
| Pularumpi School | Pirlangimpi | Public k–12 / combined · T-9 | 32 | 663 |
| Stirling School | Wilora (Stirling Station) 0872 | Public k–12 / combined · T-9 | 12 | 662 |
| Belyuen School | Belyuen | Public k–12 / combined · T-10 | 21 | 661 |
| Gunbalanya School | Gunbalanya | Public k–12 / combined · T-12 | 231 | 668 |
| Ramingining School | Ramingining | Public k–12 / combined · T-12 | 263 | 660 |
About this data
Figures are from the latest published datasets and can lag the school by a year. Confirm enrolment rules and catchment boundaries with the school or department before relying on them.