More than 700 regional NSW schools ineligible for rural incentive scheme intended to attract staff

Gilgandra high school is one of many that are not eligible for a number of incentives, meaning it has to compete with metropolitan schools for staff. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian

Gilgandra high school regularly has sheep in the back paddock and is situated in a town of just 4,000 people surrounded by open plains and farmland – but it is not considered rural by the New South Wales education department.

It is one of 735 schools outside greater Sydney that are ineligible for rural and remote school incentives.