Selective High Schools are designed to group high-achieving students from year 7 - 12. They are taught in specialised ways and provided more academic opportunities to succeed than mainstream schools.
The placement test is taken in year 6 each year. In 2023, it will be held in May.
The level of English and mathematical reasoning questions are much more advanced than at school. Thinking skills questions are unlikely to be taught in schools.
The Selective High Schools test is rigorous.
The Selective test consists of four parts:
The exam is different to the exams prior to 2021, with a greater focus on problem-solving, verbal English reasoning skills and writing.
From 2021 - 2026, the new test will be written by British company, Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing.
Our practice tests mimic the style of their tests and the type of questions that will likely be asked. We are constantly updating our test materials to keep up to date with testing content trends.
In 2024, the test was on paper however in future years it may be delivered digitally by local software company, Janison.
The results are entirely from the performance in the Selective High Schools placement test. There are no school marks calculated as part of students's results.
The thinking skills section is likely to be the most challenging for students. Thus we recommend that students train as early as possible to give themselves the most time to master this section of the test.
Places are very competitive. Only the top students are successful in gaining placement. In 2019, 28% of applicants were successful across all of NSW. An even smaller percentage were successful in the Sydney Metropolitan area.
The minimum entry score is the score of the lowest scoring student to accept a place there. Minimum entry scores vary from school to school and from year to year. Starting in 2022, entry scores were no longer published by the NSW Department of Education.
Prior to 2021, the scores were out of 300. Here are some of the 2021 Selective minimum entry scores for schools in the Sydney area.
For the full list, visit: https://data.cese.nsw.gov.au/data/dataset/selective-high-schools-minimum-entry-scores
At our learning centre, we have more comprehensive data to help you decide on your school choices. Please ask us if you would like access to it.
Just as a dedicated soccer player or pianist trains for an important game or recital, so can a dedicated student for an important test. To be successful, students must be strong in reading, writing, mathematics, problem-solving, vocabulary, logical and verbal reasoning. They must also be able to manage their time effectively during the test - for certain sections, there is only one minute to answer each question.
Our Selective training classes begin in Year 4 Term 4 all the way up until the date of the Selective test.
Each week students are given at least one practice test under exam conditions.
Our practice tests mimic the style and type of questions from Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing. The questions are designed to help students develop skills required as well as familarise themselves with the types of questions that will likely be asked.
Each test is fully reviewed with our guidance. This enables students to individually learn from their mistakes, pick up exam techniques and improve their performance over time.
Our practice tests are continually updated to reflect the most recent testing questions, providing students with the best chance to be successful.
Each year almost every student (95%) in our Selective training program is successful in gaining a placement in the top Selective Schools in the state. In recent years, our students have made it to James Ruse, Baulkham Hills, North Sydney Boys, North Sydney Girls, Sydney Boys, Sydney Girls, Girraween, Hurlstone Agricultural, St George Girls and Sydney Technical. If your child an aspiring student, contact us to learn more about the Selective training program.
