A Guide to Selective High School - NSW

Selective high schools in NSW are public high schools designed for high potential and gifted students. Entry is competitive, and students usually apply when they are in Year 5 and sit the Selective High School Placement Test when they are in Year 6, for entry into Year 7 the following year.

Key dates

The exact dates can change each year, so parents should always check the NSW Department of Education website before applying. As a general guide, applications usually open around November, close around February, the test is normally held around May, and placement outcomes are usually released around August.

For Year 7 entry in 2027, applications opened on 6 November 2025 and closed on 20 February 2026. The Selective High School Placement Test was scheduled for 1–2 May 2026, with students allocated to sit on one test day only. The make-up test was scheduled for 22 May 2026, the last day to change school choices was 5 June 2026, and placement outcomes are expected in late August 2026.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/parents-and-carers/choosing-a-school-setting/selective-high-schools/application-process

Test style

The Selective High School Placement Test is now computer-based. Students complete the test at a test centre, usually a local high school. They read the questions and enter their answers on the computer. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed, but students can use paper for working out and planning.

The test is designed to assess a student’s reading, reasoning, thinking and writing ability. It is not a test where students need to memorise facts about specific subjects. Instead, students need to apply their knowledge and reasoning skills to solve unfamiliar problems.

The Reading test includes a range of texts such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, magazine articles, reports and book extracts. Mathematical Reasoning tests how well students can apply maths understanding to new problems. Thinking Skills focuses on critical thinking and problem solving. The Writing test asks students to complete one writing task, marked on ideas, purpose, audience, structure, grammar, punctuation, style and vocabulary.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/parents-and-carers/choosing-a-school-setting/selective-high-schools/placement-test/selective-high-school-practice-tests

School choices

Parents can choose between 1 and 3 selective high schools in the application. The first choice should be the school the family wants the most, followed by optional second and third choices. NSW Education advises families to choose only schools they would genuinely like their child to attend.

The order of choices is important. If a student qualifies for more than one selected school, the offer will usually be made for the highest eligible school listed in the application.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/parents-and-carers/choosing-a-school-setting/selective-high-schools/application-process/using-the-application-website/school-selection

Marking and placement

For Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, answers are multiple choice and are computer-marked. The Writing task is marked separately, and NSW Education states that each writing response is marked by two different examiners.

There is no fixed pass mark and no published minimum entry score for each school. The score needed for an offer changes each year depending on the number of students who apply, how students perform in the test, the number of places available, and how many offers are declined.

Placement is based mainly on academic merit and school choice order. NSW also uses an Equity Placement Model to support fair access for under-represented groups, including students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, rural and remote students, and students with disability.

Understanding percentiles and performance bands

The performance report does not show a raw mark, percentage score or exact ranking. Instead, it shows how a student performed compared with other students who sat the test.

For each component, students are placed into bands such as the top 10%, the next 15%, the next 25%, and the lowest 50% of students who sat that component. For example, if 15,000 students sat the test, about 1,500 students would be shown in the top 10% band for a component.

This means a “top 10%” result does not mean the student scored 90%. It means the student performed in the top 10% compared with other students who completed that test component.

There is no pass or fail mark. NSW Education notes that about one quarter of students are successful in gaining a selective high school place.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/parents-and-carers/choosing-a-school-setting/selective-high-schools/outcomes

How to prepare for the Selective High School Placement Test

Good preparation should focus on building strong reading habits, reasoning skills, problem-solving ability and writing confidence.

For Reading, students should practise reading different types of texts, including stories, poems, extracts, articles and information texts. They should learn to identify main ideas, make inferences, understand vocabulary in context, compare texts and carefully check evidence before choosing an answer.

For Mathematical Reasoning, students should practise applying maths knowledge to unfamiliar problems. Important areas include number, fractions, percentages, ratios, measurement, time, geometry, graphs, patterns and multi-step problem solving. Since calculators are not allowed, students should also build confidence with mental maths and written working.

For Thinking Skills, students should practise logic, argument evaluation, conditional reasoning, patterns, diagrams, sequences, data interpretation and “must be true” questions. The aim is to think carefully, eliminate wrong answers and avoid common reasoning traps.

For Writing, students should practise planning quickly, developing clear ideas, writing for a specific purpose and audience, and using accurate grammar and punctuation. Students should also practise different writing styles, such as imaginative, persuasive, reflective or informative responses.

Students can also use Selective Journey to practise in a test-style environment. The platform provides Selective-style practice across Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing, with timed tests to help students build speed and confidence. After each test, students can review their answers, read explanations and learn from their mistakes. For writing, students can practise responding to prompts and receive feedback to improve structure, ideas, expression and accuracy.

Regular practice on Selective Journey can help students become familiar with different question types, improve time management, track progress over time and focus on weaker areas before the real test.

Final tips for parents

Parents can support their child by encouraging regular, balanced practice instead of last-minute cramming. A good routine might include one or two focused practice sessions each week, followed by careful review of mistakes.

It is also useful to look for patterns in your child’s results. Some students may be strong in Reading but need more support in Mathematical Reasoning. Others may be confident with maths but need more practice with Thinking Skills or Writing. Selective Journey can help parents and students track these patterns and prepare more effectively.

Most importantly, preparation should build confidence, not stress. The Selective High School Placement Test is competitive, but it is only one part of a child’s learning journey. With steady practice, clear feedback and a healthy mindset, students can improve their skills and feel more prepared on test day.