How the 2027 digital selective test actually works

Updated for 2027 · ~6 min read

The NSW Selective test is computer-based — and that changes how your child should prepare. A strong reader who has only ever practised on paper can still lose easy marks simply because the on-screen experience feels unfamiliar. Here's what to expect, and how to get ready.

The move to computer-based testing

The Selective High School Placement Test is delivered online: children read questions and enter answers on a screen. The content — reading, mathematical reasoning, thinking skills and writing — is the same skill set covered in our complete selective test guide. What's different is the medium, and that's exactly what many families under-prepare for.

What the on-screen experience is like

Digital test platforms share a common shape. Expect features like:

• A question navigator — jump between questions and see which you've answered
• A per-section timer counting down on screen
• Flag-for-review — mark a tricky question and come back to it
• On-screen selection of multiple-choice answers, and typing for the writing task

None of this is hard — but a child meeting it for the first time on exam day spends mental energy on the interface instead of the questions. That's avoidable.

Why "screen anxiety" costs marks

Under time pressure, small frictions add up: hunting for the "next" button, losing track of which questions are unanswered, or rushing the writing task because typing feels slower than handwriting. Children who have practised digitally simply don't lose those seconds. The goal isn't more screen time — it's familiarity, so attention goes to the problem, not the platform.

How to prepare for the digital format

1. Practise on a computer, not just paper. Ideally on the kind of screen and keyboard your child will use.
2. Do full, timed sections. The pressure of a live countdown is part of what you're training for.
3. Teach the navigator habit. Answer what you know, flag what you don't, and use leftover time to return.
4. Build typing comfort for writing. The writing task is typed — a few weeks of relaxed typing practice removes a real disadvantage.
5. Practise working between screen and paper for maths, so switching feels natural.

Common questions