NSW Selective Test 2027: a parent's complete guide
If your child is in Year 6 and you're weighing up a selective high school, this guide walks you through exactly what the NSW Selective High School Placement Test involves, how it's scored, and how to help your child prepare — without the guesswork.
What is the NSW Selective High School Placement Test?
The Selective High School Placement Test is run by the NSW Department of Education to allocate places at academically selective high schools for Year 7 entry. Selective schools group high-potential students together, and because places are limited, entry is competitive.
Since the exam moved online, it's delivered as a computer-based test — children answer on a screen rather than on paper. That change matters for preparation: practising in a realistic digital environment helps reduce "screen anxiety" on the day. We cover this in detail in our guide to how the 2027 digital selective test works.
Who should sit the selective test?
The test suits children who are working comfortably above grade level and enjoy problem-solving and reading. It isn't only about being "good at school" — the test rewards clear reasoning under time pressure. Signs your child may be ready:
- They pick up new concepts quickly and enjoy a challenge
- They read widely and can explain what they've read
- They can stay focused through a timed task
- They cope reasonably well with making mistakes and trying again
The four sections, explained
The selective test assesses four areas. Here's what each one looks like, with an original sample question in the style your child will face.
1. Reading
Comprehension and interpretation across fiction, non-fiction and persuasive texts, plus formats like cloze (filling missing words) and sentence-gap questions. It rewards careful reading and inference — reading between the lines, not just on them.
"The old lighthouse had not shone for decades, yet the villagers still spoke of it as their guardian." The word guardian suggests the villagers felt the lighthouse was…
Answer: protective — even unlit, it was seen as something watching over them.
2. Mathematical Reasoning
Multi-step word problems that test reasoning rather than rote calculation — ratio, rates, geometry, and logic applied to numbers. Diagrams are common.
A recipe uses 3 cups of flour for every 2 cups of sugar. If 12 cups of flour are used, how many cups of sugar are needed?
Answer: 8. Flour scales ×4 (3→12), so sugar scales ×4: 2 × 4 = 8.
3. Thinking Skills
Logic, deduction, sequences, and problem-solving — including calendar and pattern reasoning, coded language, and "who-did-what" deduction puzzles. This section is often the least familiar to children, so targeted practice pays off.
Four children finished a race. Sam beat Tia. Tia beat Ravi. Ravi beat Noor. Who came third?
Answer: Ravi. Order: Sam, Tia, Ravi, Noor.
4. Writing
A written response to a prompt — typically persuasive, narrative or informative. Markers assess ideas, structure, vocabulary and control of spelling, grammar and punctuation. Writing is where many well-prepared children lose easy marks on structure, so it's worth focused practice. See our full breakdown of the selective writing test.
See where your child stands — free
Take a full-length, timed practice test in each subject. Instant score, band estimate and worked solutions.
Take a free test →How the test is scored — and how placement works
Section results are combined into a scaled placement score. Offers are then made competitively: each selective school has different demand, so the score needed varies from school to school and year to year. In practice this means:
- There's no single "pass mark" — you're competing for ranked places
- The most in-demand schools require higher scores
- You can list preferences, and offers cascade based on your child's score and school demand
For parents, the useful question isn't "did we pass?" but "where does our score sit relative to the schools we're aiming for?" That's why we translate practice results into a proficiency band, not just a number.
Key dates and how to apply
The cycle runs annually: applications open the year before the test (usually late in the year), the test is sat in Year 6, and offers follow later that year for Year 7 entry.
How to prepare (a sensible plan)
- Start with a diagnostic. A full-length timed test shows you the starting point and the gaps.
- Practise in the real format. Computer-based, timed, one section at a time — so exam day feels familiar.
- Prioritise the weak section. For many children that's Thinking Skills or Writing.
- Make writing a weekly habit. Structure and vocabulary improve fastest with regular, marked practice.
- Track progress, not just scores. Watch the band move over weeks — that's the real signal.
Common questions
What year does my child sit the selective test?
In Year 6, for entry into Year 7 the following year. Applications open the year before.
Is there a pass mark?
No — placement is competitive and ranked. The score needed depends on which selective schools you're aiming for and how many others apply.
How is the writing section marked?
By markers, against criteria covering ideas, structure, vocabulary, and spelling/grammar/punctuation. See our writing guide.
How long should we prepare?
Most families work over several months with short, consistent, exam-authentic practice — which beats last-minute cramming.
Is the test on paper or computer?
Computer-based. Practising in a realistic digital environment helps. See the 2027 digital format.