Practice Selective High School Tests and Information

On this page, you will find official information about the Selective High School test, a percentile and entry calculator, and free practice selective tests. We highly recommend reading through the information on this page to make sure you haven't missed any crucial information about the selective test. Sample calculations of weighted test percentile are also shown to help shine some light on the NSW Department of Education's non-transparent ranking system.

You are our 27761st visitor on this page. Join hundreds of other students using Test Academy every year to get into the Selective School of their dreams.

Table of Contents

Official Practice Tests
Selective Test Entry Calculator
Test Overview
Section Breakdown
Selective Test Results
List of Selective Schools
Key Dates
Preparation Tips
Encouragement
Free Online Practice Tests

Official Selective Schools Test Practice Papers

Click on an item below to download a Selective Test practice paper or its corresponding solutions. These official tests are sourced from the NSW Department of Education.

Year	Practice Test Paper	Practice Test Solutions
2023	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading Selective Writing	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading No solutions
2022	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading Selective Writing	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading No solutions
2021	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading Selective Writing	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading No solutions
Sample	Selective Mathematical Reasoning Selective Thinking Skills Selective Reading Selective Writing	Selective Mathematical Reasoning (Solutions) Selective Mathematical Reasoning (Explanations) Selective Thinking Skills (Solutions) Selective Thinking Skills (Explanations) Selective Reading (Solutions) Selective Reading (Explanations) No solutions

Selective Test Weighted Percentile and Entry Calculator

Enter Your Percentiles

Reading

Mathematical Reasoning

Thinking Skills

Writing

Your Selective Test Results

Final Weighted Percentile:

Prediction:

Based on top HSC results, some of the best Selective Schools include: James Ruse, Sydney Boys, Sydney Girls, North Sydney Girls, North Sydney Boys, Baulkham Hills High.

The next best Selective Schools include: Normanhurst Boys, Girraween, Hornsby Girls, Penrith High, Fort Street High, St George Girls, Sydney Technical High, Gosford High, Manly Selective Campus, Elizabeth Macarthur, St Ives, Merewether High, Auburn Girls, Strathfield Girls.

This calculator is for indicative purposes only. Reserves are not considered.

Test Overview

The Selective High School Placement Test is an important assessment for entry into New South Wales Selective High Schools. The test evaluates students' abilities across four key areas:

Section	Duration	Number of Questions	Response Type	Weighting
Reading	40 mins	30	Multiple Choice	25%
Mathematical Reasoning	40 mins	35	Multiple Choice	25%
Thinking Skills	40 mins	40	Multiple Choice	25%
Writing	30 mins	1	Open Response	25%

The Selective test consists of four sections: Reading test (30 questions in 40 min), Mathematical Reasoning test (35 questions in 40 min), Thinking Skills test (40 questions in 40 min), and Writing test (1 question in 30 min). All sections contain multiple choice questions, except for the Writing section which is a written long response.

Section Breakdown

This section provides an in-depth look at each component of the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.

1. Reading (40 minutes)

The Reading section evaluates students' ability to understand and interpret written texts. It features a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and articles. Key aspects tested include:

Comprehension: Understanding of the text's main ideas and details.
Analysis: Ability to interpret language, style, and structure.
Inference: Skills in drawing conclusions and understanding implicit meanings.
Diversity: Texts reflect a range of cultural backgrounds, including Australian and Aboriginal literature.

Format and Question Types

Narrative and descriptive extracts, possibly contrasting past and present themes.
Poems, focusing on imagery, metaphor, and implied meanings.
Factual texts with missing information or summary phrases to test cohesion and main idea grasp.
Themed sets of short texts requiring quick and accurate extraction of specific information.

2. Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes)

This section assesses the application of mathematical concepts and problem-solving skills. It is designed to test reasoning rather than mere memorization of formulas, with questions aligned with the NSW K-10 Syllabus (Years 1-5).

Problem-Solving: Real-world and theoretical problems requiring logical solutions.
Conceptual Understanding: Grasp of mathematical concepts and their applications.
Numerical Operations: Basic arithmetic, geometry, and data interpretation.

3. Thinking Skills (40 minutes)

This section measures students' ability to think logically and solve problems using verbal, spatial, and numerical reasoning. It includes a range of question types that challenge students to apply their reasoning skills in new contexts.

Logical Reasoning: Deductions from given information.
Pattern Identification: Recognizing patterns and sequences in data.
Problem-Solving: Multi-step problems that require a planned approach.
Critical Analysis: Evaluating arguments and evidence.

4. Writing (30 minutes)

In the Writing section, students are asked to produce a piece of writing on a given topic. This section tests student ability to organize their thoughts, use appropriate language, and convey ideas effectively.

Content and Structure: Coherence of ideas, clarity of argument, and effective organization.
Style and Vocabulary: Use of a range of vocabulary and stylistic features suitable for the purpose and audience.
Grammar and Mechanics: Correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Selective Test Results

Results are no longer a mark. They are a ranking of your child's performance relative to other students who sat the test in the same year.

Students are placed into one of four bands for each section:

50% of students who sat the test - this indicates you are somewhere in the bottom 50%
25% of students who sat the test - this indicates you are somewhere in the top 25-50%
15% of students who sat the test - this indicates you are somewhere in the top 10-25%
10% of students who sat the test - this indicates you are somewhere in the top 10%

So what rank should we aim for?

There are approximately 4000 places available in year 7 each year and roughly 15000 students sit the exam. With this in mind, entry would be granted to students who average in the top 27% across all sections of the exam. For entry into the top selective high schools, aim to average in the top 10% of students.

Because the sections of the exam are not weighted uniformly, the following formula is necessary to roughly estimate your Average Percentile:

(0.25 × R band) + (0.25 × MR band) + (0.35 × TS band) + (0.15 × W band)

Where R = Reading, MR = Mathematical Reasoning, TS = Thinking Skills, W = Writing.

Assume that you are at the bottom of your band. So if you are in the "10% of students" band, assume your percentile is 90% for that section. For the "50% of students" band, assume your percentile is 25% for that section.

Here is an example calculation for Average Percentile:

(0.25 × 50th perc.) + (0.25 × 50th perc.) + (0.35 × 50th perc.) + (0.15 × 25th perc.)

This student would roughly be in the 46^th percentile.

Example of Selective Schools Test Results. The bands show where you rank relative to other students.

The calculations above are reliable for the most part, but in reality it's a little more complicated than this becuase of the Equity Placement Model.

The Equity Placement Model works by:

Offering 75% of places to students according to their performance in the placement test. This includes students in equity groups whose performance qualifies them for one of these places.
Offering the next 20% of places to students in the equity groups (who have not already gotten an offer at step 1). These students may be offered a place if their test performance is within 10% of the minimum accepted for the school from a general applicant during initial offers (or as determined by the selection committee). Any equity places that are not filled will be offered to general applicants.
Offering 5% of places to students who were unable to complete the placement test for a valid reason approved by the selection committee.

The percentages of held places for students in each equity group are as follows:

Equity group	% of places held
Students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds	10%
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students	5%
Rural and remote students	2.5%
Students with disability	2.5%

List of Selective Schools

Below are the top 25 selective high schools in NSW. There are approximately 4000 places available in selective high schools across NSW for entry to Year 7. To see the full list of selective high schools, visit Selective-Test.com.au. Note that entry into the top selective high schools is the ideal.

State Ranking	School	Locality
1	North Sydney Boys High School	Crows Nest, NSW, 2065
2	James Ruse Agricultural High School	Carlingford, NSW, 2118
3	Baulkham Hills High School	Baulkham Hills, NSW, 2153
4	North Sydney Girls High School	Crows Nest, NSW, 2065
9	Normanhurst Boys High School	Normanhurst, NSW, 2076
14	Sydney Boys High School	Surry Hills, NSW, 2010
15	Hornsby Girls High School	Hornsby, NSW, 2077
19	Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus	North Curl Curl, NSW, 2099
21	Sydney Girls High School	Surry Hills, NSW, 2010
24	Fort Street High School	Petersham, NSW, 2049
33	Girraween High School	Girraween, NSW, 2145
36	Penrith Selective High School	Penrith, NSW, 2750
40	Hurlstone Agricultural High School	Glenfield, NSW, 2167
42	Caringbah High School	Caringbah, NSW, 2229
45	Merewether High School	Broadmeadow, NSW, 2292
56	Sydney Technical High School	Bexley, NSW, 2207
60	St George Girls High School	Kogarah, NSW, 2217
64	Chatswood High School	Chatswood, NSW, 2067
65	Gosford High School	Gosford, NSW, 2250
111	Sefton High School	Sefton, NSW, 2162
127	Tempe High School	Tempe, NSW, 2044
137	Ryde Secondary College	Ryde, NSW, 2112
166	Macquarie Fields High School	Macquarie Fields, NSW, 2564
173	Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus	Glebe, NSW, 2037
281	Alexandria Park Community School	Alexandria, NSW, 2015

Key Selective Test Dates

Date	Activity
23 August 2024	Selective high school placement outcomes released
Late-August 2024 - 7 days after outcome release	Results enquiries about Writing test due Appeals on other grounds due
Early-September 2024	Offers are made from reserve lists Reserve bands progress available on website
Early-October 2024	Writing test results enquiry outcome released
End-October 2024	Appeals outcomes released
18 December 2024 at 3 pm	Reserve decision date (students holding accepted offers are removed from reserve lists at 3:00 pm)

Preparation Tips

Encourage regular reading of a wide range of texts to enhance comprehension and analytical skills.
Practice mathematical concepts through everyday situations and puzzles to strengthen reasoning abilities.
Develop thinking skills by engaging in activities that require problem-solving and logical reasoning.
Improve writing skills by practicing different writing forms, focusing on clear structure and expressive language.

Encouragement

Preparing for the Selective High School Placement Test can be a challenging yet rewarding journey for your child. Encourage them to stay positive, maintain a balanced study routine, and most importantly, to believe in their abilities. Your support and encouragement can make a significant difference in their confidence and performance.