Selective Holiday Crash Course | Test Academy
2026 60%

of our students received a selective school offer or a reserve band.

40% offers plus another 20% on a reserve band

Those students were taught the way this week is taught: every concept mastered before the next one. It works over a term, and it works in seven days.

Selective Holiday Crash CourseYear 5 and 6 Every section of the selective test, mastered in one week.

Seven days, four sections, taught from the ground up by top selective-school graduates. Your child walks out knowing every question type and how to attack it, in Parramatta or online with the golden booklets posted to your door before day one.

Classes of eight. 3.5 hours a day, 24.5 hours in all. Two days of Mathematical Reasoning, two of Thinking Skills, two of Reading and one of Writing.

Google reviews

What happened for the last families.

Read more reviews
My daughter’s academic skill improved significantly within Test Academy’s selective course run by Arya and Aryan. She successfully gained an offer from her dream school, James Ruse.
James Ruse offer Khadga Tamang Google review
Thanks to Aryan's strategic guidance and the Academy's top-tier resources, Ayansh cleared every hurdle and secured a direct offer to his dream school [Sydney Boys]! We couldn't have asked for a better partner in this journey.
Sydney Boys direct offer Praveen Singh Google review
However, within a few weeks, we began to see real improvement. In just 1.5 months, she progressed to achieving nearly 100% correct answers and showed remarkable improvement in her writing skills.
Nearly 100% in 1.5 months Infas Mohamed Sitheeq Google review
Pick your week

Dates and spots

In the room at Parramatta, or online with the booklets posted to you. A $10 deposit holds the spot.

  • Fri 9 Oct 10:00 AM–1:30 PM Sat 10 Oct 10:00 AM–1:30 PM Sun 11 Oct 10:00 AM–1:30 PM

    Nearly booked out

A $10 deposit holds your spot. It comes off your fees when you enrol and is refunded in full if the class never runs.

Already with us? Re-enrol here.

The week

Seven days, in order.

One section at a time, taught properly rather than tested at. Each day is 3.5 hours with a break in the middle, and every day ends with the student able to do something they could not do that morning.

24.5 hours across the week
Days 1 and 2 7 hours

Mathematical Reasoning

  • Fractions, ratios and percentages at selective level
  • Angles, area, perimeter and unit conversions
  • Time, time zones and multi-step worded problems
  • Multiplication and division drills, and the fastest way to set out each type

Walks out able to read a question, spot the type, and choose the quickest method without guessing.

Days 3 and 4 7 hours

Thinking Skills

  • Every major question type, each with its own scaffold
  • Arguments: what strengthens, what weakens, what is assumed
  • Spatial, sequence and logic puzzles, and the order to try them in
  • Timed sets after each type so the method holds under the clock

Walks out able to name the question type and run the right steps instead of reading the options and hoping.

Days 5 and 6 7 hours

Reading

  • Fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and what each is testing
  • Extract matching, cloze and the newer inline cloze
  • Finding the answer in the text rather than in memory
  • A pace plan for the section, so no passage eats the clock

Walks out able to handle all five reading question types with a method for each, not a feeling.

Day 7 3.5 hours

Writing

  • Reading the prompt and planning in the first three minutes
  • Show, don't tell: metaphor, simile, personification, used on purpose
  • Creative and persuasive structures that finish on time
  • A marked piece to take home with what to fix first

Walks out able to plan and finish a strong piece inside the time limit, with ideas ready to go.

The golden bookletsWorked examples, guided practice and homework for every section, kept by the student. Posted to you before day one if you are online.
Fresh questions each intakeA student who has done the course before does not see the same paper twice.
The forum after the weekQuestions to the teachers and other students keep getting answered once the holidays are over.
Two ways to do the week

Parramatta, or your kitchen table.

The course only ran in Parramatta for years and we turned families away for it. It now runs online as well, with the same teacher, the same hours and the same booklets.

In person

At the centre in Parramatta

Suite 107, 18-20 Ross Street, a short walk from Parramatta station. Eight students to a room, a teacher at the whiteboard, and the booklets on the desk when they arrive.

Bring a pencil case, a snack and a water bottle. Everything else is provided.

Pick a Parramatta intake on the schedule above.

Online

Live from home, booklets at the door

The same class, live on video, with the same cap of eight so every student gets called on. The golden booklets are printed and posted to your address before the first session, so your child works on paper alongside the room.

You need a laptop or tablet with a camera and a quiet spot. We send the link the day before.

Same price. Postage is part of the small materials fee shown before you pay.

What we can promise

Your child walks out of this week noticeably sharper and a lot more confident across all four sections. It happens every intake, for every student.

Reviews

More from parents and students.

Good test material. Helps to prepare for the real test. Recommended for all.

Sandeep Deshpande

great tests. the worked solutions are good, especially for maths because it is handwritten and detailed so my son can learn by himself. thinking skills can get hard.

Steven Handel

Nice tests and good online platform, recommend.

Pedram Mohammadi

Really nice tests. But wow, some of the thinking skills were really hard for me and my daughter. The math questions at the end of tests are also hard and creative.

Theresa Cooke

Hard to find websites that offer quality selective tests for a reasonable price so I'm really glad I found this one. My son loves the layout of the website and the formatting makes the content more enjoyable for him.

Adam Nguyen

This is great. I am a student in year 6 and now I feel very confident.

Parthib Hasnat

Quality test material at an affordable price. I bought Selective test modules for my son. The questions are a good mix of various styles and difficulty levels. A detailed explanation of answers is a big plus. Highly recommended.

Senthil K Sarangapani

Great platform and easy to use. Highly recommend and super affordable.

Michael Farah

Bought this recently for the selective test coming soon and my child is super happy with the questions and the explanations. The platform is amazing to use.

Bahariyeh A Arabi

Test academy is a great package, it helped my sibling a lot with preparing for the selective tests. Many other places are too expensive and don't have quality material, or some don't even have answers. But when I found Test Academy, my problems were solved. Answers to all the questions, which was beneficial because there were a lot of difficult and challenging questions, so the solutions helped my sister understand how to answer the question. Great Value for money, and very satisfied with the test material

Riley Luxmoore

Dev is using this for the last 2 weeks and is finding challenging and useful. I highly recommend this website. And for me as a father it’s has great customer service.

Tanuj Sharma

Arya truly care about their students success, and it shows. Thank you for being such a great teacher and role model. Really appreciate for supporting everyone. Thanks alot.🙏😃

Stuti Agrawal

It's helped me a lot with preparation for the selective test and it's taken a lot of pressure off my shoulders

Idin Zah

Testacademy is excellent. Very resourceful and helpful for my kid. It builds confidence in his selective test. He enjoys practising tests and writing task. There are many coaching centres and online test packs. But Test Academy provides questions way similar to Selective test and their team have motto of each and every kid should have access to it.

Padmashree Rao

After my son had a very bad experience on another platform, I decided to try test academy and he is very happy now. The platform is well designed and fast, questions are very interesting, and the explanations are really helpful. I think the tests are a bit more difficult than the past NSW selective papers, but this is a good thing because my son will be more prepared for the real thing. The writing system is also amazing, my son is actually starting to enjoy writing now and the feedback has helped him improve. Totally worth the price!

Laetitia Fishcer

Excellent platform to help kids for selective exam. The team understands what exactly a student requires to prepare and provide as much as related straight forward assistance via platform.

Trupti Kotadia

Excellent platform, interface and questions for selective prep. Solutions are simple and easy to understand in steps. Great for building confidence in children, my child’s confidence has improved. I really liked the feedback provided and model writing provided for writing. Thanks Arya for your kindness and generosity.. I wish the whole team all the best!

Kulbir Kaur

We’re so proud of our daughter’s progress in thinking skills where she used to struggle. Thanks to the support from test academy, she went into the selective test feeling prepared and walked out confident in her performance. The improvement has been amazing, huge thanks to the team for helping her reach this point!

Annie Yuan

The platform really helped my son get into the top writing band in selective tests 2025. Amazing team who took our feedback on the platform and also implemented possible ones. Big shout out the entire crew!

Manju Muralidharan

We’ve had such a positive experience with Test Academy Tutoring run by Arya and Aryan. The flexiclasses have been a particularly helpful addition, offering that extra layer of support to further enhance both our kids’ capacities. The flexible nature of the program means they can focus on areas where progress is needed, while still maintaining consistency with the theory being covered. What really stands out is the dedication and care Arya and Aryan put into every session. They create an encouraging environment where the kids feel motivated and supported, and it’s clear how much thought and effort goes into their approach. We’re so grateful for the way they nurture learning while ensuring steady progress is made.

Sahba Danesh

Great Selective Course and easy to access thanks.

Yves Zheng

Great practice test and affordable, highly recommended

Anita

Online bundle is very useful for practise.

Poongodi Saravanan

We are so happy with test academy for selective test preparation. The teacher is incredible and our daughter actually say she looks forward to class. The technology they use is advanced, nothing like anything I have seen. Online student platform is very useful for her practice. Other big tutoring centres we went to for long time before here are way behind. She has made major improvements in her weakest sections and is more confident now. Thank you.

Daniel Lao

Test Academy’s teachers are compassionate, knowledgeable, and creative. My daughter’s confidence in maths grew significantly in just one term, and her second school report clearly showed a meaningful improvement in her mathematical skills. My son, even though he is in kindergarten and not usually a fan of school, absolutely loves his classes at Test Academy and remembers what he learns there. We are very grateful for the supportive and inspiring environment they create for children.

Simin Gouran

A very effective platform for Studies. It provides clear insights into a student’s performance, including strengths, gaps, and trends, along with helpful explanations for incorrect answers. Highly appreciated.

Jibran Sabir

The way they teach is so fun and engaging, I learn so quickly and I actually look forward to my classes.

Armin Zah

The best selective test tutors we've had and the test academy student platform is super fun and useful.

Idin Zah

Hi my son really enjoyed the Holiday crash course at Test Academy, He said that the platform was superb with feedback and teaching method. Thank you

Kasunthi Nissanka

My son is extremely engaged preparing for selective at testacademy and actually looks forward to class. So many places have qualified teachers but his teacher here has the fancy resume and can actually teach complex topics very clearly. Great culture and always feel updated as a parent.

Adrian Nader

Very nice. Very good.

Forrest Lin

“The secret weapon every student should have” Dear Test Academy, This letter is to show my gratitude towards you, for helping me with my high school admissions. You have given me excellent academic adventures to go on even when I didn't feel confident at the beginning. This progress was beyond insane, so instead of keeping this joy all to myself, I thought "Why not share it with the people who were instrumental in my success?" I really hope you do read this... because trust me, you need to. It will make you as happy as I am! It all started last year, when I started working on my Selective exam. At this point I was terrified of the examination process as well as all the competition.I didn't know where to begin. It all felt very overwhelming. My dad asked one of his friends, whose son got into Selective, for some ideas. They said "Oh, I know the perfect website for you guys", and recommended Test Academy. Now, Test Academy, I'm not trying to be rude to you guys, but at first, I was as petrified as a cat! I wouldn't even come near it, since I was too afraid that I might get a bad score. However, that didn't stop my parents from encouraging me to try them out. So I thought, "Maybe I'll just go for it. My parents paid for the tests, and I don't wanna disappoint them," I started with scores around 35%, and 40%, and I would cry because of the terrible scores. I thought that I would do very badly in my actual exams, but I kept going. Your explanations and answers for the test questions really helped me out, and taught me along the way. As I continued, something surprising happened, I realised that the more I did them, the higher my scores were getting. My parents were right all this time. Eventually, I stopped feeling afraid to take on the challenges that you have to offer. Now, I apologize in advance if this letter is too long, but I have excellent news to share with you. I sat some ACER and AAS exams, to try and win a scholarship. A scholarship is not a joke. It's an amazing thing to achieve. When I was doing the exams though, I went from thinking in the worst case scenario to a positive mindset. Because of this, the news was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I got the results from three schools, Tara Anglican, Santa Sabina, and Northholm Grammar. At Tara, I was in the top four per cent in almost everything. In Santa Sabina, I did exceptionally well, but the best outcome was from Northholm Grammar. I was ecstatic beyond words, because a scholarship was something I have always wanted. Now, just remember this. The reason why I got this is because of you. You were the ones who made me smarter, who made me go through the real exam vibe, and made me grow to where I stand today. I hope this boosts your reputation, and when I grow older, I will definitely make sure to tell my younger friends about you. I still have my upcoming Selective Exam, but I feel very confident that I will do well in the test. Thank you for everything you have done for me. Yours sincerely, Akshaya Valluri PS: When the results for the selective examinations came in, I was on the wait-list for my top two choices, but got an offer from Penrith. Mind you, I was spending upwards of 20 hours a week on my music, so I had relatively very little time to focus on the Selective exam. Having "Test Academy" in my toolkit allowed me to make the best use of what little time I had, and the practice was just so invaluable, that the results from the exam were very very positive. I recommend to everyone, irrespective of where you get your tutoring or training, sign up for Test Academy's practice tests and be religious about practicing and you will notice excellent progress in your scores. There are upwards of 200 exams in total and at the end of it all, you will be like a well trained warrior.

Rajesh & Akshaya Valluri

We had a really positive experience with Test Academy’s OC online test platform. We purchased the online test package for our son, and we’re very happy to share that he received an OC offer! 🎉 He really enjoyed doing the mock tests and found the platform easy to use, with good-quality questions. It helped him get familiar with the OC test format, question types and time management, while also building his confidence. We’re very happy with the support the platform provided during his preparation and would definitely recommend it to other parents preparing for the OC test.

Kamini Garg

Questions

Things parents ask before they book.

Yes. Each intake has a Parramatta class and an online class, and the schedule above shows both. The online class is live with the same teacher, the same 3.5 hour days and the same cap of eight students. It is not a recording.

We print them and post them to the address on your enrolment before the first session. Book at least a week out so they arrive in time. If you book late we will tell you the plan for the first day before you pay.

A small materials fee for the colour booklets, which includes postage for online students. It is shown on the enrolment page before you pay anything, and the $10 deposit comes off the total. There are no other charges.

Yes. The program starts with foundational breakdowns before building to harder content. Teachers adapt to the group. Many students use this as their starting point.

Each day covers a different section, so missing a day means missing that section entirely. We strongly recommend attending all 7 days. If that’s not possible, call us to discuss which days are most important for your child.

Weekly classes build skills gradually over 10+ weeks. The holiday program is an intensive crash course — all four test sections in one week. It’s ideal as a kickstart, a revision boost, or for families who can’t commit to weekly classes.

Just a pencil, eraser, and water bottle. All booklets and materials are provided. Students don’t need calculators — they’re not allowed in the real test either.

Yes. Students take home all booklets plus additional practice question sets. They also get access to our Discord community where teachers answer questions right up to exam day.

Teachers provide verbal feedback throughout. At the end of the program, students will have completed extensive practice across all sections. You’ll notice the difference in their confidence and speed.

Full refund if cancelled 7+ days before the program starts. Within 7 days, you can transfer your spot to another student.

No. Our booklets, strategies, and materials are designed in-house by our team. We don’t use generic workbooks. Our tutors are 98+ ATAR selective school graduates who teach our specific methods.

Suite 107, 18-20 Ross Street, Parramatta — a 5-minute walk from Parramatta Station. Street parking and paid lots are nearby. Many families drop off and return at session end.

Yes. Existing Test Academy students receive a discount. Sibling and bring-a-friend discounts are also available — mention when enrolling to have it applied.

All the details

The selective test holiday crash course, explained properly.

Everything a parent tends to ask before booking a selective school holiday course, in one place. Dates and figures about the test itself come from the NSW Department of Education and are current as at September 2026.

What the selective test actually is

The Selective High School Placement Test is sat in Year 6 for entry to Year 7. It has four sections, and each one is worth a quarter of the result: Reading (45 minutes, 17 questions, some with several parts), Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes, 35 questions), Thinking Skills (40 minutes, 40 questions) and Writing (30 minutes, one typed task). That is 155 minutes of testing with short breaks, all on one day. The test is computer based and, since 2026, held at local high schools acting as test centres, only in NSW. Calculators are not allowed. The department describes it as a test of ability rather than of the school curriculum, which is exactly why a course that teaches the question types from the ground up matters more than one that just runs practice papers. You can read the placement procedures and download the official practice tests on the department's site. The department publishes those practice tests itself and does not endorse any course, ours included.

When it happens

Applications open in early November of Year 5 and close in February of Year 6, and the test is held in May. For 2027 entry, applications ran from 6 November 2025 to 20 February 2026, the test was on 1 and 2 May 2026, and outcomes went out on 19 August 2026. The 2028 entry dates had not been published when this page was written, so plan on the same shape: apply from November, test in May. That timing is why the holiday crash course runs in every school holiday break. The spring (late September to early October) and summer (December to January) intakes suit a Year 5 student who wants the foundations done before the last term of preparation, and the autumn intake in April is the last full week of teaching before a May test. Families of Year 4 students use the July or September week to get a year ahead.

How competitive it is, honestly

There are 4,338 Year 7 places across NSW selective high schools: 17 fully selective schools, 27 partially selective schools, 4 agricultural high schools and Aurora College for rural and remote students. The department's own guidance says about a quarter of the students who sit the test gain a place. Girraween High School is a co-educational fully selective school close to Parramatta, and families in Harris Park, Westmead, Granville, Rosehill, North Parramatta and across Western Sydney usually list it alongside their other two choices. You can nominate up to three selective high schools in order of preference, and an offer only ever comes from the highest choice your child qualifies for.

What a week of selective test preparation can and cannot do

Seven days will not turn a Year 5 student into a Year 7 one, and nobody should tell you otherwise. What 24.5 hours of teaching does do is remove the gaps: the fraction and ratio work a school has not reached yet, the thinking skills question types nobody has ever named for your child, the reading questions that reward a method rather than a memory, and the writing structure that finishes inside 30 minutes. Each section gets its own block of days rather than a taste of everything, and each day ends with something the student can now do unaided. Most holiday courses in Sydney run a handful of two hour sessions or a single mock test with a review. This one is a week of instruction with the practice built in, taught in classes of eight by graduates of selective schools who sat this test themselves, and priced at $35 an hour. After the week, the term can go to full timed papers instead of to basics.

Parramatta, or online with the booklets posted

The course runs in person at our centre in Parramatta, Suite 107, 18-20 Ross Street, a short walk from the station and the bus interchange, and online for families anywhere in NSW. The online class is the same teacher and the same 3.5 hour days, live, with the same cap of eight. The difference from other online selective test preparation is the paper: the printed booklets, with worked examples, guided practice and homework for every section, are posted to your address before the first session so your child works on the page alongside the room. Book at least a week ahead so they arrive in time. The price is $857 in both modes, plus a small materials fee for the colour booklets that covers postage for online students; you see it before you pay, and the $10 deposit comes off the total.

Results, bands and reserve lists

Parents do not receive a score or a rank. The performance report places your child in one of four bands for each section: top 10 per cent, next 15 per cent, next 25 per cent, or the lowest 50 per cent. There are no set minimum entry scores, and the department no longer publishes cut-offs, so any figure you see online is a third party estimate. Outcomes are an offer, a reserve list place, an offer plus a higher-choice reserve, or unsuccessful. A reserve band from A to F gives a rough idea of how long students in a similar position waited for an offer the year before, and later offers can arrive up to the end of Term 1 of Year 7 as families decline places. In 2026, 60 per cent of our own students received an offer or a reserve band, 40 per cent with an offer. If your child is sick on the day, an illness or misadventure request goes through the application dashboard from the first test day and leads to the make-up test.

Use the week.

Small classes, real exam practice, and teachers who sat in your child's seat not long ago.

Nearly booked out, Term 3 Holiday 2026

$10 today holds the spot. Everything else is on this page.

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