Clear guides for Selective parents
No jargon, no scare tactics, just plain-English explanations of what the test really involves and how to help your child prepare. Grounded in the official test materials.
Alternatives to Selective Schools in NSW
There are 4,338 Year 7 selective places in NSW and far more children who want one. Partially selective streams, agricultural schools and Aurora College.
The Thinking Skills Test Explained: 40 Questions
The Thinking Skills test is 40 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, and it maps to no school subject. What it measures, and why it can't be crammed.
The Selective Test Timeline: Every Key Date, in Order
Selective high school key dates run on a fixed annual rhythm: applications open in November of Year 5, the test is sat in May, outcomes arrive in August.
The Selective Writing Test: One Task, Thirty Minutes
One task, 30 minutes, and the only component that isn't multiple choice. What the department says it is marking, and why parents underestimate it.
The Selective School Reserve List, Explained
A reserve list place means your child is in the queue if places open up. What the A to F bands estimate, why the list moves, and how long it stays open.
The Selective Reading Test: 17 Questions, 45 Minutes
The Selective reading test is 17 questions in 45 minutes, three of them in multiple parts. That shape tells you the questions are dense, not quick.
Choosing Your Three Selective School Preferences
You may nominate up to three selective schools in order of preference, and the department advises choosing only schools you genuinely want.
What Score Do You Need for Selective Schools?
There is no minimum entry score for NSW selective schools, and no scores or ranks are released at all. What to aim at instead of a number.
Should My Child Sit the Selective Test? An Honest Guide
There are 4,338 Year 7 selective places in NSW, so most applicants will not get an offer. An honest guide to deciding whether your child should sit.
What's Actually on the Selective Maths Test
Thirty-five questions, forty minutes, no calculator. Here's exactly what the Mathematical Reasoning paper looks like, and what it's really testing.
The 68-Second Question: Helping Your Child Beat the Clock
Forty minutes for thirty-five questions is the test's real challenge. Here's how to train pacing, and why your child should never leave a single answer blank.
Reasoning, Not Memorising: Why Top Students Struggle
Top marks in class don't always translate to the Selective test. The reason is a different kind of thinking, and it can be taught.
The Traps Hidden in Multiple Choice
The wrong answers aren't random. Each one is engineered to catch a specific, predictable mistake. Teach your child to recognise the bait.
Fractions, Nets and Protractors: The Topics Worth Drilling
A practical map of what comes up most, organised by the three primary-maths strands, so practice time goes where it counts.
OC vs Selective: What's the Difference?
Two tests, two year groups, one common confusion. A quick guide to which is which and how the maths expectations differ.
The Test Is on a Computer Now: What Changes
The Selective test moved to a computer-based format. Reassuringly, almost everything about the maths paper stayed exactly the same.
Reading is good. Practising is better.
Put these guides into action. Your child can sit a full, realistic practice exam free, and the platform builds a plan from how they actually perform.