Selective schools test tutoring for Sydney students

What every programme includes

• ✓ Thinking Skills: logic, critical thinking and problem solving
• ✓ Mathematical Reasoning beyond the Year 6 classroom
• ✓ Reading: varied texts answered under time pressure
• ✓ Writing: planning and typing a strong response in 30 minutes
• ✓ Timed mocks in the computer-based format
• ✓ Afternoon and weekend slots in Sydney time

How Year 7 selective entry works

NSW has 17 fully selective high schools, 27 partially selective high schools and 4 selective agricultural high schools, with 4,338 Year 7 places between them, plus 90 places in Aurora College's online selective classes for rural and remote students. Places are offered on the results of the Selective High School Placement Test, a computer-based test sat in Year 6 at a local NSW public school.

For entry in 2027, applications ran from 6 November 2025 to 20 February 2026, the test was sat on 1 or 2 May 2026 and placement outcomes were released on 19 August 2026. The department publishes each cycle's dates in advance; if the pattern holds, applications for 2028 entry open in late 2026 and the test is in May 2027.

The four tests

Every component carries the same weight, so a strong mathematician with weak writing can lose out to a more balanced candidate:

• ✓ Reading: 45 minutes, 17 questions on a range of texts, 25% of the score
• ✓ Mathematical Reasoning: 40 minutes, 35 questions, 25%
• ✓ Thinking Skills: 40 minutes, 40 questions, 25%
• ✓ Writing: 30 minutes, one typed response, 25%

How we prepare Year 5 and Year 6 students

Each skill is taught on its own first, then combined under timing on a computer, because typing a response and moving through on-screen questions is part of the test. Every mock is reviewed by question type, and families get an honest view of how their child is tracking, including when a partially selective school or a later entry point looks like the better target.

NSW selective schools at a glance (Year 7 entry)

NSW Department of Education figures.

A selective plan from Year 4 to the test

1. 1

   Year 4

   Wide reading, quick and accurate arithmetic, and puzzles that build logical thinking.

2. 2

   Year 5, Terms 1-2

   Technique for each of the four tests, taught separately with short timed sets.

3. 3

   Year 5, Terms 3-4

   A writing task every week and mixed reasoning sets; apply as soon as applications open.

4. 4

   Year 6, Terms 1-2

   Full computer-based mocks every one to two weeks, reviewed by question type, through to the May test.

What tutoring costs in Australia

Common questions

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-10-02.

• NSW Department of Education: selective high schools
• NSW Department of Education: Selective High School Placement Test
• NSW Department of Education: the test (Year 7 entry)
• NSW Department of Education: placement timeline for Year 7 entry in 2027
• Tutero: how much maths tutoring costs in Australia, 2026
• TeachingJobs: certified teacher tutoring rates in Australia, 2026