Applications for Year 5 opportunity class (OC) and Year 7 selective high school places in 2028 open on 5 November 2026. Both placement tests are in May 2027. If your child is in Year 3 or Year 5 right now, this guide is for you. It covers which test they'll sit, the official dates, how to apply, what each test covers and a calm plan from now to test day.
The short version
- Applications open on 5 November 2026 and close on 15 February 2027. You apply online, and late applications are not accepted.
- If your child is in Year 3 now, they sit the OC test on 11 or 12 May 2027. If they're in Year 5 now, they sit the selective test on 13 or 14 May 2027.
- Both tests are done on a computer at a local test centre in NSW, with no calculators.
- The OC test has Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. The selective test adds Writing.
- A steady weekly routine from now until May works better than cramming in the last few weeks.
Which test is my child sitting?
The tests are named after the year your child starts at the new school, not the year they sit the test. That's why families often mix them up. Go by your child's school year today:
| Your child's year now (2026) | Test they sit | Test date | Year when they sit it | Place they're applying for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | Opportunity Class Placement Test | 11 or 12 May 2027 | Year 4 | Year 5 opportunity class, starting 2028 |
| Year 5 | Selective High School Placement Test | 13 or 14 May 2027 | Year 6 | Year 7 selective high school, starting 2028 |
Each child sits the test on one of the two days, not both.
Key dates for 2028 entry
The whole cycle runs from November 2026 to the middle of 2027. These are the NSW Department of Education's published dates:
| Date | What happens | Which test |
|---|---|---|
| 5 November 2026 | Applications open | OC and selective |
| 15 February 2027 | Applications close. Last day to ask for reasonable adjustments | OC and selective |
| 11 or 12 May 2027 | Placement test | OC |
| 13 or 14 May 2027 | Placement test | Selective |
| 10 June 2027 | Make-up test | OC |
| 11 June 2027 | Make-up test | Selective |
| 25 June 2027 | Last day to change school choices | OC and selective |
| Expected August 2027 | Outcomes | Selective |
| Expected September 2027 | Outcomes | OC |
Source: NSW Department of Education, key dates. Checked 27 October 2026. Outcome months follow the department's usual timeline; exact 2028 outcome dates have not been published yet.
How to apply
You apply online between 5 November 2026 and 15 February 2027, and no late applications are accepted.
- Check that your child can apply. Children can apply from NSW public schools, non-government schools, home schooling, interstate or overseas. Your family must be living in NSW by the start of the 2028 school year. The tests are held only in NSW, so a child who is interstate or overseas has to come back to sit it. If your child is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, check the visa conditions on the department's website.
- Register on the application website. Use your own details as the parent or carer, not your child's. Verify your email, complete every section and press submit. Saving an application does not submit it.
- List your school choices in order of preference. Offers follow that order. If your child accepts an offer from a higher choice, they will not get offers from schools lower on the list.
- Ask for reasonable adjustments if your child needs them. If your child has a disability or medical condition, request test adjustments in the application by 15 February 2027.
- Keep an eye on the dates after the test. You can change your school choices until 25 June 2027. Your child must meet all enrolment conditions before they can receive an offer.
Source: NSW Department of Education, application process. Checked 27 October 2026.
What each test covers
Both tests are mostly multiple choice. They focus on reasoning: Mathematical Reasoning applies school maths to unfamiliar problems, and Thinking Skills needs no prior knowledge at all. Here's the format from the department's practice-test pages:
| Section | OC test (Year 4) | Selective test (Year 6) |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 40 min, 14 questions (some have several parts) | 45 min, 17 questions (some have several parts) |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 40 min, 35 questions, 5 answer options each | 40 min, 35 questions |
| Thinking Skills | 30 min, 30 questions, 4 answer options each | 40 min, 40 questions |
| Writing | Not tested | 30 min, one piece of writing on a set topic |
| Weighting | Each section is a third of the score | Each section is 25% of the score |
| Total test time | 110 min, plus short breaks | 155 min, plus breaks |
A few things are the same for both tests:
- On a computer, at a local test centre. The test centre is usually a public high school near your child's primary school. Students use the department's computers.
- No calculators or rulers. Students get paper for working out.
- Several versions of the test. Different versions are used on different days. The department says there's no advantage in sitting on a particular day.
- Writing must stay on topic. In the selective test, a response that does not address the given topic is marked lower. Markers look at ideas, writing for a purpose and audience, and use of language.
The department publishes free practice tests for both: timed online tests in the same computer format, plus PDF samples. The selective PDFs come from the older paper test, so use the online versions to get used to the real format.
Sources: OC practice and test details, selective practice tests, the test day. Checked 27 October 2026.
How places are decided
Places are offered on placement test performance. You do not need a separate application for any of the steps below:
- 80% of places go on test performance alone. This includes students from equity groups who qualify on their score.
- Up to 20% of places are held for equity groups. These are students from low socio-educational backgrounds (10%), Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students (5%), students from rural and remote areas (2.5%) and students with disability (2.5%). Their score must be within 10% of the lowest score accepted from general applicants. Any held places that are not filled go to general applicants.
- Equal places for girls and boys. From the 2027 intake, opportunity classes and co-educational or partially selective high schools offer equal numbers of places to girls and boys, still based on test performance.
The department says these percentages can change from year to year. Outcomes usually come out in August for selective high schools and September for opportunity classes. Reserve lists follow for places that are not taken up.
Source: NSW Department of Education, fair access. Checked 27 October 2026.
A calm prep plan, November to May
Six months is enough time to prepare well without turning family life into exam season. The aim is a steady routine of a few short sessions a week, building up gradually.
| When | Focus | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| November-December 2026 | Apply and get familiar | Submit the application early rather than waiting for the February deadline. Try one official online practice test to see the format, without worrying about the score. |
| January 2027 (summer holidays) | Build reading and reasoning habits | Read a mix of stories, non-fiction and poetry, since the Reading section uses all of these. Do short maths puzzles and word problems, and talk through how your child worked them out. |
| February 2027 | Confirm and settle into a routine | Check that your application shows as submitted before 15 February. Set a regular weekly time for practice alongside Term 1 schoolwork. |
| March 2027 | Work on each section | Practise one section at a time. For the selective test, write regular short pieces on a set topic within 30 minutes. Go over mistakes together, not just the score. |
| April 2027 | Practise the full test | Do full timed practice tests on the computer, to build stamina for 110 minutes (OC) or 155 minutes (selective). Practise moving on from a hard question and coming back to it. |
| May 2027 | Keep it light | Ease off in the final week. Focus on sleep and a normal routine, and check the test centre, arrival time and what your child can bring. |
If your child is sick on test day, there's a make-up test in June. After the test, you can still change your school choices until 25 June.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most slip-ups are about admin and approach, not ability:
- Leaving the application to February. Late applications are not accepted, and saving an application does not submit it.
- Practising only on paper. The real test is on a computer, and the selective PDF samples come from the older paper test. Use the department's online practice tests for the format.
- Doing practice papers every week from the start. Lots of papers can build test fatigue without building skill. Reasoning improves when your child explains how they got an answer and learns from the ones they got wrong.
- Skipping Writing. In the selective test, Writing is worth 25%, the same as each of the other sections.
- Treating one test day as the final word. A child who sits the OC test can still sit the selective test in Year 6, and many children do well at their local school either way. Keep the conversation about effort and progress, not the result.
How Numerion Academy helps
Numerion Academy prepares students for both tests one-to-one, online. The focus is on reasoning and confidence, not test tricks.
- One-to-one sessions of one hour, 2-3 times a week, depending on your child's needs.
- Topic notes as a PDF before each session, and assignments set as homework.
- Practice in the real format, so the format and timing feel familiar by test day, without drilling.
- Monthly written progress reports, so you can see what's improving.
OC preparation is for children in Year 4, so a child in Year 3 now can start at the beginning of Term 1 2027. Children in Year 5 now can start selective test preparation straight away.
See Year 4 OC Test Preparation and Year 6 Selective Test Preparation for details.
Book a Free Trial Class →
Sources
All pages from the NSW Department of Education, checked 27 October 2026: