OC school choices: how to put them in order
Independent. Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education.
For Year 5 OC entry in 2028, put the opportunity class your child most wants first and list only schools you'd accept. A first choice gets no extra weight: every choice is judged on test performance alone.
Your child sits the same OC test whatever the order. A free OC section needs no account. Our app itself covers Selective, not OC.
How are OC school choices used?
You can list between one and 41NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published opportunity classes, in order. Your child is then considered for each one, and the order only matters if they qualify for more than one.
NSW has 892NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published opportunity classes, counting Aurora College's online class, with 1,8402NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published places for Year 5 entry in 2027. See all opportunity classes.
No school gets a head start
Each choice is weighed on your child's test performance and nothing else. Listing a school first adds nothing. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
One offer at most, from the top
If your child qualifies for several schools, the offer comes from the highest one on your list. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Places go by test performance and the order of your school choices1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. So your order is a promise to yourself: the school at the top is the one you'll be offered whenever your child qualifies for it.
What does the Department's OC example show?
The Department explains the rule with one family's list: Kingswood first, then Penrith, St Clair and Colyton. These are its example schools, not a ranking.
| If the child meets the level for | The result |
|---|---|
| Every school on the list | an offer from Kingswood only1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Declining it brings no offer from a lower choice. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Penrith, St Clair and Colyton | an offer from Penrith only1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Colyton only | an offer from Colyton1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published |
A child who qualifies for a lot of schools still gets one offer, from the highest. That's why the top of the list should be the class your child would most like.
Which way do your family's answers point?
Answer three questions about your OC list. You'll see which rule applies, and what to check before the change deadline. Nothing is sent or stored.
No account · nothing sent
Work out your case
Check your choices
Answer each question to see your case.
For your situation
Take that school off. If your child qualifies for it, the offer comes from it 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and declining won't bring an offer from a lower choice. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
For your situation
Order by where you'd most like your child to go. Every choice is judged on test performance alone, so a first choice gets no extra weight. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published No school is officially hardest: there's no set minimum score 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and the Department ranks no school. 4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published
For your situation
Put the school you'd most like first. The Department points to two things: a school your child wants to go to 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and less travel. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published The order doesn't change how each choice is judged. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
For your situation
Talk about why first. If your child would rather go to another school on the list, and you'd be glad of it too, it can go first. When your child qualifies for more than one school, the offer comes from the highest choice. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
The Department counts a school your child wants to go to1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published as an important consideration.
For your situation
Ask your child before the change deadline.
The Department counts a school your child wants to go to1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published as an important consideration, and says visiting is the best way to learn about a school. 1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published Last round, choices could be changed until 5 June 20265NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Every case, in one table
The helper reads the first row that matches your answers.
| A school you wouldn't accept? | How you ordered the list | Is your child glad of the first choice? | Where it points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Any | Any | Take that school off. If your child qualifies for it, the offer comes from it 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and declining won't bring an offer from a lower choice. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| No | Hardest school first | Any | Order by where you'd most like your child to go. Every choice is judged on test performance alone, so a first choice gets no extra weight. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published No school is officially hardest: there's no set minimum score 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and the Department ranks no school. 4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published |
| No | Something else | Any | Put the school you'd most like first. The Department points to a school your child wants to go to 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and less travel. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published The order doesn't change how each choice is judged. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| No | Where we'd most like to go | No, they'd rather another | Talk about why first. If your child would rather go to another school on the list, and you'd be glad of it too, it can go first. When your child qualifies for more than one school, the offer comes from the highest choice. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published The Department counts a school your child wants to go to1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published as an important consideration. |
| No | Where we'd most like to go | We haven't asked yet | Ask your child before the change deadline. The Department counts a school your child wants to go to1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published as an important consideration, and says visiting is the best way to learn about a school. 1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published Last round, choices could be changed until 5 June 20265NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. |
| No | Where we'd most like to go | Yes | Your list follows the rules: only schools you'd accept, in your real order. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published You can change it until the key-dates deadline; last round it was 5 June 20265NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. |
Why does the order of OC choices matter?
Because you can't trade down. Declining an offer won't bring one from a school lower on your list. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Reserve lists only look upwards, to higher choices. An OC reserve place can last until the end of Term 1 in Year 66NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published, so a family can wait a long time for a higher class.
Turning down a lower-choice offer to wait is a gamble: there's no certainty of a later reserve offer1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. List the class you want most first, and you never have to make that call.
What should decide the order for a Year 4 child?
Your child's wishes and the daily trip come first. A Year 5 child will make this journey on every school day for two years. 2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
What your child wants
The Department counts choosing a school your child wants to go to1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published as an important consideration.
The trip, at a nine-year-old's pace
Friends going too
Everyone starts new: many new students arrive from lots of different schools2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. A friend in the same class can still help the first weeks.
Brothers and sisters
There's no promised place for a sibling unless you live in the school's intake area2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Separate school runs may follow.
How the class is set up
Schools with more places have two classes: one per year, or two mixed Year 5 and 6 classes2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Ask how each school on your list sets up Years 5 and 6.
A visit
It's the best way to learn about a school, in the Department's words. 1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published
The Department's own list is your child's interests and abilities, academic and co-curricular needs, social and emotional needs, and any specialised support1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. A ranking appears nowhere on it.
Which OC schools need a closer look before you list them?
A few classes work differently. Check these before you put them on your list, or high on it.
| School or class | What to check |
|---|---|
| Blaxland East and Glenbrook | Blaxland East and Glenbrook alternate years2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published: each takes new students every second year. Check which one takes Year 5 students for your entry year. |
| Aurora College (online) | It's open only to children in Year 5 at an authorised host school in a rural or remote area that has no opportunity class of its own2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Classes cover science, technology and mathematics, online, while your child stays at a local host school2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. There is no reserve list for Aurora College3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. |
| Composite classes | 15 places = one composite Year 5–6 class2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Its places are split 7 boys, 7 girls, 1 on merit2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. |
| A class outside your area | You can apply. Check the trip and the sibling rule first. 2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published |
How do different OC orderings work out?
These are worked examples, not real families. Each shows what the rules do with a list. None can say which classes a child will qualify for.
The close school first, a bigger name second
Your child would rather go to the class near home. A better-known school is second, because a relative recommended it.
If your child qualifies for both, the offer comes from the close school. That's the one your child wants, so the order is right.
A favourite in second place
You listed a school first because it seemed harder to win a place. Your child prefers the second.
If your child qualifies for both, the offer comes from the first, and declining it won't bring the second. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Swap them before the change deadline.
Only one class listed
There's one opportunity class your child would go to. The others are too far.
That's allowed. List only schools you would genuinely like your child to attend1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, even if that's fewer than 41NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
A far class as a back-up
You added a class over an hour away as a last choice, just in case.
If your child qualifies for no other class on the list, the offer comes from it. If you'd decline, the round ends with no place. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Take it off unless the trip would work.
Should rankings or results decide the order?
No. The Department's lists give each class's location and places, and don't rank them. 4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published The level for each class changes every year with how many children apply, how they perform, the places available and how many offers are declined3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
A class that looked "hard" last year may not be this year, and nobody can say in advance. Order by where your child would be glad to go.
Can you change OC choices after applying?
Yes, until the key-dates deadline. You can submit now and change school choices later5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. For Year 5 entry in 2027 the last day was 5 June 20265NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, after the test on 8–9 May 20265NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Log in to the dashboard
Open your application and choose Update application, then School selection, then Submit1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Check the email
Check your inbox: an email confirms the changes are saved1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. No email usually means Submit wasn't pressed.
Mind the deadline
After it, changes are possible only in extenuating circumstances after the cut-off5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Exact dates for Year 5 entry in 2028 are not published5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published. Applications are expected from November 2026–February 20275NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
What does the Department say about choosing OC schools?
Choose with your child, close to home where you can, and only classes you'd accept. These are its points, in our words.
Only list schools you'd really accept.
List only schools you'd genuinely like your child to attend, even if that's fewer than the most allowed. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Put the school you want most first.
On the School choices page, the school you want most goes first7NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Weigh the trip.
It says less travel could reduce harm to schoolwork and wellbeing1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Ask around.
It suggests you ask friends, family and your community about their experiences1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Other families' stories about which class is "harder" aren't official evidence. Weigh them as one family's view.
Questions parents ask about OC school choices
Does putting an OC school first help?
No. No extra weight for first choice1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published: every choice is judged on test performance alone.
How many OC schools can we choose?
Between one and 41NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Fewer is fine if you'd accept no other class. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Can we change our OC choices after the test?
Last round, yes, until 5 June 20265NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Outcomes came on 9 September 20268NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published, so the order was locked well before then.
Does a brother or sister at the OC school help?
No. There's no priority for siblings in OC entry. 4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Each child needs the test performance for the class.
Do OC choices affect Selective later?
No. OC doesn't give automatic Selective entry2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published: the Selective application and its school list are separate.
Should we pick the class with the most places?
Not for that reason alone. More places doesn't mean an easier class: the level depends on how many children apply, how they perform, the places available and how many offers are declined3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.