NSW opportunity class schools: every school and its places

NSW has 89^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} opportunity classes, counting Aurora College's online class, with 1,840^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} Year 5 places for entry in 2027. 57^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} of the schools are in metropolitan Sydney; the rest are in rural or regional centres.

Every one of these places is offered through the same OC test, on test performance and the order of your school choices^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. There is no separate test for any school on the list.

Opportunity classes are full-time classes for high potential and gifted students in Years 5 and 6^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. There are two types: full-time classes in primary schools, and Aurora College's online classes for rural and remote students^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

The class is part of an ordinary public primary school. Its children learn in their own class for the whole of Years 5 and 6, while the rest of the school runs its local classes. Because the class draws from a wide area, a child who accepts moves to the school with the class^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

So on the first day of Year 5, most of the class are new to each other. A teacher in the Department's video says many new students arrive from lots of different schools^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}, and that classes move through concepts a little quicker (curriculum compacting)^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Most schools take either a small or a larger Year 5 intake, and that sets how the classes are arranged. A smaller intake means one class with Years 5 and 6 together.

A school with the larger intake may run single-year classes or two mixed classes. The Department asks families to check the school's website or contact the school to confirm^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published} , so ask on an open day or by email if it matters to you.

Yes. Opportunity classes have equal places for girls and boys from the 2027 intake^{4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. The Department's list has no girls-only or boys-only classes to filter for.

In a class with the smaller intake, places are split 7 boys, 7 girls, 1 on merit^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. If places for girls or boys aren't filled, they go to qualifying children of the other gender. ^{4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} Aurora College's places are split evenly between boys and girls. ^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

Up to 20%^{4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} of places in each opportunity class are held for children from four under-represented groups. They are still offered on test performance.

Families aren't told^{4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} whether an offer came from an equity place, and neither are schools. So no school's places can be split into "equity" and "other" from the outside.

No. The Department's list gives each school's address and places, and ranks none of them. ^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published}

We don't rank OC schools either. A ranking can't tell you whether a class suits your child, or how long the trip each morning would be. Lists that rank primary schools online are not Department entry data, and they don't describe how OC places are offered.

The result needed for each class also changes every year. What helps instead is on this page: address, places and class arrangement, from the Department, with the date we checked them.

There aren't any. There is no set minimum entry score^{6NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} for any opportunity class, and an "OC cut-off" you see online is not a Department figure.

What is published: 11,458^{7NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} children sat the 2025 test, and about one in eight^{6NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} children who sit it gain a place. These are whole-state figures, not any school's, and not your child's chance.

Search the list by your suburb, or a nearby one. A school's catchment doesn't limit its opportunity class: you can apply for opportunity classes outside your local enrolment area^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

What matters more is the daily trip, because in most cases your child would change schools. The Department notes that a school close to home means less travel, more time for other activities^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Try the trip at school times before you list a school.

Your family must be living in NSW by the start of the entry year^{8NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Children in rural and remote areas without an opportunity class nearby can look at Aurora College, which runs online.

Aurora College teaches science, technology and mathematics, online, while your child stays at a local host school^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. It has 100^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} Year 5 places, and about 600^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published} public primary schools act as hosts.

It is only for children who will be in Year 5 at an authorised host school in a rural or remote area that has no opportunity class of its own^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. Classmates meet in person at two residential camps each year^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Which OC schools work differently?

List up to 4^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} schools, in the order you truly want them. Include only schools you would genuinely like your child to attend^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

1. Start with your child

   The Department says choosing a school your child wants to go to^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} is an important consideration.

2. Check the daily trip

   In most cases your child moves to the OC school, so a school near home means less travel, more time for other activities^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

3. Ask how the classes run

   One mixed class or two classes? check the school's website or contact the school to confirm^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

4. Order by preference, not by guess

   Listing a school first adds no weight ^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, and the offer comes from the highest choice your child qualifies for. ^{6NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

5. Visit

   Each school's own website, linked in the list, has its contact details and open days.

You can submit now and change school choices later^{8NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Choices change only in extenuating circumstances after the cut-off^{8NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Read how to order your OC school choices, or check whether OC suits your child.

The class ends with Year 6, and your child moves to high school like everyone else. An OC place doesn't carry over: OC doesn't give automatic Selective entry^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

To be considered for a selective high school, you apply in Year 5 and your child sits the Selective test in Year 6^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. See all NSW selective high schools.

How many OC schools are there in NSW?

There are 89^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} opportunity classes, including Aurora College online. 57^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} of the schools are in metropolitan Sydney, and together they have 1,840^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} Year 5 places for entry in 2027.

My child's school isn't on the list. Does it have an OC?

If a school isn't on the list, it has no opportunity class. That doesn't mean it can't stretch a strong student, because every NSW public school offers high potential and gifted programs^{6NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

Do OC schools charge fees?

No. Applying, sitting the test and enrolling are free^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Opportunity classes are part of public primary schools.

Does my child have to change schools?

In most cases, yes: a child who accepts moves to the school with the class^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Aurora College is different, because your child stays at a local host school. ^{1NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}

Can my child join an OC in Year 6?

Only from a reserve list. An opportunity class covers Years 5 and 6; no Year 6-only entry^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, so families apply once, for Year 5. A child already on a reserve list can still be placed until the end of Term 1 in Year 6^{9NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Can we defer an OC place to the next year?

No. An OC place cannot be deferred^{6NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. After you accept, the school contacts you^{6NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} about enrolment and orientation.

What is the OC at Beecroft Public School like?

Beecroft Public School has 30^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} Year 5 places. Read how entry works at Beecroft.