IGNITE program practice test: what is official, and how to prepare
Independent. Not affiliated with the SA Department for Education, ACER or the IGNITE schools.
There is no public IGNITE past paper: ACER's free HAST bulletin has a few sample questions, and your testing school sends more after you register. The next IGNITE test, for Year 7 entry in 2028, is on 20 February 20271Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Is there an official IGNITE practice test?
No full practice test is published. ACER says HAST past papers are not available2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published, so treat anything sold as an IGNITE past paper with care.
Three official sources of sample questions do exist. Two come from ACER, which writes the test, and one comes from your testing school.
ACER's free bulletin
ACER's HAST Student Information Bulletin has a small number of sample questions, free2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published.
ACER's sample booklet
Your testing school's letter
After you register, the school sends a letter with test-day details and some sample questions. 3The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published
Which official samples exist, and where are they?
Four things are worth knowing about, and one of them doesn't exist. The table shows who owns each, its format and what it costs.
| Material | Owner | Edition year | Format | Cost | What it gives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAST Student Information Bulletin, Secondary | ACER | Not published4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Not published | Free 2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published | Sample questions for each paper, a sample writing task and test-day rules | |
| HAST Sample Question Booklet | ACER | Not published4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Not published | downloadable PDF files, not printed copies2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published | Paid, sold in ACER's online shop2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published | More sample questions in the style of the real papers |
| Registration letter | Your IGNITE testing school | Sent for the test on 20 February 20271Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published | A letter | Comes with registration | sample questions come with the registration letter3The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Past papers | ACER | — | — | — | not available2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published |
We link to ACER's pages rather than copy any question. ACER's practice material is only sold directly by ACER2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published.
What does each official sample cover?
The samples follow the four IGNITE papers. Each one shows the style of a paper, not its length.
| Paper | Minutes, last round | Questions in the real paper | What the samples show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 453The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published | between 35 and 404Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published | Short passages and verse with multiple-choice questions 4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 403The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published | between 28 and 354Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published | Puzzles that look little like school worksheets 4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Abstract Reasoning | 303The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published | 304Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published | identifying and completing picture sequences and patterns4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Written Expression | 253The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published | One piece | A prompt that is a picture, a statement, or both4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published |
The bulletin's question counts are ranges, because the number depends on the form used. Read how each paper works.
Why doesn't this page have IGNITE practice questions?
Because we don't make IGNITE practice. Our practice is for the NSW Selective test, not IGNITE, so this page offers dates only.
We also don't reword ACER's questions or sell papers. Official material is linked here so you can go straight to the source, and ACER says it is not affiliated with any tutoring or coaching college2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Does my child need IGNITE coaching?
ACER says coaching is not needed2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published. It explains that short-term training is unlikely to improve performance2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Its advice is to read widely and think critically2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published. Knowing the format still matters, because a calm child who has seen the paper style can show what they know.
How should my child prepare for IGNITE?
Prepare by getting to know the format, not by cramming. Tick each step as you go; nothing here is saved or sent.
Read ACER's bulletin together, including the rules for the answer sheet. 4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published
Try the bulletin's sample questions once without a timer, then talk through the hard ones.
Practise shading answers in pencil on a separate sheet, one oval per question. 4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published
Write one piece by hand each week to a fresh prompt. 4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published
Read widely between sessions: stories, news and explanations. 2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published
Know the order of the papers and the test-day kit. 3The Heights · 13 October 2026 · Published
If your child needs special arrangements, ask your testing school early. ACER says they are possible with supporting medical evidence2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Keep the week before the test ordinary, with sleep, play and no late nights.
How can you use the official timings at home?
Use last round's minutes when your child tries a set of samples, so the pace feels familiar. One paper at a time is plenty.
Pick one paper
Start with the one your child feels least sure about.
Answer every question
No marks are deducted for wrong answers4Brisbane State High · 13 October 2026 · Published, so a guess is better than a blank.
Check and talk
Mark with the answers in the bulletin, then talk about a question that went well and one that didn't.
What can a practice result tell you?
Very little about an offer. ACER says a HAST result is a snapshot of performance on the day of the test2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published, and a school's own criteria may not rest entirely on the test results2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published.
ACER also says most children who sit a selection test are already in the top 20 per cent of students nationwide2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published. A hard sample doesn't mean your child is behind; the papers are built to stretch strong students. 2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published
Is HAST practice the same for Norwood and Adelaide Botanic?
The papers come from the same ACER family, but each school picks its package. 4Brisbane State High · 12 October 2026 · Published
| School or program | What applicants sit | More |
|---|---|---|
| IGNITE (Glenunga, The Heights, Aberfoyle Park) | All four papers 1Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published | IGNITE |
| Norwood International, STEM program | Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning5Norwood International · 13 October 2026 · Published | Norwood |
| Adelaide Botanic, Health and STEM pathway | a school report, a 2 minute introduction video and the HAST6Adelaide Botanic · 15 October 2026 · Published | Adelaide Botanic |
When is the next IGNITE test?
The next IGNITE test is on 20 February 20271Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published, for Year 7 entry in 2028. Registrations open 2 November 20261Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published, and the school's letter with sample questions follows registration.
2 November 20261Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published
Registrations open on ACER's portal
Not published1Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Not published
Registrations close
No late applications are accepted. 1Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published
20 February 20271Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published
The IGNITE test
Questions parents ask about IGNITE practice
Can I buy IGNITE past papers?
No. ACER says past papers are not available2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published. The closest official material is the bulletin and the sample booklet.
When does the school's sample letter arrive?
After you register. Registrations open 2 November 20261Glenunga · 12 October 2026 · Published. 3The Heights · 12 October 2026 · Published
Is ACER's sample booklet worth buying?
That's your call. It gives more questions in the real style, and it is downloadable PDF files, not printed copies2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published. The free bulletin is a good first step either way.
Can my child redo the samples?
Yes, but a second try mostly shows memory, not reasoning. Use a redo to practise timing and calm, not to chase a score.
Who can I ask about the test?
ACER asks parents to contact the school running the test2ACER HAST parents · 13 October 2026 · Published. For IGNITE, that is the school where you register.