How does entry to Fort Street High School work?
Independent. Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education.
Fort Street High School in Petersham is a fully selective co-ed school with 751NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Year 7 places for boys and 751NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published for girls for entry in 2027. Each one is filled through the Selective High School Placement Test.
Fort Street places come from the Selective test. A free section needs no account.
How does entry to Fort Street work?
Every Year 7 place at Fort Street is filled through the Selective test, because at a fully selective school every student is placed through the selective process1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. You don't apply to the school itself. You send one application to the NSW Department of Education and name Fort Street among up to 32NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published schools.
Offers depend on test performance and the order of your school choices2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Your child sits the test in Year 61NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, on computers provided by the Department3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Wait on a reserve list, if listed
A declined Fort Street place moves to the next child listed. 5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
How old is Fort Street?
Fort Street began in 1849, as the Fort Street Model School6Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published. It has been one coeducational school since 1975, when its separate boys' and girls' high schools re-united on the Petersham site7Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published.
How many Year 7 places does Fort Street have?
For entry in 2027, Fort Street has 751NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Year 7 places for boys and 751NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published for girls. The school enrols at most 150 students in each of Years 7 to 10, and 160 to 170 in each of Years 11 and 128Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Year 7 places for girls at Fort Street, entry in 2027
Year 7 places for boys at Fort Street, entry in 2027
Why are the girls' and boys' places equal?
Fort Street is coeducational, and co-ed selective schools have equal places for girls and boys from the 2027 intake9NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. The Department says the change responds to a decline in girls applying for and accepting places9NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Places are still based on test performance9NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Places held for four groups
Nobody enters by address
Living near Petersham doesn't help: every student comes through the selective process. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Where is Fort Street, and how do students travel?
Fort Street is on Parramatta Road, Petersham1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, in the Sydney - City and Inner South10NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published region. Its travel page describes the site as close to Petersham Station and Parramatta Road11Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published.
The Department notes that a school near home means less travel, more time for other activities2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Plan your commute opens Fort Street in your own map app. 10NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published
Who can apply for Fort Street?
Any child who sits the Selective test can name Fort Street, wherever you live in NSW. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Your family must be living in NSW by the start of the entry year4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. A child living interstate or overseas must come back to sit, as the test runs only in NSW3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Conditions may apply to non-citizens4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so check the Department's rules early.
Can my child join Fort Street after Year 7?
Yes, if a place opens, through Fort Street's own process rather than the Selective test. 12NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Vacancies depend on students leaving, and some schools have none in some years12NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. You make a separate application for each school12NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
| Fort Street after Year 7 | How the school handles it |
|---|---|
| Years 8 to 10 | a shortlist, an interview when a place comes up, and no entrance test8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Year 11 | ACER's Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST), held on the same day at Fort Street and eleven other schools8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| The next round, for entry in 2028 | Applications open mid June 2027, with about 4 weeks to apply8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published |
The school's Enrol page posts the details when the round opens.
Is there a test for later entry?
It depends on the year. Years 8 to 10 have no test; applicants wait on a shortlist for a place. 8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published A Year 11 applicant sits the HAST, run by ACER. 8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published
Where should Fort Street go in your list of choices?
Put schools in the order you truly prefer them. Listing Fort Street first gives it no extra weight 2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and lower choices are judged the same way. Read how to order your choices.
Say a family lists Fort Street as choice 1, Sydney Secondary College's Leichhardt Campus as choice 2 and Tempe as choice 3.
| If your child… | What the dashboard shows |
|---|---|
| Qualifies for Fort Street | An offer from Fort Street. Leichhardt and Tempe read "not applicable". 5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Misses Fort Street but qualifies for Leichhardt | An offer from Leichhardt, and possibly a place on the Fort Street reserve list. 5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Turns down the Leichhardt offer | No offer from Tempe follows. 2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
Think hard before declining anything: declining is final5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Is Fort Street a good fit for your child?
The Department says visiting is the best way to learn about a school2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Tick through this list when you go; your answers stay on your screen.
The trip to Petersham works in both directions at school times. 11Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published
Your child wants a school with girls and boys in equal numbers. 9NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Your child would enjoy a language: the school lists Chinese, French, German and Japanese13Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published in Years 7 and 8.
You've been to a tour or an open evening. 8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published
Your child has seen the school and wants to go there.
What does the music program offer?
Fort Street's Instrumental Music Program has a Training Band where around 40 students start a new wind or brass instrument in Year 7, as well as groups for children who already play14Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published. So a child who has never played can still join in Year 7, for a yearly fee.
What does Fort Street say about itself?
Fort Street speaks for itself through its history and its programs. We link to its pages, and we're not part of the school.
- Why choose us?: vision, values and activities
- School history and archives: the Model School and the move to Petersham
- Learning: subjects and languages by stage
- Enrol: later entry, tours and open evenings
Is there a cut-off score for Fort Street?
No. The Department has no set minimum entry score5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published for Fort Street or any other selective school. What's needed each year depends on how many children apply, how they perform, the places available and how many offers are declined5NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
| Question | The honest answer |
|---|---|
| Fort Street's minimum score | No set minimum entry score5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| A list ranking Fort Street against other schools | Not published1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published |
| How far down the Fort Street reserve list offers reach | Not published5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published |
HSC results describe students who finished Year 12, not how Year 7 places are given.
What does Fort Street cost?
Selective schools charge no attendance fees, except boarding1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Fort Street takes no boarders, and you pay nothing to apply or sit the test. 15NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Voluntary contributions are paid at the discretion of parents and carers16NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. In 2026 the Department caps them at A$11016NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published for a secondary school.
Specialist programs can add costs. 16NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published In 2026, membership of Fort Street's music program costs A$61814Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published per student for the year.
When are the next dates for Fort Street?
Year 7 dates come from the Department and are expected, not yet published 4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published. The Years 8 to 11 round is the school's own.
November 2026–February 2027 Expected4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected
Apply for Year 7 in 2028
early May 2027 Expected4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected
The Selective test
mid June 2027, with about 4 weeks to apply8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published
Fort Street opens Years 8 to 11 applications for entry in 2028
August 2027 Expected4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected
Year 7 outcomes
If your child is on the Fort Street reserve list for entry in 2027, offers can still come until the end of Term 1 202717NSW Education · 18 October 2026 · Published. If this school is a higher choice than an offer you've accepted, you can stay on its reserve list after 3 December 2026, 3 pm (Sydney time)4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published only by declining that accepted offer by then. 5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
How can my child prepare for Fort Street?
There's nothing Fort Street-specific to study: the test is the same whichever schools you list. The Department says there's no new or special knowledge needed18NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and it offers free resources in the Student Resource Hub18NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. In its words, coaching is not necessary18NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Our free practice test lets your child try the format at full timing: one full practice test with results, with a free account19SelectiveReady · 12 October 2026 · Published. It shows how the test feels, not whether Fort Street will make an offer.
Which selective schools are near Fort Street?
Three nearby selective schools, by straight line from the Department's coordinates, are all partially selective: selective classes inside a local high school1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. The nearest fully selective ones, Sydney Boys and Sydney Girls, are single-sex.
| School | Type | Year 7 places, boys and girls | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Secondary College, Leichhardt 10NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published | Partially selective1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | 301NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and 301NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | Balmain Road, Leichhardt1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Tempe 10NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published | Partially selective1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | 301NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and 301NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | Unwins Bridge Road, Tempe1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Alexandria Park 10NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published | Partially selective1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | 151NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and 151NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | Park Road, Alexandria1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
Sydney Secondary College runs more than one campus: Balmain and Leichhardt (Years 7–10), Blackwattle Bay (Years 11–12)1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Targeted places for Aboriginal students are offered at Alexandria Park, Rose Bay and Tempe1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Search every school by suburb.
Questions parents ask about Fort Street
What are the chances of a Fort Street place?
No one can put a number on it: there is no set minimum entry score5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Statewide, about a quarter5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published of children who sit the test receive a place somewhere.
Does Fort Street have an open day?
It runs school tours and open evenings for families thinking of applying8Fort Street HS · 13 October 2026 · Published. Dates and bookings appear on its Enrol page.
Is Fort Street a public school?
Yes. It is one of NSW's 171NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published fully selective high schools, which are public high schools for high potential and gifted students1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.