Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Campus: how selective entry works

Through the Selective test, run by the NSW Department of Education. Manly Campus is fully selective, and a local enrolment area doesn't apply. ^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} You apply once to the Department and can list up to 3^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} schools.

Children sit the test in Year 6^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, and places go by test performance and the order of your school choices^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

1. Year 5

   Apply online. For entry in 2028, expected November 2026–February 2027^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}.

2. Year 6

   Sit the Selective test, expected early May 2027^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}, only in NSW^{4NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

3. The outcome

   Expected August 2027^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}. One offer at first^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

4. The reserve list

   Places families turn down at Manly Campus go to the next child on its reserve list. ^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

How does a selective campus inside a college work?

Manly Campus is one of five campuses of Northern Beaches Secondary College^{6NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}. It is the college's Year 7 to 12 coeducational, academically selective campus^{6NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}. The college took its present shape in 2003^{6NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Older students benefit from a coordinated senior curriculum, so senior students can study on more than one campus^{6NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}. There is a college bus between campuses^{6NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Despite its name, the campus is on Abbott Road, North Curl Curl^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, in the Sydney - Northern Beaches^{8NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published} region. North Sydney Boys and North Sydney Girls are the nearest other selective schools.

The travel page points families to school bus services and the trip planner, not a route list. Time the trip from home before you decide.

The Department notes less travel could reduce harm to schoolwork and wellbeing^{2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. Plan your commute opens the campus in your own map app. ^{8NSW Education data · 13 October 2026 · Published}

Sometimes. The school warns there are only limited places each year^{10NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}. ^{11NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} Applicants sit ACER's Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST), usually at the school on a Saturday in August^{10NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Manly Campus is one of the schools that share that test with Hornsby Girls. ^{12Hornsby Girls HS · 13 October 2026 · Published} That's why its fee depends on where your child sits it.

Dates for entry in 2028 are not published^{11NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Not published}. Applications go to the school itself^{11NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. Manly Campus won't take them by email, and an application mailed on the closing day must be postmarked that day. ^{10NBSC Manly Campus · 14 October 2026 · Published}

Weigh your child's interests and abilities, academic and co-curricular needs, social and emotional needs, and any specialised support^{2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}, as the Department suggests. Tick what's true; nothing is saved or sent.

• ✓

  Your child wants to go. The Department says a school your child wants to go to^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} matters.

• ✓

  The trip to North Curl Curl works on a school day.

• ✓

  French and Japanese in Year 7 suit your child. ^{13NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}

• ✓

  Your child would join a band program that reaches around 25% of students^{14NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

• ✓

  Studying on more than one campus in the senior years sounds good. ^{6NBSC Manly Campus · 13 October 2026 · Published}

No. There's no set minimum entry score^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, and what's needed changes each year.

HSC rankings describe past Year 12 students. They don't show how Year 7 places are given. For reviews, the Department suggests you ask friends, family and your community about their experiences^{2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

The Department sets the same Year 7 dates for all selective schools. Exact dates for Year 7 entry in 2028: Not published^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published}. The months below are expected.

1. November 2026–February 2027 Expected^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}

   Applications, with Manly Campus in your list

   For a child in Year 5 in 2026.

2. early May 2027 Expected^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}

   Selective test

3. August 2027 Expected^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}

   Outcomes

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)^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} only by declining that accepted offer by then. ^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

The first three are the nearest selective schools by straight line from the Department's coordinates. The last is the nearest other fully selective coeducational school.

Search every school by suburb.