Selective test format: the four sections and the day

The four sections add up to about two and a half hours of test time, with breaks between them. In the Department's example timetable, children arrive at 9:30 am^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} and are dismissed at 1:55 pm^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

The bars show the minutes of each section and break in the example timetable, to scale.

This is an example only. The Test Admission Ticket sets your child's real times and test centre, and it arrives 2^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} weeks before the test.

When is the next Selective test?

The test for Year 7 entry in 2028 is expected early May 2027^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected}. The exact days are not published^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published} yet. The last test was held on 1–2 May 2026^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

Each child sits the test on one day^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Until the ticket gives your child's day, keep both test days free^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}: every child from one primary school sits on the same day. The calendar link above adds the published dates and reminders to your phone.

Where is the test held?

At a local test centre chosen from your child's primary school: most are local public high schools^{3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. The test is held only in NSW^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, so children living interstate or overseas come back to sit it.

What if my child is sick on test day?

Keep your child home. The Department's advice is to keep a sick child home and request illness or misadventure^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. A sick child brought to the test may not be allowed to sit the test^{3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

The request goes in your application dashboard within 5^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} business days. If the request is accepted, it may lead to the make-up test, or an adjusted score if your child sat part of the test^{3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. Last cycle's make-up test was on 22 May 2026^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

Can my child have adjustments for disability or a medical condition?

Yes. Parents can request reasonable adjustments for disability or medical conditions^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Requests need documentary evidence^{4NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published} and must be made by the closing date for applications^{4NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Examples include specific seating, noise-reducing earphones, medical equipment such as a glucose monitor, and wheelchair access^{4NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. The Department's online practice tests are a good place to try any assistive technology first.

Multiple-choice answers are computer-marked, with manual reliability checks^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Each Writing response is marked by 2^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} examiners.

Writing is marked on ideas, purpose and audience, language for effect^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, and marks also count structure, grammar, punctuation, style and vocabulary^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. The Department's practice papers tell children there are no marks lost for incorrect answers^{6NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. A few questions are shared across test versions, and common items do not count^{3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

Results come back as a band for each section, not a score: Top 10% · next 15% · next 25% · lowest 50%^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Bands are not percent correct^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, and no scores or ranks are given^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

What does the result show?

A band for each section, showing where your child sits among only the children who sat that year's test, not every child in Year 6^{7NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. The Department says the test is not a measure of school learning^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, so a band says nothing about how your child is doing at school.

Is there a pass mark or a cut-off?

No. There is no pass or fail mark^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}, and no set minimum entry score^{5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Places are offered on test performance and the order of your school choices^{8NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

No practice score, including ours, can predict a band or a place. It can show which questions to review.

Learn each section's format, try each one once at full length, then review mistakes calmly. The Department says a small amount of preparation is enough. ^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

1. Learn one method per section

   Each section page has a method, a worked example and practice to try: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing.

2. Try the real screen once

   Do one of the Department's online practice tests. ^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

3. Sit each section at full length

   Our free practice test runs each section at the real number of questions and the real time, one section at a time.

4. Review, don't cram

   Read every explanation and pick one weak area. Short sessions beat long ones, and coaching isn't necessary. ^{1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

A free section needs no account. Your child can take one full practice test with results, with a free account^{9SelectiveReady · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Start a free practice test.

The two tests share Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, but Selective adds Writing and is sat in Year 6, not Year 4. The questions, timing and day are different, so practise each test with its own format.