Selective and OC test preparation: make a calm weekly plan
Independent. Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education.
The Department says a small amount of preparation is enough for the Selective or OC test. The planner turns your child's year, weeks left and hours a week into an even weekly split across the sections.
A plan needs a starting point. A free timed practice section shows where your child is now. A free section needs no account.
No account · nothing sent
A weekly practice plan
Check your choices
Choose the test and your child's year, then the weeks and the hours a week (up to 14).
For your situation
School years have moved on since these rounds were checked. See the dates page for your child's round.
OC datesFor your situation
School years have moved on since these rounds were checked. See the dates page for your child's round.
Selective datesFor your situation
Your child is past the Selective test year: it is sat in Year 65NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. After Year 7, each school runs its own entry. 7NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
For your situation
Your child is past the OC test year: it is sat in Year 46NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Choose Selective to plan for that test, sat in Year 65NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. The next test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
That's a lot for a primary school child: the Department says A small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published is enough, and too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. The next test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. Your child sits the test in Year 65NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there's time.
That's a lot for a primary school child: the Department says A small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published is enough, and too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. Your child sits the test in Year 65NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there's time.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. There is no writing test. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published The next test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
That's a lot for a primary school child: the Department says A small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published is enough, and too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. There is no writing test. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published The next test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. There is no writing test. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Your child sits the test in Year 46NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there's time.
That's a lot for a primary school child: the Department says A small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published is enough, and too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
For your situation
Each section counts the same, 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so each gets an equal share of the week. There is no writing test. 3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Your child sits the test in Year 46NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there's time.
How much preparation does my child need?
Less than many families expect. The Department says a small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published is enough , and that coaching is not necessary2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
The planner works inside that view. Choose the test and your child's year, then the weeks and hours you have.
An example: a Year 5 child, Selective, 2 hours a week. The planner gives 30 minutes each to Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing, and notes the test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
What does the Department say about coaching?
It's plain about it: no credible research shows coaching helps2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published , there's no new or special knowledge needed2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published , and too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Its own help is free: free resources in the Student Resource Hub2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
How does the planner split the week?
Evenly, because every section carries the same weight. Selective has 42NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published sections at 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published each; OC has 33NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published at 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published each, with no Writing.
| Test | Sections | Weight each | 2 hours a week gives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selective | Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills, Writing | 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | 30 minutes per section |
| OC | Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills | 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published | 40 minutes per section |
From 8 hours a week, the planner adds the Department's caution about too much coaching. It accepts up to 14 hours, but most weeks need far less.
Which parts come from the Department, and which are our advice?
The weights, sections and content are the Department's. The split, the timing and the hours are our suggestions, so change them to suit your child.
| What | Who says so | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Each section's weight | The Department | 25%2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published Selective; 33.3%3NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published OC |
| What the questions draw on | The Department | Selective: concepts from the NSW curriculum up to Year 62NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published; OC: concepts from the NSW curriculum up to Year 43NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Wrong answers | The Department | no marks lost for incorrect answers4NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published, so answer every question |
| How much preparation | The Department | A small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| An even split each week | Our advice | Adjust it for a section your child finds hard |
| Untimed first, then timed | Our advice | Timed sections help the clock feel normal |
| Hours a week | Your choice | The planner recommends no number |
What should a week of practice look like?
Short, regular and reviewed. These habits are our advice, not the Department's.
A little in each section, rather than one long session.
Go back over every wrong answer before moving on.
Untimed at first, then timed sections as the test gets closer.
One Department online practice test, to see the real screen and tools.
Hours that crowd out sleep, friends or sport.
The Department's online practice tests copy the real computer-based test. 2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
When should we start?
There's no official start date. Children sit the Selective test in Year 65NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and the OC test in Year 46NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. A few weeks to see the format is enough for many children.
The next tests are expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected (Selective) and early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected (OC), with exact days not published. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published Check the dates for your child's year.
How does the planner answer each case?
Without JavaScript, the planner can't calculate, but every rule is in this table.
| You choose | The planner says |
|---|---|
| Selective, Year 5 in 2026 | An even split across four sections; the test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected |
| Selective, Year 4 or younger | The same split; your child sits the test in Year 65NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there's time |
| OC, Year 3 in 2026 | An even split across three sections, no Writing; the test is expected in early May 20271NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected |
| OC, Year 2 or younger | The same split; your child sits the OC test in Year 46NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there's time |
| 8 hours a week or more | The split, plus the Department's caution: too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Selective, Year 6 or older | Past the test year; each school runs its own later entry 7NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| OC, Year 4 or older | Past the OC test year; choose Selective to plan for that test |
A Year 3 child aiming for OC
A family has 3 hours a week.
The planner gives 60 minutes each to Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, with no Writing.
A Year 4 child, two years from Selective
A parent wants to start early, with 1 hour a week.
The planner gives 15 minutes per section and notes there's time. The Department's view of a small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published still holds.
A Year 5 child doing a lot already
A family plans 10 hours a week.
The planner splits the hours and adds that too much coaching can harm wellbeing2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
What can't the planner tell you?
It can't predict a band, a result or an offer, and more hours don't buy a place. It doesn't know your child's strengths, so treat the split as a starting point.
Next round's dates aren't published yet, so the planner uses the expected month. 1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Not published
Where does a practice test fit in?
A practice test shows where your child is now, so the plan can lean on what needs work. Your child can take one full practice test with results, with a free account8SelectiveReady · 12 October 2026 · Published, with results by topic. 8SelectiveReady · 12 October 2026 · Published
Our practice is for the Selective test. For OC, our free OC test runs each section at its real time.
We sell practice, so weigh this with the Department's view above. We make no promised score, placement or offer8SelectiveReady · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Questions parents ask about Selective and OC preparation
How many hours a week should my child practise?
There's no official number. The Department says a small amount of preparation1NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published is enough, so start small and keep weekends free.
Does my child need a tutor?
The Department says coaching is not necessary2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Read how to choose a provider if you're weighing one up.
Should my child guess on the test?
Yes. The Department's practice papers say there are no marks lost for incorrect answers4NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published, so a blank never helps.