Selective Schools Tests for year 7 entry in NSW is a highly competitive exam that challenges the academic abilities of students. The test aims to identify the most exceptional students among the brightest ones.
As of now, there are 17 full and 27 partial selective schools in NSW. There are also 4 full selective agricultural schools in NSW as reported in www.education.nsw.gov.au. These schools provide a high-quality education and are highly sought after by students and parents alike.
As of now NSW Department of Education offers 4248 spots for year 7 entry in selective high schools. Each year, around 16000 students take part in the Selective Schools Tests for year 7 in NSW. This indicates that on average, there are about 4 students competing for each available seat in year 7. However, the competition is even more intense for high-achieving students who aspire to attend the most prestigious schools.
For instance, Baulkham Hills High School, James Ruse Agricultural High School, North Sydney Boys High School, Sydney Boys High School, and Sydney Girls High School are top-ranked schools in NSW. These schools have a total of 780 available seats. That means the competition ratio goes up to about 1 to 20 for these schools. This is incredibly challenging even for the most gifted and talented students.
Therefore, it is crucial for students to prepare thoroughly, consistently, and thoughtfully for the NSW Selective Schools Tests.
The test assesses students’ abilities in reading, mathematics, thinking skills and writing. Successful students can look forward to a challenging and rewarding academic journey in one of the best schools in NSW.
Inherent challenges in the exam structure!
The NSW Selective School Tests is typically administered in the first few months of year 6. So it is important to start preparation for the test right from the start of year 5. It is important for students and their guiding parent/guardian to understand the test structure before delving into the preparation details. The NSW Department of Education website contains all the necessary information about the test, including its structure and additional details. For more information visit www.education.nsw.gov.au. We are going to examine that information with a meticulous approach, connecting it to our preparations.
The NSW Selective Schools Tests comprises of four sections: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills, and Writing. The following is the test structure as of now:
Based on the given information, we can determine the time needed and weighted scores for each question as shown below:
On average, Thinking Skills questions require answering at a rate of 0.625 marks per minute, while for Reading, it’s 0.833 marks per minute and 20 seconds. This implies that on average the maximum time provided to respond 10 Thinking Skills questions is 10 minutes while for 10 Reading questions is 13 min and 20 secs precisely and for 10 math questions 11 min 25 seconds. In order to guarantee success in the examination, it is crucial for both the student and their parent or guardian to comprehend this from the onset of their preparation. This will provide individuals with the means to evaluate their knowledge and competence as they study and make progress towards the exam.
The basis for NSW Selective Schools Tests preparation
To succeed in any endeavour, having a clear objective is of utmost necessary. The objective of the Selective Schools Tests preparation is to get as high marks as possible to get a position in the desired NSW Selective High School. Therefore, the preparation and study need to be done in a planned and organised way to fulfil the requirement. Mere studying or practising will only burden and stress a young mind without a clear destination.
In order for students to be well-prepared for a test, it is crucial that they gain a thorough understanding of the subjects they need to study, the specific topics within those subjects, the level of knowledge required for each topic, and the level of difficulty of the questions that they can expect to see on the test. All these aspects should be considered as part of the journey towards the ultimate goal of performing well on the test. From our many years of experience, we know that success requires effort and cannot be achieved overnight. Thus preparation needs to be progressed and reviewed on a regular basis.
Curriculum & Test Papers Since 2021
Years 5 and 6 are part of Stage 3 in New South Wales. The Selective Schools Tests in NSW is taken in Year 6. However, the test is designed to challenge gifted and talented students, so the questions can be very complex and difficult. Since there is no specific syllabus given about the content of the test, the basis of the study should be the Stage 3 curriculum and the past NSW Selective High School Placement Test papers since 2021 and the sample test provided in the NSW Department of Education website www.education.nsw.gov.au. These test resources are also made available in the link here on the NeoTeriC Academy website https://neotericacademy.com.au/resources/.
Our article on preparing for the NSW Selective Schools Tests, ‘How to Prepare for the NSW Selective Test?’, provides detailed guidance.