The Night Before and Test Day: How to Set Your Child Up for Success

Welcome to the final instalment of Selective School Ready: A Parent's Guide. The test is tomorrow. Whatever preparation your child has done, it is done. Today and tonight are not about covering more ground — they are about helping your child arrive tomorrow feeling settled, calm, and ready.

Tonight: Keep it Simple

Pack the bag together this evening so there are no last-minute scrambles in the morning. Your child will need to bring:

• Their printed test admission ticket (sent to you by NSW Education)
• Two lead pencils
• A sharpener
• An eraser
• A clear water bottle
• A filling snack for the mid-morning break

If your child has approved adjustments listed on their admission ticket, check that anything relevant is packed too.

Important: Calculators, dictionaries, and smartwatches are not permitted in the test room.

A good dinner, a familiar evening routine, and an early night will do more for your child's performance than any last-minute review. If your child wants to talk through how they are feeling, let them. Acknowledge that nerves are completely normal, and remind them that feeling a little nervous usually just means they care — which is a good thing.

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Morning of the Test

Before leaving home:

• Wear school uniform — this is required
• Eat breakfast — it is a long morning and energy matters
• Check the admission ticket for the required arrival time
• Build in a buffer so you are not rushing to the test centre

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At the Test Centre

When you arrive, there will be adults in brightly coloured vests. These are the invigilators, the test supervisors for the day. They will guide students through everything: where to leave their bags, how to find their desk, and what to expect before the test begins. Your child can ask them questions about anything they are unsure of.

There will also be lots of students from different schools. Your child probably will not know many of them, and that is completely fine.

Once students are seated, everything they have brought goes onto the desk: admission ticket, pencils, eraser, sharpener, and water bottle. Blank paper will be provided for working out.

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During the Test

The test runs in four sections with short breaks in between.

Section Breaks

• After Reading: A brief break to stretch and use the bathroom
• After Mathematical Reasoning: A 20-minute break where students move to a different area, eat their snack, and have a drink. Students can chat to each other during this time.
• After Thinking Skills: Another short break before the final Writing section

The breaks are the best time to use the bathroom. Students can go during the test if they really need to, but the timer will not be paused unless they have an approved adjustment for this.

In the Test Room

The room will be quiet throughout. Students cannot talk to each other during the test, but they can always raise their hand to speak to an invigilator. If your child is feeling anxious at any point, they can put their hand up and an invigilator will come to them.

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After the Test

You will pick up your child from the test centre once it wraps up. On the way home, they may want to talk through how they felt — and that is great.

Do:

• Let them debrief about how it went
• Acknowledge the effort they put in
• Celebrate the fact that they showed up and gave it a go

Don't:

• Ask about specific questions — students are not permitted to discuss test content with other students
• Dwell on what they might have got wrong
• Create anxiety about results before they are even available

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When Will Results Be Available?

Results will not be available until next term. The most important thing you can say to your child in the meantime is that sitting the test, showing up and giving it their best shot, is something to feel genuinely proud of.

We wish all students the very best for tomorrow. You have got this.