NSW Selective Schools Test: What Parents Need to Know | Complete Guide

This is the first article in our three-part series, Selective School Ready: A Parent's Guide, designed to help your family approach the 2026 NSW Selective High School Placement Test with clarity and confidence.

The test looms large for many families well before the day itself arrives. What exactly is in it? How hard is it? And what does a good result actually depend on? This blog answers all of that clearly, so you can head into the lead-up with confidence rather than guesswork.

What is the Selective High School Placement Test?

The Selective High School Placement Test is a computer-based test held at designated, supervised test centres within NSW. It is designed to assess your child's ability to read, reason, think critically, and write, drawing on what they have already learned through the NSW curriculum up to Year 6.

There is nothing in the test your child needs to have been specifically taught outside of school. It is not designed to catch students out with obscure or specialist knowledge.

Each student's final score is made up equally across four sections, each weighted at 25%.

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The Four Test Sections

Reading (45 minutes, 17 questions)

Students read a range of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, magazine articles, and reports, then answer comprehension questions. Some questions have multiple parts. This section is multiple choice.

Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes, 35 questions)

This section tests your child's ability to apply mathematical thinking to problems, rather than recall formulas. All questions are multiple choice. No calculator is permitted, but students can use paper for working out.

Thinking Skills (40 minutes, 40 questions)

Logical problem solving is at the heart of this section. No prior knowledge is required — students are assessed purely on their ability to think through problems methodically. All questions are multiple choice.

Writing (30 minutes, 1 task)

Students type a creative response to a given topic. They are assessed on the quality and creativity of their ideas, how effectively they write for a purpose and audience, and their use of language, structure, and vocabulary. Staying on topic is essential — going off-topic will affect the mark regardless of writing quality.

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The Format Matters

Because the test is entirely computer-based, students enter all answers using a mouse or trackpad, just as they do in NAPLAN. There is a countdown timer visible on screen throughout each section, which students can choose to hide if they find it distracting. There is also a flag function that lets students mark difficult questions and return to them if time permits.

Familiarity with this format before test day makes a genuine difference. Students who have practised navigating the interface tend to feel calmer and more in control on the day.