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NSW Selective High Schools

Selective School Past Papers & Practice Tests

NSW does not release past Selective High School Placement Test papers. The official source is the NSW Department of Education's Selective practice test. Below is the 2026+ test format, free Selective-style sample questions with worked answers, and how to prepare for each component.

Official practice test: NSW Department of Education — Selective High Schools

The free official practice test matches the real computer-based (delivered via janison / cambridge) test. Use it for the interface, then practise the question types below.

Selective test format (2026 onwards)

The test is computer-based (delivered via janison / cambridge) and takes about 2 hours 35 minutes. From 2026, the four components are equally weighted at 25% each. The placement score is out of 120: a scaled test score (out of 100) plus a moderated school assessment score (out of 20).

Reading — 45 min, 17 questions (3 multi-part — 38 answer slots) (25%)
Mathematical Reasoning — 40 min, 35 questions (25%)
Thinking Skills — 40 min, 40 questions (25%)
Writing — 30 min, 1 typed response (25%)

Free Selective sample questions

Selective-style questions at Year 6 level. Try each, then reveal the worked answer.

Mathematical Reasoning · Sample 1

A train travels 180 km in 2.5 hours. It then travels another 120 km in 1.5 hours. What is the average speed for the entire journey?

  • A. 72 km/h
  • B. 75 km/h
  • C. 78 km/h
  • D. 80 km/h
Show answer & explanation

Answer: B — 75 km/h

Total distance = 180 + 120 = 300 km. Total time = 2.5 + 1.5 = 4 hours. Average speed = 300 ÷ 4 = 75 km/h.

Reading · Sample 2

The platypus is often called nature's oddity. It has a duck-like bill, a beaver-like tail, and venomous spurs on its hind legs. When European scientists first examined a platypus specimen in 1799, they thought it was a hoax — someone had sewn different animal parts together.

Why does the author include the detail about European scientists in 1799?

  • A. To show that scientists were not very smart in the 1700s
  • B. To illustrate how unusual the platypus truly is
  • C. To explain how the platypus evolved
  • D. To prove that the platypus is dangerous
Show answer & explanation

Answer: B — To illustrate how unusual the platypus truly is

The scientists' disbelief (thinking it was a hoax) reinforces the author's point that the platypus is extraordinarily unusual — "nature's oddity."

Thinking Skills · Sample 3

If the pattern continues: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, __, what is the next number?

  • A. 18
  • B. 20
  • C. 21
  • D. 26
Show answer & explanation

Answer: C — 21

This is the Fibonacci sequence. Each number is the sum of the two before it: 8 + 13 = 21.

Thinking Skills · Sample 4

Five friends sit in a row. Amy is not at either end. Ben is to the left of Amy. Cal is at the right end. Dee is between Amy and Cal. Who is at the left end?

  • A. Ben
  • B. Dee
  • C. Eve
  • D. Amy
Show answer & explanation

Answer: C — Eve

Cal is at position 5 (right end). Amy is not at an end, and Dee is between Amy and Cal. So: positions 3=Amy, 4=Dee, 5=Cal. Ben is left of Amy: position 2. Eve fills position 1 (left end).

Practise the real Selective question types

See where your child stands with a free, scored readiness check, then practise all four components with step-by-step coaching hints.

Free readiness checkSee practice plans

Related guides

OC past papersNAPLAN practice papersThinking Skills testCut-off scoresSelective schoolsOC & Selective guide →

Frequently asked questions

Are there official Selective School past papers?
No. The NSW Department of Education does not release past Selective High School Placement Test papers. The only official practice material is the Selective practice test on the NSW DoE website, which mirrors the real computer-based test.
Where can I find Selective practice tests?
The NSW Department of Education publishes a free official Selective practice test on its Selective High Schools page. The most effective preparation beyond it is practising the four test components: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills, and Writing.
What is the Selective test format from 2026?
Four equally-weighted components (25% each), delivered on computer over about 2 hours 35 minutes: Reading (45 min), Mathematical Reasoning (40 min), Thinking Skills (40 min), and a 30-minute typed Writing task.
When do students sit the Selective test?
Students sit the Selective High School Placement Test in Year 6, for entry into a selective high school from Year 7.
How is the Selective placement score calculated?
The placement score is out of 120: a scaled test score (out of 100) plus a moderated school assessment score (out of 20). NSW does not publish a fixed cut-off score.