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Fully selective · Boys

Sydney Boys HS

Sydney Boys HS is a fully selective boys high school in Surry Hills, NSW, offering 180 Year 7 places each year, ranked #6 in NSW for HSC results.

Selective type
Fully selective
Enrolment
Boys
Location
Surry Hills, NSW
Year 7 places / year
180
NSW HSC rank
#6
HSC success rate
54.2%

How competitive is Sydney Boys HS?

Entry is extremely high — Sydney Boys HS is one of the most sought-after selective schools in the state. With around 180 places offered each year and an HSC state ranking of #6, places are allocated by placement score, not a fixed mark. There is no published cut-off: the effective threshold floats each year with the strength of the applicant pool and the number of places. How selective scores really work →

The Selective Placement Test for Sydney Boys HS

Entry to Sydney Boys HS is decided by the one statewide NSW Selective High School Placement Test (sat in Year 6), made up of four equally-weighted components:

Reading — 45 minutes — comprehension and interpretation across several text types.
Mathematical Reasoning — 40 minutes — applied problem-solving, not curriculum recall.
Thinking Skills — 40 minutes — logic, deduction and critical reasoning.
Writing — 30 minutes — one typed response, assessed on ideas and control of language.

The Thinking Skills section is the least familiar to most students — see how to prepare for it. Key dates are on the placement timeline.

Preparing for Sydney Boys HS

See where your child stands against the Sydney Boys HS test format with a free, scored readiness check — then practise the exact question types with adaptive daily sets.

Free readiness checkSee practice plans

Other fully selective schools

North Sydney Boys HSNorth Sydney Girls HSSydney Girls HSBaulkham Hills HSNormanhurst Boys HSAll selective schools →

Frequently asked questions

Is Sydney Boys HS fully or partially selective?
Sydney Boys HS is a fully selective school. Its entire intake is selected on academic merit through the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
How many selective places does Sydney Boys HS offer?
Sydney Boys HS offers approximately 180 Year 7 places each year through the placement process.
Does Sydney Boys HS have a published cut-off score?
No. NSW does not publish cut-off scores for any selective school, including Sydney Boys HS. Whether a child receives an offer depends on their placement score relative to other applicants and the places available that year.
Is Sydney Boys HS co-educational?
Sydney Boys HS is a boys school.