14 Oct 2020
Applications open 13 October 2020 and close on 16 November 2020. You must apply before the closing date.
Selective high schools cater for academically gifted students with high potential who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates at their own academic standard. Selective high schools help these students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, and by using specialised teaching methods.
Applications for selective high school placement are considered mainly on the basis of the Selective High School Placement Test results and school assessment scores. The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on Thursday 11 March 2021.
If you would like to have your child considered for Year 7 selective high school entry in 2022, you need to apply online using a valid email address (not the student’s email address).
There are no paper application forms. If you do not have internet access, you could apply at a public library.
Anyone experiencing difficulty completing an application can contact the High Performing Students Team on 1300 880 367 or email ssu@det.nsw.edu.au.
Key changes to the selective high school placement process for entry in 2022:
- The department has developed a new application system that will give parents a more interactive experience.
- The new system enables parents to make updates and add attachments even after an application is submitted.
- Parents can also communicate directly with the Team through the system's 'messages' feature.
- From 2021 the Selective high School Placement Test will use a new framework which will have a greater emphasis on thinking skills, mathematical reasoning and problem solving.
- The placement test, developed by Cambridge Assessment, aims to give every student the opportunity to prove their potential regardless of their background.
- The changes to the test are in response to the findings of the 2018 Review of Selective Education Access Report commissioned by the NSW Department of Education.
Please ensure that you monitor the High Performing Units Website for any updates. https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7