Free Selective School Practice Tests & Past Papers 2026

If there's one preparation strategy that consistently produces results, it's regular, realistic mock exams. Here's why:

• Familiarity reduces anxiety: Students who have sat multiple practice tests under exam conditions are significantly less anxious on test day. The format, time pressure, and question styles feel familiar.
• Time management improves: Mock exams teach students how to pace themselves — when to move on from a tough question, how to allocate time across a section, and when to start their final review.
• Weaknesses become visible: Practice tests reveal exactly where a student struggles. Is it geometry? Inference questions? Thinking Skills patterns? Without diagnostic data, preparation is guesswork.
• Scores track progress: Monthly mock exams create a trendline. Parents can see whether preparation is working, whether scores are improving, and whether any subjects need more attention.

Many parents search for selective school past papers and selective test past papers as their first step. While past papers have value, it's important to understand their limitations:

• Format changes: Since Janison and Cambridge took over as the test provider, the question style has changed significantly. Older past papers may not reflect the current computer-based format, new question types, or updated timings.
• No worked solutions: Most freely available past papers don't include explanations for the correct answers, limiting their learning value.
• No timing simulation: Downloading a PDF of selective past papers and doing them at the kitchen table doesn't replicate the pressure of a timed exam.
• No ranking: Past papers don't tell you how your child compares with other students preparing for the same test.

Past papers are useful for familiarisation, but modern, realistic practice tests that simulate current exam conditions are far more effective for preparation.

Most selective school practice materials fall into one of these categories:

• Expensive coaching college materials: Often $200–$500+ per month for tutoring that includes practice tests. Quality varies widely.
• Outdated past papers: Freely available selective exam past papers but may not reflect the current Janison/Cambridge-administered format. Question styles have evolved.
• Casual worksheet sets: Questions without time pressure, without worked solutions, and without any diagnostic feedback. These build false confidence.
• One-off test booklets: A single practice test gives one result but cannot show progress over time.

What's missing is a free, realistic, ongoing source of mock exams that mirrors the actual test experience — including strict timers, no pausing, instant results, and detailed feedback.

Try it on SelectiveExams: sit the current monthly mock selective exam in Mathematical Reasoning, Reading and Thinking Skills, review every answer and see where your child ranks against students who completed that named exam.

See the current monthly exam.

Getting the most out of mock exams requires more than just sitting them:

1. Record a starting point: Have your child sit their first mock exam without preparation, then use later monthly exams to see what changes.
2. Monthly cadence: Sit a full mock exam at least once per month. This builds stamina and tracks progress without overdoing it.
3. Review every mistake: After each mock exam, spend time reviewing every wrong answer. Understand the reasoning behind the correct answer.
4. Track progress: Compare scores across months. Look for improvement trends and persistent weak areas.
5. Simulate exam day: Do at least 2–3 mock exams under full exam conditions — quiet room, no interruptions, strict timing.
6. Don't over-test: Weekly mock exams are too frequent. Monthly gives enough data while leaving time for targeted skill-building between tests.

Try it on SelectiveExams: sit the current monthly mock selective exam in Mathematical Reasoning, Reading and Thinking Skills, review every answer and see where your child ranks against students who completed that named exam.

See the current monthly exam.