When Is Selective Test Day?
The NSW Selective High School Placement Test is held once a year in early May, when students are in Year 6. For Year 7 entry in 2027, it was held on 1 or 2 May 2026, with a make-up test on 22 May for students with approved illness or misadventure.
Students sit all four tests — Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing — in one session on computers provided by the department. About two weeks before the test, families receive a Test Admission Ticket showing the centre, date and arrival time. Placement outcomes are released in Term 3 of the same year.
The Official Test Day Timetable
The department publishes an example timetable. Exact times are on each student's admission ticket, but the shape of the day is:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 9:30 am | Arrival and check-in (30 minutes) |
| 10:05–10:50 am | Reading (45 minutes) |
| 10:50 am | 10-minute break |
| 11:05–11:45 am | Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes) |
| 11:50 am–12:10 pm | Long break, snack allowed (20 minutes) |
| 12:20–1:00 pm | Thinking Skills (40 minutes) |
| 1:00 pm | 10-minute break |
| 1:15–1:45 pm | Writing (30 minutes) |
| 1:55 pm | Students dismissed |
That is nearly four and a half hours at the centre, with the Writing test last — when students are most tired. Practising full-length sessions helps build that stamina.
What to Bring (and What's Not Allowed)
Students must bring:
- A printed copy of the Test Admission Ticket
- Two 2B pencils, an eraser and a pencil sharpener
- A clear bottle of water
- A snack for the long break
Students should wear their school uniform, even though the test may be on a Saturday.
Not allowed: pens, rulers, calculators, note paper, dictionaries or other books, pencil cases, and smart watches, phones or any device that can compute, photograph, communicate or make a noise.
Always check your own admission ticket and the department's website in the weeks before the test, as details can change.
Pacing Each Section
Reading (45 minutes). Read each text properly before answering its questions. Where several questions share a text, the answers often depend on small details, so skimming costs marks.
Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes, 35 questions). That is just over a minute per question. Answer the ones you can do quickly first, and come back to harder ones. Estimate before you calculate — if only one option is near your estimate, you can move on.
Thinking Skills (40 minutes, 40 questions). One minute each. Don't spend three minutes on one puzzle when that time could earn two easier marks. With four options, eliminating two wrong ones makes a sensible guess far more likely to be right.
Writing (30 minutes, one task). Plan for about five minutes, write for about 22, and keep three minutes to reread. See our Writing test topics guide for a planning method.
There is no penalty for wrong answers in the multiple-choice tests, so never leave a question blank. For subject-specific strategy, see our Reading, Maths and Thinking Skills guides.
Managing Nerves
In the weeks before:
- Rehearse the real thing. Sitting full-length, timed practice tests is the most effective way to make test day feel familiar.
- Know the route. If you can, drive past the test centre beforehand so the morning holds no surprises.
- Protect sleep. A good night's sleep in the two nights before the test matters more than last-minute study.
- Keep it in proportion. "Let's see how you go" helps far more than "You have to get in".
On the day:
- Breathe slowly. A few slow breaths — in for four, out for six — calm the body quickly.
- Move on from hard questions. Getting stuck on one question can unsettle a whole section. Move on and come back.
- Ignore everyone else. Other students finishing early means nothing.
What Parents Should Do
Before leaving home: check the printed ticket, pencils, eraser, sharpener, water bottle and snack are packed, and that your child is in school uniform. Allow plenty of time to arrive at the time on the ticket.
At drop-off: keep it short and warm — "You've prepared well. Just do your best." Children pick up on adults' nerves.
Afterwards: let your child decompress before asking how it went, and avoid going over individual questions. Do something enjoyable together — the hard work is done. Outcomes are released in Term 3; our selective test results guide explains what happens next.
The Final Four Weeks
- Four to two weeks out: sit one or two full-length practice tests under timed conditions, and review mistakes for patterns rather than learning new topics.
- Use the official practice tests from the NSW Department of Education so the question styles are familiar.
- Final week: light revision only, normal routines, and early nights.
Our free practice tests and monthly exams use the same timing as the real test, so your child can rehearse the day before it counts.