The NSW Selective High School Placement Test is a computer-based exam sat in Year 6 for entry into a selective high school in Year 7. It is delivered on screen through the Janison/Cambridge platform and is not adaptive — every student answers the same set of questions.
The four sections
The test has four sections, and each one counts for 25% of the overall result. No single section dominates, so a child who is strong in maths but shaky in writing can’t simply lean on their strength.
- Reading — 17 questions in 45 minutes. Comprehension across a range of text types, with on-screen formats such as cloze passages and drag-and-drop ordering.
- Mathematical Reasoning — 35 questions in 40 minutes, five answer options each. This is applied problem-solving, not just school arithmetic.
- Thinking Skills — 40 questions in 40 minutes, four answer options each. Logic, deduction, and spotting flaws in arguments.
- Writing — one task in 30 minutes, typed on screen. Marked on content and style as well as technical accuracy.
What makes it demanding
The pace is brisk. Thinking Skills, for example, gives roughly a minute per question, so accuracy under time pressure matters as much as raw ability. Because it’s typed, the Writing task also rewards children who are comfortable composing directly on a keyboard.
For a deeper look at each part, see our guides to Thinking Skills, Mathematical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Writing.
How it’s scored
Results are reported as relative bands — where your child sits compared with every other test-taker — rather than a raw mark or a published cut-off. We unpack what that means in how selective placement works.
The best preparation mirrors this exact format. Working through realistic, on-screen selective practice tests helps a child get used to the timing, the question styles and typing under pressure well before test day.