In our assessment, the most complete selective preparation we've reviewed in Sydney — and the platform is what makes it click.
Course at a glance
- Year levels
- Year 5–6
- Prepares for
- Selective test
- Delivery
- Online + In-Person
- Best for
- Year 5–6 students who want a structured, feedback-rich runway to the Selective High School Placement Test.
Test Academy’s Selective Mastery Class is the program most of the reviews on this site are describing when parents talk about a turnaround in their child’s confidence. It’s the company’s flagship Year 5–6 course, and it’s built around what, in our view, genuinely sets Test Academy apart — its learning platform.
What you actually get
Each week combines two things that usually live apart: real teaching and real data. Students attend a small class (capped at eight) where a teacher works through the reasoning behind Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing. Between and within lessons, they sit exam-realistic mock tests on the platform that mirror the on-screen NSW format, get marked instantly with worked solutions, and receive criterion-by-criterion feedback on their writing.
That last point matters more than it sounds. Writing is now weighted the same as every other section, and it’s the part most centres struggle to give fast, specific feedback on. Test Academy’s WritingHub does it in seconds, every time.
Where it stands out
- The feedback loop is tight. A child writes, gets specific feedback, and tries again the same week — instead of waiting a fortnight for a marked page back.
- You can see progress. Parents get a dashboard with percentile ranking, time-per-question analysis and a clear “areas needing attention” list. No guessing.
- Online and in person are the same program. Families in regional NSW aren’t getting a watered-down version — it’s identical.
Who should think twice
If your child is in Year 6 and already scoring consistently near the top on realistic mocks, a full structured course may be more than you need — targeted practice and writing feedback alone might do it. And a younger child (Year 3–4) is better served by the foundation-building Advanced Concepts Class first. We’d always rather you started lighter and earlier than heavier and later.
Our verdict
For a Year 5–6 student who wants one well-structured path to the Selective test — with practice and feedback that actually mirror exam day — the Selective Mastery Class is the best we’ve reviewed in Sydney. The teaching is solid; the platform is the difference.
Standout strengths
- Classes capped at eight students, so teaching is genuinely targeted
- Weekly exam-realistic mock tests, marked instantly with worked solutions
- Criterion-by-criterion writing feedback most centres can't match
- A parent-facing dashboard, so you can actually see progress week to week
- Runs identically online or in person from Parramatta
See the Selective Mastery Class on Test Academy ↗ Read parent reviews