Hurstville at a glance
- Area
- Hurstville, St George
- Exam
- NSW Selective High School Placement Test
- Sat in
- Year 6 (for Year 7 entry)
- How to prepare
- Online anywhere in NSW, or in person in Parramatta
Hurstville is the bustling heart of the St George area, a major centre with a large, education-minded community and a vibrant commercial precinct. Demand for selective and Opportunity Class preparation runs high among local families, who plan early for competitive entry. They can attend in-person classes in Parramatta or follow the identical program online from home.
Which schools do Hurstville families aim for?
Students preparing for the NSW Selective High School test from Hurstville and the wider St George area commonly target St George Girls High School and Sydney Technical High School. There are no published cut-off scores, so think of these as the schools families shortlist rather than fixed marks to hit — fit, travel and your child’s strengths matter just as much as any ranking.
- St George Girls High School
- Sydney Technical High School
How Hurstville students prepare
There are two realistic paths for a Hurstville family. The first is in-person teaching — Test Academy runs small classes (capped at eight students) from its Parramatta centre, within easy reach of St George. The second, and increasingly the most popular, is to prepare online: your child sits exam-realistic, computer-based practice tests at home, gets every answer marked instantly with a worked explanation, and you see exactly where the gaps are.
Hurstville is a key station on the Illawarra line with a busy bus interchange, though plenty of families prefer online preparation to avoid the cross-city commute.
Why Test Academy suits Hurstville families
Test Academy is, in our assessment, the strongest option in Sydney for selective preparation — largely because of its technology. Its platform mirrors the real Janison-style on-screen test, marks instantly, and gives criterion-by-criterion feedback on writing that few other centres match. For a Hurstville family weighing the commute against results, being able to prepare to that standard from home is a genuine advantage.