Selective test is on a computer: how to practise

For Year 7 entry to a selective high school, a Year 6 student sits a placement test. It is no longer a paper booklet. The Selective High School Placement Test is taken on a computer in a local NSW test centre, and that changes how it is worth practising.

What the test looks like

The NSW Department of Education's practice test page sets out four sections, answered one after the other:

Each section is weighted at 25%. All questions, including the writing question, are answered on the computer. The reading section uses a mix of non-fiction, fiction, poetry, magazine articles and reports.

What is different about a computer test

The equipment is supplied. The placement test page says the department provides the computers, so students have no need to bring a computer or mouse of their own.

Working out is on paper. Each student is given two A4 pieces of paper at the start and may ask for more.

There is no calculator. The department states that students cannot use a calculator in this test or any other section.

A countdown timer is on screen. In the online practice tests it counts down just like the real test, and a child who finds it distracting can hide it.

The writing answer is typed. That is a skill children can build before the day, which we come to below.

Practising the format

The department's own online practice tests simulate the real software, so they are the best first step. They show the same kinds of questions and tools and, at the end, show which answers were right or wrong, with a way to review any that were wrong. The department notes that each response is worth 1 mark, and some questions ask for several responses and are worth more.

The practice site needs a recent browser (Chrome 121, Edge 121, Firefox 122 or Safari 17, or any newer version of these) and a physical keyboard on laptops and desktops. Apple Pencil is not supported. If you do not have a suitable device at home, the department suggests your local public library or asking the school for support.

A sensible order might be:

1. One section at a time, untimed. Let your child get used to the question style on screen.
2. Then timed sections. Use the real timings from the table above.
3. Then a full run on a different day. Four sections in a row is tiring, and it is worth knowing how your child holds up.
4. Finally, look at the mistakes. Which section ate the most time? Which question type was misread?

Typing the writing task

In the 30 minute writing section the student has one prompt and one chance to respond. A child who types slowly or searches for letters spends mental effort on the keyboard instead of ideas. Short regular typing practice, even five minutes at a time, is an easy way to build that comfort. Practise typing a paragraph from a short plan, then reading it back for spelling and punctuation. If your child already writes confidently by hand, the main work is carrying that over to the keyboard. XTutio also makes a typing course, XType, if you would like a structured way to build that speed.

Reading on a screen

Reading passages on screen is also different from reading a printed page. Children may need practice scrolling, keeping their place and holding information in mind while moving between a passage and a question. Reading a long article on a laptop or tablet regularly helps. In the practice tests, ask your child to talk through where the answer was in the passage.

Thinking skills and mathematical reasoning

The department describes thinking skills as testing general critical thinking and problem-solving, with no previous knowledge required. The mathematical reasoning questions use ideas from the school curriculum, and the department says children do not have to study extra concepts. Reading a long problem on screen is a skill in itself, so practise talking through what the question is asking before choosing an answer.

What a computer does not change

The test is still measuring the same things. The department says the questions draw on content from the NSW curriculum through to Year 6, are reviewed so that no extra knowledge is needed, and aim to let students show reading, reasoning, thinking and writing ability. The computer is simply the way the questions arrive.

The department says students qualify for a place based on their placement test results. There are several versions of the test so it can be sat on different days, including a make-up day, and some items are common to every version so that results stay comparable. The department says measures are in place so there is no advantage in sitting on a particular day, so there is no point worrying about whether Friday or Saturday is luckier.

On the day, a child arrives with the printed Test Admission Ticket from the family's application dashboard and wears school uniform. A late arrival does not get extra time. For the full checklist of what to bring, see the department's test page, and our guides for a plain version.

Keep it in proportion

The department's position is that coaching is not necessary, and it provides free practice tests and resources so children can learn the format. If your child can work comfortably through the online practice tests, that is a sensible sign they are familiar with the screen. For more on that stance see does coaching help?.

Where to go next

• OC and Selective tests compared
• A sick child on test day: what to do
• Selective practice questions are in our free samples, and our guides walk through each section.

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Not affiliated with ACARA or the NSW Department of Education.