Which test, which year: NAPLAN, OC and Selective in NSW
Checked 19 October 2026 by XReady
In short
NAPLAN is for every student in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The OC test (Year 4, for Year 5 entry) and the Selective test (Year 6, for Year 7 entry) are optional and need a separate application. They are different tests, and doing one does not carry over to another.
Three tests come up again and again for NSW families, and they are easy to mix up. This guide sets them side by side so you can see which one belongs to which school year, which need an application, and what each one is for.
At a glance
| NAPLAN | OC test | Selective test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Every student in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 | Families who choose to apply | Families who choose to apply |
| Year the child sits it | 3, 5, 7 or 9 | 4 | 6 |
| What it leads to | A report on literacy and numeracy | Year 5 entry to an opportunity class | Year 7 entry to a selective high school |
| Application | None, the school enrols students | Parents apply | Parents apply |
| When | March | May | May |
| Format | Online and tailored, Year 3 writing on paper | Computer, 3 multiple-choice sections, 110 minutes | Computer, 4 sections including typed writing, 155 minutes |
| What you receive | A proficiency level for each area | A performance report with a band for each section | A performance report with a band for each section |
NAPLAN
NAPLAN is for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 (external link), and the 2027 window is 10 to 22 March (external link). It checks reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy against national standards. ACARA says it is not a pass or fail test and that students are not expected to study for it. It is not used to admit students to a school, and it is not the same as the placement tests below.
The OC test
Opportunity classes are two-year programs where parents apply at the end of Year 3 or the start of Year 4 (external link). The child sits the test in Year 4 and, if offered a place, starts in Year 5. It is open to children in public schools, non-government schools and home study. Parents cannot apply for Year 6 only. See the OC test explained.
The Selective test
For Year 7 selective entry, parents apply at the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6 and the test is in Year 6 (external link). It is the test the Department of Education uses for fully selective, partially selective and agricultural high schools and Aurora College, except that boarding at two agricultural high schools is applied for directly to the school. See the Selective test explained.
How the same child meets all three
A child who takes every path would see them in this order: NAPLAN in Year 3 (March), the OC application at the end of Year 3 or start of Year 4, the OC test in Year 4 (May), NAPLAN in Year 5, the Selective application at the end of Year 5 or start of Year 6, the Selective test in Year 6 (May), and NAPLAN again in Year 7 and Year 9. Nothing carries over between them: doing one does not count towards another, and each has its own application where one is needed.
Quick year guide for 2027
- Year 3, 5, 7 or 9 in 2027: NAPLAN in March. See NAPLAN 2027.
- Year 4 in 2027: the OC test in May, for Year 5 entry in 2028. See OC test 2027.
- Year 6 in 2027: the Selective test in May, for Year 7 entry in 2028. See Selective test 2027.
What they are not
None of these is a pass or fail mark that decides your child's future. Both placement tests report where a child ranks among the other candidates, and a place also depends on the order of your school choices and the number of places available. The Department also says it neither recommends nor endorses coaching for them, and ACARA does not recommend heavy preparation for NAPLAN. XReady's free 5-question quiz and free sample papers are NAPLAN-style, OC and Selective practice only, written by us, and are never copies of the real tests.
Checked 19 October 2026. Dates for the 2027 OC and Selective tests are not yet published.
Common questions
- Is NAPLAN the same as the Selective test?
- No. NAPLAN checks literacy and numeracy for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The Selective test is a separate placement test with its own application.
- Which year is my child in for the 2027 tests?
- Year 3, 5, 7 or 9 sit NAPLAN. Year 4 sits the OC test for Year 5 entry in 2028, and Year 6 sits the Selective test for Year 7 entry in 2028.
- Do we have to apply for NAPLAN?
- No. Schools enrol their students. The OC and Selective tests need a parent application.
- Can my child do more than one?
- Yes. A Year 4 child may sit NAPLAN in Year 5 and the OC test in Year 4, for example, but each has its own rules and dates.
Keep reading
- NAPLAN 2027: test dates, results timing and what to do before MarchNAPLAN 2027 runs 10 to 22 March. The dates and rules from the national protocols, what is still unconfirmed, and a month-by-month plan to test week.
- OC test 2027: dates, the family decision and a plan to MayWhat the NSW Department has published for the 2027 Opportunity Class test, what a place involves for a child now in Year 3, and a gentle plan to May.
- Selective test 2027: dates, applying and a month-by-month planWhat the NSW Department has published for the 2027 Selective test, how applying and school choices work, and a plan for a Year 6 family from now to May.
Sources, checked 19 October 2026
- National Assessment Program: For parents and carers (external link) National Assessment Program (ACARA). Checked 19 October 2026.
- National Assessment Program: Key dates (external link) National Assessment Program (ACARA). Checked 19 October 2026.
- NSW Department of Education: Opportunity classes (Year 5-6) (external link) NSW Department of Education. Checked 19 October 2026.
- NSW Department of Education: Selective high schools (external link) NSW Department of Education. Checked 19 October 2026.
Not affiliated with ACARA or the NSW Department of Education.