There is no separate application process for equity placement.

The department will identify students from each of the equity groups using data from the application and other data held by the department. The Selective Education team may request further documentary evidence from parents and/or carers as needed.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, where there is no school data available, the Selective Education team can request further supporting evidence that includes confirmation from a Local Aboriginal Land Council or an Aboriginal community organisation. Parents and/or carers can also submit this type of supporting evidence.

Table 1 Eligibility under the Equity Placement Model

Up to 20% of places are made available to students in equity groups (refer to section 2.3). Table 2 outlines the percentage of available places for each equity group. Please note that the equity model percentages and targeted groups can be flexible from year to year to respond to diversity changes in the wider student community, changes in student numbers, and the level of educational disadvantage experienced by under-represented students.

Table 2 Percentage of places available by equity group

Table 3 Indicative timing for applications and placement into opportunity classes and selective high schools

*Students will generally be aged between 9 years and 5 months, and 11 years at the beginning of Year 5.
** Students will generally be aged between 11 years and 5 months, and 13 years at the beginning of Year 7.

If a student is out of this age range or in another school year when the application is made, the selection committee will carefully check the reasons parents or carers give for requesting placement. They may ask for more information to determine suitability for placement or whether there are special requirements the school can provide.

The selection committee may:

• decide not to accept students much older than the usual age range
• decide not to accept students already in Year 5 and seeking to repeat Year 5 in an opportunity class or those already in Year 7 and seeking to repeat Year 7 in a selective high school.

When deciding on applications for students seeking acceleration from Year 3 to Year 5 or Year 5 to Year 7, the selection committee will consider the level of consultation that has taken place between the school, family and student in accordance with section 1.4.4. of the High potential and gifted education standards.

The following dates are the expected timings, however, changes may occur. Refer to the Key dates for the latest information.

The application process for Year 5 opportunity class placements opens in November when the student is in Year 3. The application period closes in February, with the test taking place in May (when the student is in Year 4). Refer to Opportunity classes (Year 5-6) and key dates (above) for each year.

The application process for Year 7 selective high school placements opens in November when the student is in Year 5. The application period closes in February, with the test taking place in May (when the student is in Year 6). Refer to the Selective high schools and key dates (above) for each year.

Students can also apply for entry to selective high schools in Years 8 through 11, although they can be placed only if there are vacancies. If there are no vacancies, they may be placed on a reserve list. An application form is available in June (for entry the following year) from the websites of all selective high schools. Refer to Selective high schools – Years 8 to 11 applications for the dates for each year.

Closing dates for applications are strictly observed. No late applications will be accepted.

Table 4 outlines the key steps for each application process. These are indicative timings (refer to Key dates for the latest information).

Parents and carers can change school choices after the placement test up until a cut-off date in mid-May. Refer to key dates (above) for each year.

Parents and carers cannot change school choices after this cut-off date unless the family moves a significant distance from one part of NSW to another. Documentary evidence of this move must be provided to the Selective Education team before a change of choice request can be considered.

Parents and carers should refer to the key dates (above) on the department's website for expected release dates for placement outcomes and more information on reserve bands.

Table 4 Key steps by type of application (indicative timings)

Table 5 Applying for opportunity classes (Year 5) and selective high schools (Year 7)

The boarder selection committees give higher priority to applicants living in isolated areas than to applicants living in other country areas and cities.

Schools may invite applicants to an interview to determine their suitability for boarding placement and their interest in an agricultural boarding school experience. Following the interview, students may be eligible for an early offer. Early offers will commence at the beginning of Year 6.

Parents and carers will need to provide recent academic reports for their child. The school will contact parents and carers directly to request academic reports if they are eligible to apply for an early offer. The student’s academic merit will be considered, along with confirmation that they live in an eligible rural or remote location.

Students who have received an early offer for boarding at Hurlstone Agricultural High School will still be required to sit the Selective High School Placement Test and select Hurlstone Agricultural High School (Boarding) as one of their 3 school choices. Test results help schools plan for their students’ learning needs.

Students applying for boarding at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School or Yanco Agricultural High School are not required to sit the Selective High School Placement Test.

Fees will be payable for boarding. The department offers 2 financial support programs for eligible families whose children must board away from home to obtain secondary education. Refer to Scholarships and allowances for rural students for further information or contact the Rural and distance education team.

If, after gaining a boarding place, parents and carers want to change to a day place, they will need to apply in the following year (refer to the application process for Selective high schools –Years 8 to 11 applications). Students cannot transfer directly from a boarder to a day place.

To apply for places that are currently available or may become available in Years 8 to 11 (for up to 3 selective high schools):

• contact the school or check the school website to find out about specific assessment requirements and selection criteria
• read Selective high schools – Years 8 to 11 applications for more information
• access and complete the application form from each school’s website (only available while applications are open – June to July) and submit or send (email or mail to) the school/s by the due date.

The Opportunity Class Placement Test and the Selective High School Placement Test allow students to demonstrate their abilities across a range of areas, including reading, writing (for selective high school only) mathematical reasoning and thinking skills. The tests measure ability rather than academic performance.

Practice tests (refer to Test structure and practice tests) are available on the department’s website. Results of practice and sample tests do not show how a student will perform in the test and selection committees do not consider performance on sample or practice tests.

The tests are computer-based and follow the structures laid out in tables 7 and 8. For further information and practice tests, refer to the Opportunity class practice tests and Selective high school practice tests.

Table 7 Opportunity Placement Test structure

Students should:

• arrive at the test centre at the arrival time shown on the test admission ticket (note that late arrivals will be allowed to sit the test but will finish at the same time as other students)
• wear school uniform (even if testing is on a weekend)
• bring a printed copy of the test admission ticket and all required materials listed on the ticket and on the department’s website
• bring food to eat during the breaks (for the Selective High School Placement Test only – no no nuts or nut products).

The test will begin at the time shown on the test admission ticket. There will be short breaks between the tests for students to eat or go to the bathroom as needed.

When collecting their child, parents and carers are asked to wait quietly at the test centre entrance at the location directed by the test centre staff. If someone else is to collect the child, the parent or carer needs to send a note with the child explaining the arrangement.

If something happens to delay or disrupt the test, parents and carers will be informed by text message as soon as possible.

Students found to be cheating or involved in malpractice risk disqualification (refer to Malpractice below).

The department has robust measures to identify student malpractice for the Opportunity Class Placement Test and the Selective High School Placement Test. These measures ensure that no student receives an unfair advantage or causes disadvantage to other students.

Students sitting the placement tests are required to observe the test rules and guidelines and avoid any irregular conduct that disrupts other students, including anything that can be considered as malpractice.

The Notice to Candidates, which is displayed outside all test rooms, warns students of the consequences of such actions.

Examples of malpractice include, but are not limited to:

• copying answers from another student or allowing another student to copy answers during testing
• collaboration and/or communication between students during testing
• using or trying to use unauthorised material during testing such as notes, study guides, mobile phones and electronic devices
• altering or attempting to alter any software, hardware devices or test materials, laptops or computer-based test interface
• using technology devices such as smart watches, hidden cameras, audio recorders, digital glasses or other wearable technology to capture test content and/or access information during the test
• not following the instructions of invigilation staff during testing
• student impersonation (pretending to be someone else) or arranging for another person to take the test on your behalf
• obtaining or trying to get the test questions before the test
• individual or multiple students submitting another person’s work as if it were their own
• removing test materials from the test room without authorisation, for example test materials, working out paper and test admission ticket
• sharing answers or test content with others (individuals and/or educational business entities) before, during, or after the test
• any other conduct that provides an unfair advantage.

When malpractice is reported or observed, the invigilation staff will complete an incident report, which is made available to a malpractice panel for investigation.

After completing the test, potential malpractice could also be identified through post-test statistical analysis on individual student results, pairs and groups of students in the same test centre venues. The analysis compares, but is not limited to:

• the similarity of response patterns between 2 or more students
• performance on one test in comparison to performance on the other tests.

A malpractice panel reviews each potential malpractice case and considers all available evidence. Where malpractice is confirmed, the Selective Education team will inform parents and carers. Students will not be offered placement and their outcome advice will be withheld. Parents and carers will be advised of an appeal process (refer to section 6.1 Appealing decisions) should they wish to appeal the decision.

Parents and carers should submit an illness or misadventure request (refer to definitions) in situations where:

• illness, injury or a medical condition at the time of the test has
  • impacted the student’s performance on the day of the test
  • resulted in the student missing the test
• a student missed the test or part of the test due to another incident (for example, Sorry Business or other bereavement)
• a student experienced test centre problems, such as disruptions during the test or suspected shorter time given for the test
• a student experienced technical difficulties during the test
• unexpected, unscheduled, unavoidable activities and/or events stopped the student from sitting the test or doing their best in the test, such as selected participation in representative entertainment and sporting events, school excursions or camps, or family-related travel needs or events.

Illness or misadventure requests applicable to the day of the placement test and/or the make-up placement test, must be submitted by parents and carers through the application dashboard by the cut-off date listed in Key dates (typically 5 business days after the test or 5 days after the make-up placement test). No late illness or misadventure requests will be accepted.

Illness or misadventure requests must include supporting documentary evidence showing why the child missed the placement test or why their test performance was impacted. Evidence received outside of the request, such as by email, will not be considered. Supporting documentary evidence includes:

• a medical certificate that covers the date of the test (if the reason is health or medical related)
• any other evidence that covers the date of the test.

Invalid grounds for an illness or misadventure request include:

• parent and/or carer oversight – forgot test date, did not read emails or messages in the application dashboard, generally busy with work or family commitments, not familiar with the process
• family holiday – child and family are away during the test period
• participation in school or local sporting activities – for example, individual or team school or local sport activities, school fairs, school photo days.

Parents and carers will receive advice on the outcome of their illness or misadventure request via message sent to their application dashboard. If the illness or misadventure request is approved, the student may either:

• be eligible to sit a make-up test (date and location will be provided)
• have their score adjusted, if they sat some or part of test during the main test period.

The test provider will investigate any illness or misadventure requests relating to performance in the test.

Students who miss the make-up placement test can no longer be considered for placement in a selective high school or opportunity class.

For each school choice, the application dashboard will show one of four possible outcomes. Table 9 provides a summary of possible responses. Note that there is no reserve list for Aurora College as the process requires a lengthy liaison period with the host schools the college partners with. Accordingly, offers to all eligible applicants are made at the same time.

Table 9 Summary of possible placement outcomes

Reserve lists have a date after which the student’s name will be removed from the reserve list if an offer remains accepted. This will generally be before the end of the school year for both opportunity class placement and selective high school placement (refer to Key dates). To remain on the reserve list after this time, the parent or carer must decline the placement offer before the advertised date.

Where students have qualified for a reserve list, reserve bands will be included in outcome information. Reserve bands – listed as A, B, C, D, E, F – provide a general, estimated, idea of how long it took for students in a similar position to receive an offer during the previous year’s placement process. Table 10 outlines the possible options for reserve lists.

Further information about reserve bands will be made available at the time of the placement outcome advice at Opportunity class reserve list bands and Selective high school Year 7 reserve list bands.

Table 10 Possible options for reserve lists