Selective High School and Opportunity Class Placement
Requirements for placement in NSW government selective classes, selective high schools, agricultural high schools and opportunity classes; criteria for entry and the selection processes for high potential and gifted students.
Changes since previous version
2023 Jul 05 – updated policy statement to reflect changes to the process and terminology. Updated contact details.
Document history
2020 Apr 08 - minor updates to text and contact details.
Updates to roles of departmental officers, establishment of selective high schools and opportunity classes to be determined by the Deputy Secretary, matters for consideration by selection committees, contact details and the inclusion of virtual selective classes. Section 4.8 Candidates, containing matters relating to parents and students has been removed.
Superseded documents
PD/2006/0353/V02 Selective High School and Opportunity Class Placement Policy, 3 October 2006
- Policy statement
- The NSW Department of Education is committed to ensuring equitable placement based on academic merit in selective high schools (including fully selective, partially selective, virtual and agricultural high schools) and in opportunity classes.
- Audience and applicability
- This policy applies to relevant department staff.
- Context
- The NSW public school system is committed to high quality educational outcomes for all gifted and high potential students. Selective high schools and opportunity classes are within the range of provisions for the education of gifted and high potential students.
- While special academic and residency criteria apply for selective high school and opportunity class entry, enrolment in these classes or schools is subject to the Enrolment of Students in NSW Government Schools policy.
- Selective high schools and opportunity classes and the number of vacancies are established at the direction of the Deputy Secretaries, School Performance North and South and the Deputy Secretary, Learning Improvement.
- Students are placed in selective high schools and opportunity classes based on academic merit. Academic merit is mainly determined by the results of the Selective High School Placement test or the Opportunity Class Placement test (both hereinafter referred to as 'placement tests') Additional evidence of academic merit may also be considered at the discretion of the selection committee.
- As specialist settings, selective high schools and opportunity classes have a particular responsibility to provide targeted talent development, extension, and advanced learning for high potential and gifted students from all backgrounds.
- Partially selective high schools have both selective and non-selective classes. Selective and opportunity classes may exist in a virtual form where isolation factors make it the most appropriate option. Agricultural high schools are selective high schools which emphasise the study of agriculture. Agricultural high schools with boarder places give priority to isolated students.
- The Selective Education Unit administers the statewide placement of Year 7 students in selective high schools and Year 5 students in opportunity classes and provides guidelines and documentation to selective high schools for Years 8 to 12 placement processes.
- Responsibilities and delegations
- Directors, Educational Leadership:
- may be requested to participate in the selection committee and/or appeals panel.
- High school principals:
- make facilities available as test centres for placement tests as required
- ensure that they do not schedule school activities that may prevent the use of their facilities as a test centre.
- Selective high school principals:
- promote the availability of online applications and application information and distribute relevant materials to the public as required
- may be requested to participate in the selection committee meeting and/or appeals panel.
- Primary school principals:
- ensure that they do not schedule school activities that may prevent students from taking the placement tests
- promote online applications, distribute relevant materials to their own students and inform parents of relevant dates
- check all information provided in the application for accuracy.
- Principals of primary schools with opportunity classes:
- promote the availability of online applications and application information and distribute relevant materials to the public as required
- may be requested to participate in the selection committee and/or appeals panel.
- The centralised selection committee convened to select students for placement in an opportunity class or selective high school:
- determines final placement
- gives special consideration to students from identified equity groups including students from low socio-educational backgrounds, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, students from rural and remote locations, and gifted learners with disability
- considers students through either the interstate/overseas procedures, if they are currently residing interstate or overseas, or the illness/misadventure process if they are unable to take the placement tests.
- Appeals panels:
- determine the outcome of appeals.
- Directors, Educational Leadership:
- Monitoring and review
- The Executive Director, Educational Standards monitors the implementation of this policy, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.
- Contact
Selective Education Unit
ssu@det.nsw.edu.au
02 7814 3626