• User guide for processing OC applications (PDF 1.17 MB)

Refer to the Information for principals of primary schools for full details of the placement process and your school's responsibilites.

School responsibilites:

• Promote to parents application information
• Assist parents to apply online (if required)
• Validate student application information on the SHS & OC schools' site.

Note: Primary schools are not required to provide school assessment scores for entry to Year 5 in 2024.

Promotional resources

• Information for applicants (PDF 948KB)
• Intention to apply form for metropolitan and regional applicants (DOC 14.5KB)
• Intention to apply forms for metropolitan and regional applicants in different languages
• Intention to apply form for rural and remote applicants (DOC 15.3KB)
• Intention to apply forms for rural and remote applicants in different languages

Validating information on the SHS & OC Schools' site

Primary school principals need to confirm information entered by parents in their application (e.g. student background, disability and reasonable adjustments).

• User guide for processing OC applications (PDF 1.17 MB)

Refer to the Information for principals of primary schools for full details of the placement process and your school's responsibilites.

School responsibilities:

• Promote to parents application information, dates and where to apply
• Assist parents to apply online (if required)
• Validate student application information on the 'SHS & OC Schools' site'.
• Respond to requests for details about reasonable adjustments for students with disability in the School recommendation form.

Note: Primary schools are not required to provide school assessment scores for entry to Year 7 in 2024.

Promotional resources

• Information for applicants (PDF 948KB)

Validating information on the SHS & OC Schools' site

Primary school principals need to confirm information entered by parents in their application (e.g. student background, disability and reasonable adjustments).

• User guide for processing SHS applications (PDF 1.46 MB)

Refer to the Information for principals of high schools (PDF 142KB) for full details of the placement process and your school's responsibilites.

School responsibilites:

• Make their schools available as test centres on test days, if required
• Review Outcome reports in the SHS & OC Schools' site to help with enrolment planning.

Reviewing Outcome reports in the SHS & OC Schools' site

The Unit prepares outcome reports for designated local high schools to help with planning for the next year. The outcome reports will be available in the SHSOC Schools’ site at https://shsoc-schools.education.nsw.gov.au/ (principal's DoE login is required) after the release of outcomes.

The local high school outcome reports list the students who are likely to attend a selective high school rather than their local high school. They list students who:

• are on a reserve list, or
• have received offers for selective high school placement, and
  • have accepted or declined the offer, or
  • their response is unknown.

Promotional resources

• Information for applicants (PDF 2MB).

High schools' responsibilities as OC and/or SHS test centres:

• Make their schools available as test centres on test days, if required
• Keep test materials secure at all times
• Support the set up and dismantling of the test centre
• Certify collection of test materials.

External invigilation

In 2023, the selective education placement tests will be supervised by invigilators provided by the test supplier, Cambridge University Press and Assessment and local partner Janison.

The use of external invigilation will:

• provide a more consistent and equitable test experience for all students across the state
• include the opportunity for local secondary school Presiding Officers (POs) and test supervisors to be engaged by Janison to supervise the test (the department will communicate the change directly to the POs and test supervisors and make the introductions to Janison)
• support future improvements to the selective education test format and delivery.

The Selective Education Unit will provide more information to support schools in establishing and setting up as a test centre.

Test centre facilities

The following information may help when considering appropriate test centre facilities at your school.

• An area suitable for testing students under strict examination conditions.
  • This area should be located away from potential noises or other disruptions, especially during school recess and lunch breaks.
  • The school auditorium, multi-purpose centre or other areas that can accommodate large groups would be most appropriate.
• Separate rooms to accommodate students with disabilities requiring reasonable adjustments for the test, which meet the Disability Standards for Education 2005
• A suitable area for students to wait under supervision before the tests and in the breaks
• Student and staff access to toilets
• Test centre equipment e.g. whiteboard and markers, chalkboard and chalk, duster and a clock
• Your school will be reimbursed costs for setting up and dismantling the test room according to the number of applicants sitting the test at your centre.

Selective high school responsibilities (after the Year 7 placement process finishes):

• Receive applications for any vacancies in Years 8 to 12
• Assess students and inform them of the placement outcome
• Respond to requests for information about reviews
• Conduct reviews
• Enrol successful students and manage reserve lists.

Resources

• Information for principals of selective high schools (PDF 225KB)
• Supplementary information for boarder agricultural high schools (PDF 204KB)
• Application information (PDF 170KB) (public access)
• Application form (PDF 608KB) (public access while applications are open).