You must think about your choices very carefully when you apply. You can change choices without explanation by logging in to your application dashboard and make the change by Sunday 6 August 2023, when the selection committee list is created. After this date there have to be extenuating circumstances which occurred after Sunday 6 August 2023, there has to be documentary evidence of the extenuating circumstances and any change must be approved.

You should list only those schools you are prepared to accept. You may list one or two choices. Consider your choices carefully.

Yes. If your child qualifies for both of your choices, you will be offered a place only at the first choice school. However, if your child qualifies for only one of the two choices, you will be offered that place regardless of whether it was your first or second choice.

The selection procedures are the same for all students. The only difference is that the Unit advises government school principals about the students from their school who have applied. Parents of students from non-government schools must ask their principals to complete the 'Principal’s page for the provision of information' (emailed to parents with their application confirmation) and then must ensure it is returned to the Unit. 

No, travelling times and transport arrangements are not considered as part of the selection process.

When you apply you will have the option to provide the names of both parents and you should give the contact details of the parent/carer who the child lives with most of the time. You will have to provide copies of court orders if they exist.

If the parent who does not live with the child is entitled to educational information about the student that parent may contact the Unit and request to be added to the application.

Parents/carers living separately MUST NOT make separate applications for the same student.

A response to an offer is made directly in the application dashboard. It is the responsibility of parents living separately to reach consensus about matters such as school choices and accepting offers.

Encourage your child to use the sample tests on the Department’s website to practise answering the questions on the sample answer sheet.  See the sample test papers.

The results of practice items do not mean that your child will perform the same in the test. Your child’s performance on practice test items cannot be considered as part of the selection process.

The Department of Education does not endorse coaching for the Opportunity Class Placement Test.

The Opportunity Class Placement Test is designed to measure ability and helps to identify students for entry into opportunity classes on the basis of academic merit. The test is designed to discriminate between high performing students. It is not meant to be a diagnostic test to identify the student's strengths and weaknesses in English or mathematics performance. The student's primary school can advise you on your child's performance in these areas.

For placement in 2024, students will be ranked in order of merit with special consideration being given to maintaining equity of access on the grounds of educational disadvantage, Aboriginal background, rural and remote status, and disability. Academic merit is based mainly on the results of the Opportunity Class Placement Test.

Not necessarily. The entry requirements for opportunity classes and selective high school placement can vary quite significantly. Students' ability and performance can improve over the time since they applied for opportunity class placement. Not all students from opportunity classes are successful for selective high school entry. There are more than twice as many Year 7 places in selective high schools as there are Year 5 places in opportunity classes.

Opportunity classes are only one of the initiatives provided by the Department of Education to meet the needs of high potential and gifted students. As there is one place for approximately every six people applying, not all students can be placed. Be supportive and explain to your child that he or she can be very successful at a mainstream primary school.

No. Three terms are used in the placement outcome information: ‘offer’, ‘reserve list’ and ‘unsuccessful’. The selection committee decides the students who will receive offers and those who will be placed on reserve lists. Students who receive offers and those on reserve lists have higher rankings than those who are unsuccessful. 

You can accept an offer to your second choice school while remaining on the reserve list for your first choice school until 5pm on Thursday 18 January 2024. After that time, no further offers will be made to students who have already accepted placement in an opportunity class.

The progress of the reserve list depends on whether students accept or decline an offer and whether other students receive further offers to schools of higher choice. If a student’s position is reached on the reserve list, the Unit will contact parents with an offer. 

The selection committee offers places or reserve list positions only to those students they think are capable of doing well in an opportunity class. There are many things which can affect student performance, including your child’s willingness to learn, his or her response to teachers and interaction with other students. While some students who receive late offers might have problems, the majority should have no difficulties.