Opportunity classes located in government primary schools cater for academically gifted Year 5 and Year 6 students with high potential. These classes help students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, using specialised teaching methods and educational materials at the appropriate level.

The Selective Education Unit administers the opportunity class placement process.

Parents normally apply when students are in Year 4. Students who are placed then attend the opportunity class full time in Years 5 and 6 at the primary school with an opportunity class. It is a two-year placement program. In the majority of cases, students who accept a place in an opportunity class will leave their current school to attend the school with an opportunity class.

There is no provision to apply for Year 6 placement only.

There are 77 primary schools with opportunity classes across NSW.

• See a list of NSW primary schools with opportunity classes.
• Go to the map of opportunity classes to find a school nearby.

Parents of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are encouraged to consider applying for selective and opportunity class placement For further information and support parents can speak with their principal or contact their local Aboriginal Education and Wellbeing Advisor.

Aurora College

If your child attends or intends to enrol in one of the public schools in rural and remote areas, you can apply for a place in the virtual opportunity class at Aurora College. The school must be an authorised host school.

• See a list of authorised host schools in NSW for the Aurora virtual opportunity class for 2024 entry. Refer to the Frequently asked questions to learn more about the class. Click on student experience to hear from the students involved in the class.
• Go to the map of Aurora host schools to find a school in rural and remote NSW eligible to participate in the virtual opportunity class.

Students attend their local public schools and join the opportunity class for science technology and mathematics lessons using an online conferencing system.

Non-government school applicants who are successfully placed will need to enrol their children in the local public school to be eligible to participate in the virtual provision.

Note: Students at schools with opportunity classes, or at schools within the drawing areas of existing opportunity classes, will not be eligible to apply for entry into the virtual opportunity class.