How it works

Students are ranked in order of academic merit based on their performance in the placement test. Students are placed according to their academic merit to fill the number of vacancies at each school.

To promote fair and equitable access for all high potential and gifted students, the Equity Placement Model helps to address unintended barriers to entry for students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds, Aboriginal students, rural and remote students, and students with disability.

Learn more about the Equity Placement Model.

Where a student has missed the test for a valid reason, alternative evidence of academic merit will be used to rank the student. This rank will then be reviewed by the selection committee to make placement decisions. It is important to note that students who sit the test have a much greater chance of placement than students who do not sit the test. This is because only 5% of places at any selective high school are available for students who have been unable to sit the test. For example a selective high school with 100 vacancies will have only 5 places available for students who have missed the test.

Selection committee decisions

The selection committee reviews and decides upon placement for students who:

• missed the test due to illness/misadventure
• are interstate/overseas students
• are outside the usual age or Year range
• require special consideration due to their background/equity of access
• are boarder candidates in isolated areas and/or with siblings already enrolled at the school.

The selection committee may make other placement decisions based upon any other relevant factors requiring their attention.

Students with too many unjustified absences from school will be brought to the attention of the selection committee. The selection committee is reluctant to offer placement to those whose attendance might not allow them to benefit from a selective program.