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Years 4 to 6

Selective School & Opportunity Class Preparation

Preparation for the Opportunity Class Placement Test in Year 4 and the Selective High School Placement Test in Year 6. Both reward reading built over years rather than drilling built over weeks.

Thinking skills isn't curriculum content and can't be revised in the ordinary sense. It responds to exposure over months, which is why holiday intensives disappoint.

Two tests, similar preparation. Both assess reading, mathematical reasoning and thinking skills, and the selective test adds writing. Reading is the section that decides most outcomes and the one nobody can shortcut — a student who has read widely for years arrives with an advantage six weeks of practice papers cannot manufacture.

So we're honest about timing. Starting in Year 4, the highest-value work is building genuine reading capacity alongside test technique. Three months out, we focus on technique, timing and question familiarity, and tell you plainly what that can and cannot achieve. We're equally honest about fit: some students flourish in a selective cohort and some are happier as a strong student in a comprehensive school.

What we focus on

Thinking skills exposure
Broad practice across question types so the underlying structures become recognisable. Responds to volume over months rather than intensity over weeks.
Hard reading at pace
Inference-heavy passages under time pressure. The section that decides most outcomes and the one with no shortcut.
Mathematical reasoning
Multi-step problems that look unfamiliar but rest on known content. The skill is translating the problem, not the arithmetic.
Full tests under real conditions
Timed, complete papers so stamina and pacing are known before test day rather than discovered on it.

Sound familiar?

  • "Everyone says start in Year 3 — is that real or is it hype?"
  • "She's a strong student but thinking skills questions make no sense to her."
  • "We're four months out. Is it worth trying?"
  • "I don't know if selective is actually the right thing for him."

At a glance

Year levels
Years 4 to 6
Delivery
Home, online or small group

Subjects

  • Reading comprehension
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Thinking skills
  • Writing (selective test)
  • Exam timing & technique

How it's assessed

The Opportunity Class Placement Test is sat by Year 4 students for Year 5 entry. The Selective High School Placement Test is sat by Year 6 students for Year 7 entry. Both cover reading, mathematical reasoning and thinking skills; the selective test also includes writing. Applications open well before the test date — check the NSW Department of Education timetable directly each year.

What students walk away with

  • Familiar with every section and question type
  • Reading stamina and inference built rather than crammed
  • A pacing strategy that gets through the paper
  • Multiple full practice tests completed under timed conditions
  • An honest read on whether the placement suits the child
Questions

Selective & OC tutoring: common questions

Everything you need to know before getting started.

Get in touch

Let's talk about Selective & OC tutoring

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