Applying for an Opportunity Class or Selective High School

What is selective education?

Selective education is one of the ways that the department supports students with high academic potential. Selective education includes selective high schools and opportunity classes.

Selective education has many benefits, including:

·         Students learn alongside, and form friendships with, other high potential and gifted classmates.

·         Special teaching methods allow students to learn at a quicker pace and in more detail.

·         Research shows that students benefit both academically and socially when learning with classmates who have similar abilities.

Opportunity classes and selective high schools are not zoned so you can apply to any of them, even those outside your local enrolment area.

Use the following maps to find your closest:

·         opportunity classes

·         selective high schools.

What are opportunity classes?

Opportunity classes are offered in primary school from Years 5 to 6.

There is also an online opportunity class for students in rural and remote areas. Students attend a local host school and complete their maths and science and technology lessons online through Aurora College.

Parents/carers apply for opportunity class placement when their child is in Year 3 and can apply up until 21 February 2025, when their child is in Year 4.

You can include up to 4 school choices when you are applying for an opportunity class.

What are selective high schools?

Selective high schools are offered in high school from Years 7 to 12. Parents/carers apply when their child is in Year 5 and can apply up until 21 February 2025, when their child is in Year 6. There are 4 types of selective high schools:

·         fully selective high schools (where all students attending the school have high potential or are gifted)

·         partially selective high schools (where one or two classes in each year are academically selective, with some non-selective classes for local students.)

·         selective agricultural high schools (day or boarding schools that emphasise the study of agriculture)

·         Aurora College (a virtual selective high school – students attend a local host school and complete their English, mathematics and science lessons online with their Aurora classmates).

You can include up to 3 school choices when you are applying for a selective high school.

Is selective education the right fit for my child?

High potential and gifted students can be found across diverse family, socio-economic, language, cultural backgrounds and geographic locations.

Your child may have high academic potential if they demonstrate some of the following:

·         enjoy learning

·         have intense curiosity

·         display a good memory

·         ask complex questions

·         enjoy learning new and often complex ideas or skills

·         require fewer repetitions when learning new things

·         are creative

·         become intensely focused in their area/s of interest.

Note: Not all high potential and gifted students will display all of these characteristics, for example, due to disability, disadvantage and/or lack of opportunity.

Learn more about the department’s High Potential and Gifted Education Policy.

How do I apply for entry into an opportunity class or selective high school for my child?

Parents/carers should visit the selective high schools and opportunity classes website to learn more about opportunity classes and selective high schools and complete an online application.

How are students placed in an opportunity class or selective high school?

Places are offered to students based on their performance on the free computer-based placement test.

We know that some high potential and gifted students are missing out because they experience educational disadvantage. The Equity Placement Model is designed to make entry fairer for these students by holding a percentage of places for high potential and gifted students:

·         from low socio educational advantage backgrounds

·         who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

·         from rural and remote areas

·         with disability.

How should my child prepare for the placement tests?

Students may like to do a small amount of preparation for the placement test using the department’s free resources so they know what to expect on test day:

·         Applying for an opportunity class: Student resource hub

·         Applying for a selective high school: Student resource hub.

Some practice helps students feel confident and prepared. Coaching is not necessary for sitting the OC and SHS placement tests nor is it endorsed by the NSW Department of Education.