From 2025 the NSW Selective High School Placement Test moved from paper to computer. Students now sit all four sections on a Department-provided computer at a test centre. This guide sticks to what the Department has published.
If your child has been practising with older paper-based materials, it is worth knowing what is different on screen and what is not.
What Changed
Before 2025 the test was paper-based. The computer-based test:
- Runs on computers provided by the Department — students do not bring a device
- Is held at a test centre allocated by the location of your child's primary school; most centres are local public high schools
- Has the same four sections: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing
- Uses multiple-choice questions in Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, and one typed Writing task
- Weights the four sections equally, at 25% each
The Department says the questions draw on concepts from the NSW curriculum up to Year 6.
What the Questions Look Like on Screen
Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills are multiple-choice. Mathematical Reasoning has five answer options per question and Thinking Skills has four. Reading has 17 questions, three of which have several parts, giving 38 answers in total. The Department also notes that questions asking for multiple responses are worth more than one mark.
The Department does not describe exactly how the multi-part questions are laid out. The most reliable way to see them is its own online computer-based practice tests, which simulate the real test and show the right and wrong answers at the end.
The Four Sections
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 17 (38 answers) | 45 minutes |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 35 | 40 minutes |
| Thinking Skills | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Writing | 1 task | 30 minutes |
Each section counts for 25% of the result.
Mathematical Reasoning
Each question has five answer options (A–E). Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed, but students can do working out and planning on paper. The Department says questions can come from a range of mathematical content areas and ask students to apply what they know to new problems. Areas worth practising include:
- Number operations, fractions and decimals
- Patterns and algebraic thinking
- Measurement and geometry
- Data and statistics
- Ratio and proportion
Writing
Writing is one set task in 30 minutes. Students can plan on paper or on screen and type their response in the space provided.
The Department says the task is marked on the creativity of the student's ideas and their ability to write effectively for a purpose and audience, and it also looks at grammar, punctuation, spelling and vocabulary. A response that does not address the topic is marked lower, however fluent or creative it is.
Typing fluency matters: a child who types slowly may get less down in 30 minutes than they would by hand. Practise planning and typing a complete response against the clock.
How to Prepare
The new part is the screen, so practise in the format your child will sit.
- Practise on a computer. Use the Department's free online practice tests so your child sees the on-screen layout, including the multi-part Reading questions.
- Build typing fluency. A few minutes of keyboard practice most days helps the Writing task feel less rushed.
- Time every practice session. Reading gives 45 minutes for 17 questions and 38 answers, about 70 seconds per answer on average. Timing is worth practising, not just knowing.
- Review wrong answers with the explanation. Understanding why an answer was wrong is more valuable than doing five more questions of the same type.
On the Day
The Department's checklist says students need two 2B pencils, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, their printed admission ticket, a clear water bottle and school uniform. Calculators, dictionaries, pens, rulers, note paper, phones and smart watches are not allowed. Details can change, so check the Department's Get ready page before test day.
Final Word
Whatever the format, the sections test the same broad skills the Department lists: reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, critical thinking and problem solving, and writing. A child who is comfortable on screen and well practised in those skills is well placed.
Make sure at least some preparation happens on screen, against the clock, with feedback on every answer.