Is there a free selective practice test?
Yes. Our free sample quiz gives a short taste of selective-style reasoning and comprehension questions. The NSW Department of Education also publishes practice information for its own test.
Selective Practice Tests: Start Free, Then Sit Full Timed Papers
A good selective practice test does two jobs: it shows your child what the real exam feels like, and it shows you exactly where marks are being lost. This page explains what a full practice test should contain, how to run one properly and how to turn the result into a study plan.
What a full selective practice test should contain
The NSW Selective High School Placement Test has four sections of equal weight. A realistic full practice test follows the same structure, so students build stamina as well as skill.
- Reading: 45 minutes, 17 questions on fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
- Mathematical Reasoning: 40 minutes, 35 questions, no calculator.
- Thinking Skills: 40 minutes, 40 questions on logic, patterns and spatial reasoning.
- Writing: 30 minutes, one imaginative or persuasive task.
Start with a free selective practice test
Before buying anything, have your child try our free sample quiz. It takes a short time and shows whether the reasoning-style questions feel familiar or strange. If they feel strange, spend a few weeks on the basics before sitting full papers.
How to run a practice test so the result means something
- Sit one section or a whole paper in one go, with the timer visible and no interruptions.
- Use paper for rough working in Mathematical Reasoning, and no calculator.
- Do not pause the clock to look anything up. Guess and flag, as in the real exam.
- Practise Writing as typed work, because the NSW test is sat on a computer.
- Wait until the paper is finished before checking any answers.
Review is where the improvement happens
Spend at least as long reviewing a paper as sitting it. Sort each wrong answer into one of three groups: a content gap, a careless slip or a timing problem. Content gaps need teaching, careless slips need a checking habit and timing problems need shorter timed drills.
Track the score for each section separately. A student who is strong in Reading but slow in Thinking Skills needs a different plan from one who is the reverse.
How many practice tests are enough?
Quality matters more than quantity. In the final two months, one full timed paper every one to two weeks is a sensible target, with short section drills in between. Sitting a paper every day tends to cause fatigue without adding new learning.
Try two practice test questions
Mathematical ReasoningA rectangle has a perimeter of 36 cm. Its length is twice its width. What is its area?Show answer
Answer: 72 square centimetres. Length plus width is 18 cm. With length = 2 × width, the width is 6 cm and the length is 12 cm, so the area is 6 × 12 = 72.
Thinking SkillsFive friends finish a race. Ava finishes first. Mia finishes after Leo but before Zoe. Ned finishes after Zoe. Who finishes third?Show answer
Answer: Mia. The order is Ava, Leo, Mia, Zoe, Ned. Ava is first, Leo must come before Mia, and Zoe and Ned follow Mia.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a selective practice test take?
A full paper that matches the NSW format runs for about two and a half hours of testing time across four sections, plus breaks. Short single-section tests are useful earlier in the preparation.
Should my child sit practice tests on paper or on a computer?
Use both. The NSW test is computer-based, so practise typing the Writing section and navigating questions on screen. Paper is still useful for working out maths and for early skill building.
When should my child start sitting full practice tests?
Most families begin full timed papers about 6 to 8 weeks before the exam. Earlier than that, work on individual skills and short timed sections.