The NSW Selective High School Placement Test has four sections, each worth 25%: reading, mathematical reasoning, thinking skills and writing. Children sit it in Year 6. For 2028 entry, the test is on 13 and 14 May 2027.
Below are 13 original sample questions and two writing prompts, written at Year 6 level. Answers and explanations are at the end.
These are our own practice questions, not real selective test questions. For the official format, start with the department's free online practice tests, which use the real test software.
| Section | Questions | Time | Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 17 (38 answers) | 45 min | Multiple choice |
| Mathematical reasoning | 35 | 40 min | 5 options |
| Thinking skills | 40 | 40 min | 4 options |
| Writing | 1 topic | 30 min | Typed |
See the selective schools test explained for the full format.
Reading
Read the extract, then answer questions 1 to 4.
By the time the sun slid behind the warehouses, the car park had changed. Trestle tables appeared in tidy rows, strings of bulbs blinked awake, and the smell of charcoal drifted over everything like a rumour.
Lena's grandfather moved between the stalls with the ease of someone who had done this every Thursday for thirty years. Lena trailed behind him, holding the shopping list he had asked her to write "so you can be in charge tonight".
"Mangoes first," he said, although the list said bread. He stopped at a stall where a woman was stacking fruit into a careful pyramid. They spoke quickly in a language Lena understood only in pieces, and both of them laughed. When the woman pressed an extra mango into Lena's hands, her grandfather shook his head in pretend disapproval, then winked.
Walking on, Lena glanced at the list. Bread, rice, ginger. Nothing about mangoes, or laughing, or thirty years of Thursdays. She folded the paper and put it in her pocket.
1. The phrase "drifted over everything like a rumour" suggests the smell of charcoal: A. was unpleasant B. spread quietly through the whole market C. came from one stall only D. was not real
2. Why did the grandfather most likely ask Lena to write the shopping list? A. He could not remember what to buy. B. He wanted Lena to feel included and important. C. He wanted to test Lena's spelling. D. He was planning to buy only bread.
3. Which word best describes the relationship between the grandfather and the fruit seller? A. Formal B. Tense C. Friendly and long-standing D. Brand new
4. At the end, Lena folds the list and puts it away. This most likely shows that she: A. is annoyed with her grandfather B. has bought everything on the list C. realises the evening is about more than shopping D. wants to keep the list as a souvenir
Mathematical reasoning
5. A school hall has 18 rows of chairs with 24 chairs in each row. 50 chairs are taken away. How many chairs are left? A. 372 B. 382 C. 392 D. 402 E. 482
6. The ratio of boys to girls in a club is 3 : 5. There are 40 members. How many more girls than boys are there? A. 5 B. 8 C. 10 D. 15 E. 25
7. A jacket costs $80. It's reduced by 25%, then the sale price is reduced by a further 10%. What is the final price? A. $52 B. $54 C. $55 D. $56 E. $60
8. The average of four numbers is 12. When a fifth number is added, the average becomes 14. What is the fifth number? A. 14 B. 16 C. 18 D. 20 E. 22
9. A rectangle has a perimeter of 36 cm. Its length is twice its width. What is its area? A. 54 cm² B. 64 cm² C. 72 cm² D. 81 cm² E. 96 cm²
Thinking skills
10. Every student who plays chess is in the maths club. Some students in the maths club play the violin. Sam plays chess. Which statement must be true? A. Sam plays the violin. B. Sam is in the maths club. C. Everyone in the maths club plays chess. D. Sam does not play the violin.
11. Five friends finish a race. Ava finished ahead of Ben but behind Chloe. Dev finished last. Ella finished directly behind Ben. Who came second? A. Chloe B. Ava C. Ben D. Ella
12. Maya says: "Our school should start at 9:30 instead of 8:30, because students will get more sleep and do better in class." Which statement, if true, most weakens Maya's argument? A. Many students say they feel tired in the first lesson. B. At schools that started later, students went to bed later and slept the same amount. C. Most teachers would prefer a later start. D. The school buses can be rescheduled.
13. Jack says: "Every time I wear my lucky socks, our team wins. So my socks make us win." Which best describes the mistake in Jack's reasoning? A. He assumes one thing causes another just because they happen together. B. He hasn't worn the socks enough times. C. He should have asked his teammates first. D. He forgets that other teams wear socks too.
Writing prompts
You have 30 minutes. Plan on paper, then type your response.
Prompt A (narrative): The note was not meant for me. Write a story that begins or ends with this sentence.
Prompt B (persuasive): Should children be allowed to choose one subject each year that they don't have to study? Write a persuasive piece that argues your point of view.
The department marks writing on creative ideas, writing for a purpose and audience, and using language for effect. Writing that doesn't address the topic is marked lower, however well it's written. See our selective writing test guide.
Want feedback on your child's response? Upload it through our free sample and add a human-marked review for $15.
Answers and explanations
| Q | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | A rumour spreads quietly from person to person until everyone knows it. The smell does the same through the market. |
| 2 | B | He says "so you can be in charge tonight", and he ignores the list straight away ("Mangoes first"). The list was for Lena, not for him. |
| 3 | C | They talk quickly, laugh, and she gives Lena a gift. He has been coming for thirty years. |
| 4 | C | The list leaves out what mattered most that evening: mangoes, laughing and thirty years of Thursdays. |
| 5 | B | 18 × 24 = 432. Then 432 − 50 = 382. |
| 6 | C | 40 ÷ 8 parts = 5 per part. Boys 15, girls 25, difference 10. |
| 7 | B | 25% off $80 = $60. Then 10% off $60 = $54. Option A ($52) is the trap: you can't add the discounts to make 35%. |
| 8 | E | 4 × 12 = 48. 5 × 14 = 70. 70 − 48 = 22. |
| 9 | C | Length + width = 18. Length = 2 × width, so width = 6 and length = 12. Area = 72 cm². |
| 10 | B | All chess players are in the maths club, and Sam plays chess. The violin information tells us nothing certain about Sam. |
| 11 | B | Chloe, Ava, Ben, Ella, Dev. Ella must be directly behind Ben, and Dev is fifth, so Ben is third and Ella fourth. |
| 12 | B | Maya's argument depends on students getting more sleep. Option B shows that didn't happen. |
| 13 | A | Two things happening together doesn't prove one causes the other. |
What these questions show
- Reading rewards inference. Questions 2 and 4 can't be answered by finding one sentence. You have to put clues together.
- Maths reasoning traps rushed students with half-finished answers and tempting shortcuts, like adding the discounts in question 7.
- Thinking skills has no content to learn. It's about reading every word of the question and checking each option against it. See our thinking skills guide.
Unfamiliar words and idioms in passages cost many students marks. See our vocabulary list for selective tests and common English idioms for kids.
More practice
Our NSW Selective practice tests include 8 full timed mocks across all four sections, with worked explanations and human-marked writing.
Frequently asked questions
Are there official selective test sample questions? Yes. The NSW Department of Education provides free online practice tests in the real test format. Older PDF papers are from the earlier paper-based test.
How many questions are in the selective test? Reading has 17 questions (38 answers), mathematical reasoning has 35, thinking skills has 40, and writing is one topic.
Is a calculator allowed? No. Students can work on paper.
Sample questions written by Practice Tests & Exams. Test format from the NSW Department of Education (checked 31 October 2026). Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education.