Students seeking entry to an opportunity class should sit the Opportunity Class Placement Test held in designated test centres each year.
What are opportunity classes?
Opportunity classes located in government primary schools cater for academically gifted Year 5 and Year 6 students with high potential. These classes help students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, using specialised teaching methods and educational materials at the appropriate level.
The Selective Education Unit administers the opportunity class placement process.
Parents normally apply when students are in Year 4. Students who are placed then attend the opportunity class full time in Years 5 and 6 at the primary school with an opportunity class. It is a two-year placement program. In the majority of cases, students who accept a place in an opportunity class will leave their current school to attend the school with an opportunity class.
There is no provision to apply for Year 6 placement only.
There are 77 primary schools with opportunity classes across NSW.
- See a list of NSW primary schools with opportunity classes.
- Go to the map of opportunity classesExternal link to find a school nearby.
Parents of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are encouraged to consider applying for selective and opportunity class placement For further information and support parents can speak with their principal or contact their local Aboriginal Education and Wellbeing Advisor.
Aurora College
If your child attends or intends to enrol in one of the public schools in rural and remote areas, you can apply for a place in the virtual opportunity class at Aurora CollegeExternal link. The school must be an authorised host school.
- See a list of authorised host schools in NSW for the Aurora virtual opportunity class for 2024 entry. Refer to the Frequently asked questionsExternal link to learn more about the class. Click on student experienceExternal link to hear from the students involved in the class.
- Go to the map of Aurora host schoolsExternal link to find a school in rural and remote NSW eligible to participate in the virtual opportunity class.
Students attend their local public schools and join the opportunity class for science technology and mathematics lessons using an online conferencing system.
Non-government school applicants who are successfully placed will need to enrol their children in the local public school to be eligible to participate in the virtual provision.
Note: Students at schools with opportunity classes, or at schools within the drawing areas of existing opportunity classes, will not be eligible to apply for entry into the virtual opportunity class.
Opportunity classes available in NSW
There are 1840 places available in Year 5 opportunity classes across NSW in 2024.
Test date
The Opportunity Class Placement Test test will be conducted on Thursday 27 July 2023.
The Opportunity Class Placement Test is paper-based.
The test is held only in NSW and only on the test date each year.
Test authority
An ‘Authority to sit the Opportunity Class Placement Test’ letter will be made available in the application dashboard along with the test centre location and extra information about the test on Thursday 13 July 2023.
The test information consists of:
- a Test authority letter which must be taken to the allocated test centre on test day
- Test information for parents and students that explains the test and lists what your child should and should not bring, and
- information about adjustments to the test for disability, if relevant.
Refer to the list of test centres and/or map of test centresExternal link to plan the best way to get to the test centre.
Test information
The Opportunity Class Placement Test (PDF 7623 KB) has been designed to allow students to demonstrate their abilities across a range of areas, including reading, mathematical reasoning and thinking skills. The tests are designed to measure ability rather than academic performance.
Test structure
The test for 2023 is paper-based. The test consists of 3 test components: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, and Thinking Skills, in that order.
- Reading – 25 items – 30 minutes
- Mathematical Reasoning – 35 items – 40 minutes
- Thinking Skills – 30 items – 30 minutes
All questions are multiple-choice.
Preparing for the test
Students will be more comfortable with the test process if they are familiar with the types of questions they may be asked. Samples of paper-based test questions are provided below to help students become familiar with the types of questions. However, the Department of Education does not recommend any specific coaching for the test.
Results of sample tests do not show how a student will perform in their Opportunity Class Placement Test. The selection committee will not consider performance on sample tests or any other practice tests.
Test day
Students should wear school uniform, including a jumper if it is a cool day and a hat.
Students should arrive at the test centre no later than 9.00 am. Students will be directed to the test room.
Students who arrive late may be allowed to sit the test but will be required to finish at the same time as other students.
Students found to be cheating risk disqualification from the test.
Placement outcome information
It is expected that parents will be notified of the placement outcome on 20 October 2023.