Kids Learning HubOC test vs Selective test: what's the difference?
They sound similar and both are academic placement tests, but the OC test and the Selective test are sat two years apart and lead to very different places. Here is the plain-English difference — the year each is sat, what's on them, and what a place actually means for your child.
The short answer
The OC (Opportunity Class) test is sat in Year 4 for entry to an opportunity class in Years 5 and 6 — the child stays at primary school, in a class for high-potential students. The Selective High School test is sat in Year 6 for entry to a selective high school from Year 7 — a different high school for six years. Both test reasoning ability more than memorised content.
Side by side
| OC test | Selective test | |
|---|---|---|
| Sat in | Year 4 | Year 6 |
| For entry to | Opportunity class, Years 5–6 | Selective high school, from Year 7 |
| School stage | Stays at primary school | Changes to a new high school |
| Parts | Reading · Mathematical Reasoning · Thinking Skills | Reading · Mathematical Reasoning · Thinking Skills · Writing |
| Writing task? | No | Yes |
What's the same, and what's different
The overlap is real: both tests share Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, and both reward careful reasoning under time pressure rather than facts learned by heart. The key difference is that the Selective test adds a Writing task, and it decides a child's high school rather than a primary-school class.
Is OC needed for Selective?
No — the OC test is not a prerequisite for the Selective test. They are separate statewide placement processes with their own applications, dates and outcomes, and plenty of students sit the Selective test without having done OC at all. There are also more Year 7 selective places than Year 5 OC places, so missing out on OC does not close the Selective door.
Numbers, timings and exact formats change year to year, so always confirm the current details on the official NSW Department of Education selective schools and opportunity classes pages.
Practise both for free
Kids Learning Hub's free Selective Prep course covers Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing — the same reasoning skills the OC test rewards too — plus full-length mock exams.
Start the free Selective courseFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between the OC test and the Selective test?
The OC test is sat in Year 4 for an opportunity class in Years 5 and 6, where students stay at primary school. The Selective test is sat in Year 6 for a selective high school from Year 7. Both test reasoning rather than memorised content.
What year is each test sat in?
The OC test is sat in Year 4 (for entry in Year 5). The Selective High School test is sat in Year 6 (for entry in Year 7).
Is the OC test required for the Selective test?
No. The OC test is not a prerequisite for the Selective test. They are separate placement processes, and many students sit the Selective test without having done OC.
Do the OC and Selective tests cover the same things?
They overlap: both include Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. The Selective test adds a fourth part, Writing, which the OC test does not include.