The dates, what's in the test, how offers work, and what's worth doing beforehand.
By George Lahoud · Reviewed 5 Nov 2026
The short answer
The Opportunity Class Placement Test for Year 5 entry in 2028 is on 11 and 12 May 2027, and applications close on 15 February 2027. It's a computer test with three equally weighted sections: reading, mathematical reasoning and thinking skills. Offers depend on test performance and the order of your school choices. The NSW Department of Education says coaching isn't necessary and offers free practice tests.
15 Feb 2027
applications close for Year 5 entry in 2028
11–12 May 2027
test days; each student sits on one day
1,840
opportunity class places across NSW
If your child is in Year 3 now, this is the time to think about opportunity classes. Applications for
Year 5 entry in 2028 opened on 5 November 2026, and the test is in May, during Year 4. This guide sets out
the dates, what's in the test and how offers work, all from the NSW Department of Education.
01
What opportunity classes are
Opportunity classes are for high potential and gifted students in Years 5 and 6. It's a two-year
program, so you can't apply for Year 6 alone.
Where: 89 classes across NSW, at 57 schools in metropolitan Sydney, 31 in rural and regional
centres, and one online through Aurora College.
How many: 1,840 places for entry to Year 5, and you can apply outside your local area.
What it means day to day: students attend the class full-time, and most leave their current school
to do it.
Who can apply: children at public or non-government schools, at home, interstate or overseas. Your
family must be living in NSW by the start of the school year of entry.
02
Key dates for Year 5 entry in 2028
5 November 2026: applications open.
15 February 2027: applications close. It's also the last day to ask for reasonable adjustments
for the test.
11 and 12 May 2027: the test. Each student sits on one day only, and all students from a school
sit on the same day.
10 June 2027: the make-up test.
25 June 2027: the last day to change your school choices.
September 2027: outcomes, going by the department's usual timing.
03
What's in the test
The test is taken on a computer at a test centre, and every question is multiple choice. There are three
sections, each worth a third of the result:
Reading: 40 minutes, 14 questions, some with several parts. The texts include fiction, non-fiction,
poetry, magazine articles and reports.
Mathematical reasoning: 40 minutes, 35 questions. It asks students to use maths concepts to solve
problems.
Thinking skills: 30 minutes, 30 questions on critical thinking and problem-solving. No previous
knowledge is needed.
No calculator is allowed in any section. The department says the questions draw on the NSW curriculum up
to Year 4, so your child doesn't need to learn any new maths for it.
04
What to do beforehand
The department is direct about this. It says coaching or tutoring for the test isn't necessary, that it
doesn't recommend or endorse coaching, and that there's no credible research showing coaching helps a
child gain entry. It also warns that too much coaching can harm a child's wellbeing.
Here's what it suggests instead:
Use the free online practice tests. They work like the real test, with the same software and a
timer, and show the right answers at the end.
Visit the Student Resource Hub. It has quizzes, practice questions and tips.
Treat the PDF practice tests as extra. They come from older paper versions, so they don't match
today's format, but they do explain the answers.
Keep school attendance up. The selection committee is told if a child misses too many days
without a good reason.
Keep life normal. Keep up activities, friends, sleep and healthy eating, and remind your child
that only a small amount of preparation is needed.
If you are deciding whether to put your child in for the OC test, first ask yourself a few questions. Does my child often outperform their peers with ease? Were my child's NAPLAN results towards the top? Will an opportunity class help them thrive? Have I spoken to them about it, and do they genuinely want to do it?
An opportunity class is not for everyone, and leaving their primary school and friends behind for Years 5 and 6 can be a big change for a child. Talk to them. If they often get bored at school and want a greater challenge, it is well worth applying.
George Lahoud · from experience
05
Test day
Bring the printed ticket. Your child needs their printed Test Admission Ticket to sit the test.
Wear school uniform, even if the test is on a Saturday.
Plan the trip. Most test centres are local public high schools. A child who arrives late gets no
extra time.
Check the list. The department's test day checklist says what your child can and can't bring.
The test is only held in NSW. A child who can't get back to NSW to sit it won't be considered.
06
How offers work
Offers are based on test performance and the order of your school choices. Each school's level is
different, because it depends on how many students apply, how they perform and how many places there
are.
One offer only. If your child's result is enough for several schools, the offer comes from your
highest choice.
Reserve lists. A child may go on the reserve list for a higher choice and get a later offer.
No minimum score. There are no set entry scores, and the department doesn't give out scores or
ranks.
Equity places. Up to 20% of places at each school are held for under-represented groups: students
from low socio-educational advantage areas, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, students
from rural and remote locations, and students with disability.
Each family gets a Performance report showing how their child compared with others who sat the test. It
doesn't show a percentage of correct answers, and there's no pass or fail mark: half of the students are
always in the lower 50% for each section. The department also says the report can't be used to find
curriculum areas to work on, because the test measures problem-solving and critical thinking.
If your child doesn't get a place, the department asks parents to make clear that the test isn't a measure
of how well they're doing at school, or of how they compare with others in their grade. Many children who
sit it are used to doing well, so they may be disappointed. Every NSW public school also takes part in
high potential and gifted education, so ask your local school what it offers. Your child can still apply
for a selective high school for Year 7.
07
Should you apply?
An opportunity class usually means a new school. The department suggests talking to your child about the
benefits and challenges, and asking their teacher whether it would suit them. Its Student Resource Hub also
helps children think about whether an opportunity class is a good fit.
If you decide to apply, you do it through the department's online application website. You can submit
your application and still change your school choices until the cut-off date.
Find a tutor
Every tutor's price is on their profile. Families pay no booking fee.
