What is a Selective High School?
Selective High Schools provide an educationally enriched environment for highly achieving and academically gifted students in High School (Years 7 to 12). Parents apply when their child is in Year 5. There are only 21 selective high schools in NSW and thus the positions available are quite limited.
Entry into a Selective High School is determined by two factors:
- Entry test in Year 6 (usually around March)
- School assessment marks in Year 5
What is an Opportunity Class?
Opportunity classes, also known as the OC, is offered in selective primary schools that cater for gifted and talented students in Year 5 and Year 6. Parents apply when their child is in Year 4. Successful students may leave their current school at the end of Year 4 to attend a school with an Opportunity Class. The OC is not a pathway to Selective Schools.
Entry into an Opportunity Class is determined by two factors:
- Entry test in Year 4 (usually around July)
- School assessment marks in Year 4
What is a Scholarship?
There are also parents who prefer to send their child to a private school. If you are in this category, then applying for an academic scholarship may be a wise financial decision. Most private schools offer a full or partial scholarship for gifted students.