Reading
- Questions
- 17 groups, 38 answers
- Time
- 45 minutes
Practise comprehension across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, extracts and other text types, including grouped questions with multiple answers.
NSW Selective High School preparation
NSW Selective Practice Tests Online
Build confidence with structured online practice across the current NSW test sections. Students can work under timed conditions, review clear explanations and track their progress as they prepare.
Thinking Skills practiceTimed online testsAnswer explanationsWriting feedback
Focused preparation
Practice that supports understanding, not just repetition
NSW Selective practice tests help students become familiar with the pace, question styles and sustained concentration required across the placement test. Selective Journey organises practice by subject so students can focus on one area at a time and understand their result before moving forward.
Thinking Skills is especially unfamiliar to many families because it is not usually taught as a standalone school subject. Regular, thoughtful practice can help students recognise reasoning patterns, test assumptions and choose answers more efficiently without relying on memorised content.
Test structure
Practice across every section
The current NSW Selective High School Placement Test is computer-based and contains four equally weighted sections. Selective Journey mirrors the subject coverage while presenting each practice test as a separate, manageable session.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Questions
- 35 questions
- Time
- 40 minutes
Apply mathematical understanding to unfamiliar problems involving number, patterns, measurement, geometry, data and logical reasoning.
Thinking Skills
- Questions
- 40 questions
- Time
- 40 minutes
Work through critical-thinking and problem-solving questions where careful reasoning matters more than memorised subject knowledge.
Writing
- Questions
- 1 response
- Time
- 30 minutes
Respond to an open writing prompt and practise developing ideas, structure, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and expression under time pressure.
Test structure checked against the NSW Department of Education practice test information.
Thinking Skills practice tests
Build confidence with unfamiliar problem types
Thinking Skills questions assess critical thinking and problem solving rather than a conventional school syllabus. Our Thinking Skills practice tests give students repeated exposure to different reasoning structures, followed by explanations that show how the problem can be approached.
- Critical reasoning and argument evaluation
- Logical deductions and must-be-true conclusions
- Patterns, sequences and rule-based problems
- Problem solving with limited information
- Time management across 40 questions
Selective Journey
A clear practice and review cycle
Practise under timed conditions
Choose a Selective practice set by subject and complete it with a countdown timer in a focused online test environment.
Review answers and explanations
See the submitted answer, correct answer and explanation so that mistakes become useful preparation for the next attempt.
Understand performance
Compare first-attempt results with average scores and rankings, then follow progress across subjects and practice sets.
Retry and improve
Retry completed tests without changing the first-attempt ranking, giving students room to apply what they learned during review.
Questions from parents
About the practice tests
Are these official NSW Selective test questions?
No. Selective Journey is an independent online practice platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSW Department of Education. The department provides its own official sample materials, while our platform provides independently developed practice questions.
Which subjects are included in NSW Selective practice?
The NSW Selective High School Placement Test includes Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing. Selective Journey provides subject-based practice across these areas.
Can students review their answers after a test?
Yes. Students can review answers and explanations after submitting an available multiple-choice practice test. Writing responses can receive structured feedback within the limits shown for the plan.
Can a Selective practice test be attempted again?
Yes. Completed tests can be retried. The first attempt is retained for rankings and average-score comparisons so later practice does not distort the original result.
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