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4.9/5 Google rating from parents and students
4.9/5 Google rating from parents and students
Selective School Test Prep
Selective School tutoring that gives your child a genuine competitive edge
Specialist Talent 100 courses in Thinking Skills, English and Maths — everything your child needs to earn a place at NSW’s most sought-after selective high schools.
4.9
Average Google rating from parents and students
99%
Student–tutor satisfaction rating
97%
of students improve their results with Talent 100
3%
of tutor applicants accepted — we only hire the best
Why parents choose us
Selective School preparation built around getting your child placed
The Selective High School Placement Test is competitive — only a fraction of applicants earn a place each year. The right preparation strategy, delivered consistently across all three test components, makes a measurable difference to outcomes. That’s exactly what Talent 100 is built to deliver.
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Specialist Selective curriculum — purpose-built for all three Selective test components. Not adapted from general Year 5 or 6 content.
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High-achieving tutors only — we accept just 3% of tutor applicants. Minimum ATAR 96, or a qualified teacher with selective school expertise.
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Exam technique built into every lesson — timed in-class exams every fortnight, weekly practice tests, and full exam simulations each term.
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Weekly feedback reports to parents — detailed updates on scores, progress, and exactly where to focus between lessons.
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Compulsory homework — consistent practice between lessons is what separates students who improve from those who plateau. We make sure it happens.
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No-obligation free trial — attend one lesson before you commit. If your child isn’t convinced, you pay nothing.
How it works
From free trial to Selective School placement
Our structured approach gives students the knowledge, exam technique and confidence to perform at their best on test day.
1
Benchmark Your Child
Take our free online Selective diagnostic tests in Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. Receive a detailed results report identifying strengths and areas that need targeted work before you enrol.
2
Attend a Free Trial
Book a no-obligation trial lesson in any of our three Selective courses. Meet your tutor, experience the class format, and confirm it’s the right fit for your child — before you pay anything.
3
Enrol & Build Skills
Join our 10-week structured term programme. Each lesson combines tutor-led instruction, guided practice and regular exam simulation — with weekly progress reports keeping you informed every step of the way.
Advantage enrolment — 28 hours of additional support
Enrol for the full academic year and unlock 28 hours of additional support: holiday intensives, exam prep sessions, and priority access to your tutor between lessons. Advantage students receive 2 extra weeks of classes per term, plus holiday course content access — giving your child the most comprehensive Selective preparation available.
What is Selective School?
A placement that shapes your child’s entire secondary education
Selective high schools in NSW are designed to provide optimal learning conditions for academically gifted students by placing them alongside peers of similar ability. This environment accelerates learning, raises expectations and significantly improves outcomes — including higher ATAR results and greater access to competitive university courses.
The Selective High School Placement Test is open to current Year 5 students (applying for Year 7 entry) and is held once a year. It assesses three specific areas — Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills — and places are highly competitive. The top selective schools in NSW receive thousands of applications for a few hundred places.
Most families begin Selective School preparation in Year 5, ideally at the start of the year, to give students time to build exam skills, develop reasoning fluency and increase their confidence before the test. Earlier preparation consistently leads to stronger outcomes.
Book a Free Trial
The Selective School Placement Test
Three components. One high-stakes exam. We cover all of them.
The Selective test assesses students across three distinct skill areas. Talent 100 offers dedicated courses for each — so your child builds deep, exam-ready skills in every component, not just surface familiarity.
English Reading
40 minutes
Reading comprehension across a range of text types — prose, poetry, and non-fiction. Skills tested include inference, language analysis, comparing extracts, and summarising. Students must read quickly and accurately under time pressure.
Mathematical Reasoning
40 minutes
Problem-solving questions that go beyond classroom maths — applying mathematical knowledge to novel situations. Covers number, operations, measurement, space, data and chance. Speed and accuracy under pressure are critical.
Thinking Skills
40 minutes
Tests logic, pattern recognition and critical reasoning — not subject content. Covers deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, visual reasoning, syllogisms, estimation and arrangements. This component is often students’ biggest area for improvement.
Selective Courses — Talent 100
Every Selective School course, every test component
All Selective courses are delivered through Talent 100 — our high-achievement programme for students aiming for selective and competitive school placements. We recommend enrolling in all three for complete test preparation.
Talent 100
Selective Thinking Skills
Grade 5 & 6 · 1 hour per lesson
Students develop the critical thinking skills needed for the Selective Thinking Skills Test — deductive, visual and inductive reasoning, syllogisms and estimation. Weekly practice exams build exam technique throughout every term.
Weekly Selective-style homework exams, marked with feedback
In-class timed exams in Week 4 and Week 8
10-week structured term, 2 extra weeks with Advantage
Deductive Reasoning
Visual Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
Syllogisms
Estimation
Arrangements
Talent 100
Selective English
Grade 5 & 6 · 1.5 hours per lesson
Students prepare for the Selective Reading Test by mastering all key question types — poetry, prose, and non-fiction comprehension. Writing skills are also developed throughout the programme to build overall English ability.
Fortnightly full Selective Reading practice tests with review
Weekly assessment tasks tracking reading and writing progress
Inference, language devices, text comparison and summarising
Poetry Comprehension
Prose Reading
Non-Fiction
Inference
Language Devices
Creative Writing
Talent 100
Selective Maths
Grade 5 & 6 · 1.5 hours per lesson
Students prepare for the Selective Mathematical Reasoning Test by applying mathematical concepts to novel, problem-solving style questions. Each term targets specific topic areas — building both content knowledge and reasoning speed.
Fortnightly Selective-style practice exams with auto-marking
Weekly homework exercises focused on foundational problem-solving
In-class timed exams in Week 4 and Week 8
Number & Operations
Patterns & Algebra
Measurement
Space & Geometry
Data & Chance
Problem Solving
★ We recommend enrolling in all three courses for complete Selective School preparation.
View the current timetable →
Parent stories
Hear from real families with real results
What parents say about Talent 100’s Selective School preparation.
★★★★★
“My daughter went from barely knowing what the Selective test involved to earning a place at James Ruse. The Thinking Skills course was the turning point — her reasoning skills improved dramatically within two terms.”
Sarah M.
★★★★★
“The tutors genuinely know the Selective test inside out. The weekly homework was rigorous — but the results proved it was worth it. Our son improved his benchmark test score by over 30% across the year.”
David L.
★★★★★
“We tried another tutoring centre first. The difference with Talent 100 was obvious immediately — the resources, the exam practice, the feedback. My son actually started looking forward to his Saturday classes.”
Jennifer K.
The results
97% of students improve. Here’s the proof.
Real outcomes from real students — tracked across every cohort, every year.
4.9
Google Rating
Consistently rated by parents as Sydney’s most trusted Selective School preparation provider, based on hundreds of verified reviews.
99%
Student–Tutor Satisfaction
Almost every student rates their tutor as excellent — a direct reflection of the rigorous hiring bar we maintain across Dymocks Tutoring and Talent 100.
97%
Students Improve
Of students enrolled in Talent 100 programmes improve their results — measured against their benchmark score at the start of their first term.
3%
Tutor Acceptance Rate
We reject 97 out of every 100 tutor applicants. Minimum ATAR 96 or qualified teacher status — because your child deserves to learn from the best.
Free Diagnostic Tests
See exactly where your child stands
Take our expert-designed Selective School practice tests online — for free. Receive a comprehensive results report delivered to your inbox covering strengths, areas for improvement, and a question-by-question breakdown.
Selective Reading Test
⏱ 40 minutes · 30 questions
Assess your child’s reading comprehension across prose, poetry and non-fiction texts. Questions mirror the real Selective exam format — inference, language devices, and comparing extracts — under timed conditions.
Start Reading Test →
Selective Mathematical Reasoning Test
⏱ 40 minutes
Assess your child’s mathematical problem-solving ability across number, measurement, space and data. Identifies the specific topics where targeted practice will make the biggest improvement to their test score.
Start Maths Test →
Selective Thinking Skills Test
⏱ 40 minutes
Assess your child’s logical and critical reasoning skills — the component many students find most unfamiliar. Results show how much targeted Thinking Skills practice is needed and which question types to prioritise.
Start Thinking Skills Test →
All three tests use our Talent Max AI platform — results delivered to your inbox within minutes, including question-by-question breakdown.
View full benchmark tests page →
View full benchmark tests page →
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Everything parents want to know about Selective School preparation and our courses.
Selective School tutoring prepares current Year 5 and Year 6 students for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test. It focuses on the three tested areas — Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills — and is designed for academically able students who want to earn a place at a selective high school for Year 7. Students who completed an OC programme often transition directly into Selective preparation.
Most families start in Year 5 — the earlier the better. The Selective test requires Thinking Skills and reasoning abilities that take consistent practice to develop. Starting in Year 5 provides 12 or more months of structured preparation before the test, which is held mid-Year 6. Students who begin in Year 6 can still make strong progress, but starting as early as possible gives the most time to build the specific skills the exam tests.
We recommend all three for complete test coverage — the Selective Placement Test assesses all three components, and each requires specific preparation. However, if your child’s benchmark results show a strong performance in one area, you may choose to focus on the other two first. Our free diagnostic tests help identify exactly where your child needs the most work before you commit to any course.
Each course runs for 10 weeks per term with weekly lessons. Thinking Skills is 1 hour per lesson; English and Maths are 1.5 hours. Every lesson follows a structured format: review of previous material, tutor-guided instruction, guided practice with feedback, and a recap. Students complete compulsory weekly homework — printed exercises plus online practice tests — and sit in-class timed exams in Week 4 and Week 8. Homework is compulsory; consistent practice is what drives results.
Our benchmark tests are designed by experienced educators who specialise in Selective School preparation. They cover the same skills and question types as the real exam, reflect the same time limits and are aligned to NSW NESA standards. While the exact questions in official exams change each year, students who perform well on our benchmarks consistently perform strongly on the real test. The tests are a reliable indicator of readiness and a useful tool to track improvement over time.
Selective classes are available at our Hurstville, Parramatta, Burwood, Epping, Chatswood and Bankstown campuses, as well as online. Specific days and times vary by campus and course. Check our current timetable for the latest session schedule at your preferred location.
Advantage is our annual enrolment option that unlocks 28 additional hours of support across the year: holiday intensive sessions, extra exam prep classes, and priority tutor access between lessons. Advantage students also receive 2 extra weeks of classes per term. For students targeting a top selective school placement, Advantage provides the most comprehensive preparation available — and the extra hours of practise make a measurable difference to outcomes.
Selective School success starts here
Book a free trial today — no obligation, no commitment. Your child attends one lesson, meets their Talent 100 tutor, and you decide from there.