At a glance
- sections, weighted equally
- 3
- minutes of test time
- 110
- based, at a test centre
- Computer
- sits it, for Year 5 entry
- Year 4
The three sections
Sections run in this order, and all three are multiple choice. There is no writing task.
| Section | Questions | Time | Format | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 14 (3 multi-part) | 40 min | Multiple choice | 33.3% |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 35 | 40 min | Multiple choice | 33.3% |
| Thinking Skills | 30 | 30 min | Multiple choice | 33.3% |
Reading
Reading fiction and non-fiction, including poetry, magazine articles and reports, on screen.
Reading guide →Mathematical Reasoning
Applying the maths your child already learns at school to new problems.
Maths guide →Thinking Skills
Critical thinking and problem solving. No previous knowledge is needed.
Thinking Skills guide →What each section tests
Reading
Questions ask about meaning, tone and the writer’s purpose. Three of the 14 questions have several parts.
Mathematical Reasoning
Word problems with five answer options. No calculator or ruler.
Thinking Skills
Questions with four answer options, at about a minute each.
Sample questions
One question from each multiple-choice section, taken from our free mock, with the worked solution.
Reading
Poem
The birdbath holds a little sky,
A round and silver seat;
A walnut shell has drifted in
And rocks on tiny feet.
It does not sink; it turns instead,
A stubborn, polished boat,
With one pale seam of milk-white grain
Running along its throat.
The magpies come with tilted heads,
As if they know its name;
They hop the rim, then step away
As though it were a flame.
A blackbird drinks, then startles back,
Its beak a shining bead;
The shell gives back the feathered face
And keeps what it has seen.
By noon, the water carries silt,
A faintly pebbled gloss;
The shell grows heavier with light
And slower in its course.
By afternoon, a bee arrives,
Mistaken for a flower,
And circles once above the rim
Like thought at the wrong hour.
When evening cools the garden beds,
The shell still turns and turns;
It looks less like a nut now
Than something that has learned.
It has no root, no wing, no feet,
Yet drifts where currents lean;
So small a thing can hold the day
Without being seen.
And I, who meant to tip it out,
Leave it there instead;
For what can a handsful of water know
That a quiet shell has said?
The birdbath holds a little sky,
And dusk is not required;
The shell keeps circling in its bowl,
As if the world were wider.
What mood is created by the final two stanzas?
Answer and worked solution
Answer: C. The ending feels calm, thoughtful, and a little mysterious: the shell seems to have 'learned', and the speaker leaves it there after a moment of reflection. The final lines broaden the scene into a gentle idea about the world being larger than it seems. A is wrong because there is no urgency or danger. B is wrong because the tone is not comic. D is wrong because the poem ends with wonder, not despair.
Maths
A canteen sells fruit cups for 25c, muffins for 35c, and juices for 45c.
Mia buys one item and pays with a $1 coin. She receives change made up of exactly three coins, and all three coins are different values.
Which item could Mia have bought?
Answer and worked solution
Answer: D. Australian coins are 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c. Mia pays $1 = 100c. If she buys a fruit cup for 25c, her change is 100c - 25c = 75c. 75c can be made with exactly three different coins: 50c + 20c + 5c = 75c. So a fruit cup is possible. If she buys a muffin for 35c, her change is 100c - 35c = 65c. 65c can be made with exactly three different coins: 50c + 10c + 5c = 65c. So a muffin is possible. If she buys a juice for 45c, her change is 100c - 45c = 55c. Check all possible sums of three different coins: 5c + 10c + 20c = 35c 5c + 10c + 50c = 65c 5c + 20c + 50c = 75c 10c + 20c + 50c = 80c None of these equals 55c, so a juice is not possible. Therefore, Mia could have bought the fruit cup or muffin only.
Thinking Skills
Maria follows these habits:
- If Maria goes jogging, she drinks water afterwards.
- If Maria drinks water after jogging, she listens to music.
- Whenever Maria goes swimming, she also drinks water.
On Monday, Maria was listening to music.
On Tuesday, Maria drank water but did not listen to music.
Paul says: “Maria must have gone jogging on Monday.”
Linda says: “Maria cannot have gone jogging on Tuesday.”
Whose reasoning is correct?
Answer and worked solution
Answer: B. Listening to music does not prove that Maria went jogging, because she could have listened to music for another reason. Therefore Paul is incorrect. If Maria had gone jogging on Tuesday, she would have drunk water afterwards and then listened to music. Since she did not listen to music on Tuesday, she could not have gone jogging. Therefore Linda is correct, so the answer is B.
On test day
- The test is sat on a computer at a test centre, usually a local high school.
- The three tests are taken one after another.
- Calculators and rulers aren’t allowed. Paper is available for working out.
Bring
Two 2B pencils · An eraser · A pencil sharpener · A printed copy of the test admission ticket · A clear bottle of water · School uniform
Leave at home
Pens · Rulers · Calculators · Note paper · Dictionaries or other books · Phones, smart watches and other devices · Pencil cases
Key dates
Year 5 entry in 2028
The Department hasn’t published these dates yet. They appear here once it does.
Year 5 entry in 2027
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Applications open | 6 November 2025 | Confirmed |
| Applications close | 20 February 2026 | Confirmed |
| Placement test | 8 or 9 May 2026 | Confirmed |
| Make-up test (approved illness or misadventure) | 22 May 2026 | Confirmed |
| Last day to change school choices | 5 June 2026 | Confirmed |
| Placement outcomes | 9 September 2026 | Confirmed |
Source: NSW Department of Education placement timeline and outcomes page. Checked on 19 October 2026. A date is marked “Confirmed” once the Department publishes it; no date is shown until then.
Results and offers
Families receive a performance report with a band for each section, not a mark or a rank. The outcome is an offer, a place on a reserve list, both, or no place. No minimum entry score is published.
NSW OC results explained: bands, offers and reserve listsRead the guide →Questions parents ask
Is there a writing section?
No. The OC test has three multiple-choice sections: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. The Selective test, in Year 6, adds a writing task.
Can my child use a calculator?
No. Calculators and rulers aren’t allowed. Paper is available for working out.
Are mock tests the same as past papers?
No. Our mocks follow the published test format, with the same sections, question counts and timing, but they aren’t past papers. The Department publishes its own sample practice tests.
What is an opportunity class?
A full-time class in Years 5 and 6 for high potential and gifted students. Classes are held in NSW public primary schools, and online through Aurora College for students in rural and remote areas. Entry is based on the placement test.
How is the test different from Selective?
The OC test is sat in Year 4, has three sections and takes 110 minutes. The Selective test is sat in Year 6, has four sections including Writing, and takes 155 minutes.