The four bands
Each section is reported separately, so a report can show a different band for each section.
Possible outcomes
| Offer | A place at the selective high school shown. Parents accept or decline it by the response date. |
|---|---|
| Reserve list | A place on the waiting list for a school. An offer isn’t guaranteed and can follow if other families decline. |
| Offer and reserve list | An offer at one school, while staying on the reserve list for a school higher on your list of choices. |
| Unsuccessful | No offer and no reserve place at a chosen school this year. |
Is there a cut-off score?
No minimum entry score is published. Entry depends on that year’s applicants and the places at each school, so it changes every year.
Under the Department’s Equity Placement Model, up to 20% of places at each school are held for students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, students from rural and remote areas, and students with disability. These students are still offered places on their test performance.
Reading the report
All four sections count equally, at 25% each. A full timed mock shows the same split across sections: marks for each section and the time used.
Questions about results
Is there a cut-off score?
No. The Department doesn’t set a minimum entry score. The result needed for an offer depends on how many students apply, how they perform, the places at each selective high school and how many offers are declined, so it changes every year.
Does the report show a mark?
No. The performance report shows a band for each section. It doesn’t give test scores or placement ranks.
When are outcomes released?
The Department released outcomes on 19 August 2026 for Year 7 entry in 2027.
Source: NSW Department of Education outcomes page. Checked on 19 October 2026.