Are you targeting a specific selective school for your child? This article shows the minimum entry score for every selective high school in NSW in 2019, how these scores are calculated and what you can do to ensure your child makes it in to a selective high school.
Year after year, NSW selective schools continue to rank in the top 10 performing schools in the HSC. These schools offer an opportunity for gifted students to showcase their talent and thrive in a competitive environment that prioritises hard work and dedication.
There are 17 fully selective high schools in NSW, 26 ‘partially’ selective schools (that will have at least one selective class in each grade) and 4 agricultural selective high schools.
In 2019, 14,501 students attempted entry for 4,526 selective school seats; meaning that about 70% of students that attempted the exam were unsuccessful. Selective school entry is fiercely competitive with students often starting their preparation from as young as second grade! Below we will show you how you can make sure your child is one of the 30% that achieves success!
The minimum entry scores in 2019 were:
| School | Min. Entry Score | Status | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Park Community School | 186 | Partially | Alexandria | |
| Armidale High School | 160 | Partially | Armidale | |
| Auburn Girls High School | 160 | Partially | Auburn | |
| Aurora College (Virtual) | 172 | Partially | Aurora | |
| Baulkham Hills High School | 230 | Fully | Baulkham Hills | |
| Blacktown Boys High School | 195 | Partially | Blacktown | |
| Blacktown Girls High School | 189 | Partially | Blacktown | |
| Bonnyrigg High School | 162 | Partially | Bonnyrigg | |
| Caringbah High School | 198 | Fully | Caringbah | |
| Chatswood High School | 215 | Partially | Chatswood | |
| Elizabeth Macarthur High School | 162 | Partially | Narellan | |
| Fort Street High School | 222 | Fully | Petersham | |
| Girraween High School | 225 | Fully | Girraween | |
| Gorokan High School | 161 | Fully | Lake Haven | |
| Gosford High School | 188 | Fully | Gosford | |
| Grafton High School | 161 | Partially | Grafton | |
| Granville Boys High School | 161 | Partially | Granville | |
| Hornsby Girls High School | 227 | Fully | Hornsby | |
| Hurlstone Agricultural High School | 207 | Fully | Glenfield | |
| James Ruse Agricultural High School | 250 | Fully | Carlingford | |
| Karabar High School | 160 | Partially | Queanbeyan | |
| Kooringal High School | 160 | Partially | Kooringal North | |
| Macquarie Fields High School | 179 | Partially | Macquarie Fields | |
| Merewether High School | 191 | Fully | Broadmeadow | |
| Moorebank High School | 176 | Partially | Moorebank | |
| Normanhurst Boys High School | 225 | Fully | Normanhurst | |
| North Sydney Boys High School | 234 | Fully | Crows Nest | |
| North Sydney Girls High School | 226 | Fully | Crows Nest | |
| Northern Beaches Secondary College (Manly Campus) | 217 | Fully | North Curl Curl | |
| Parramatta High School | 210 | Partially | Parramatta | |
| Peel High School | 161 | Partially | Tamworth | |
| Penrith High School | 215 | Fully | Penrith | |
| Prairiewood High School | 177 | Partially | Wetherill Park | |
| Rose Bay Secondary College | 184 | Partially | Dover Heights | |
| Ryde Secondary College | 201 | Partially | Ryde | |
| Sefton High School | 197 | Partially | Sefton | |
| Smith’s Hill High School | 194 | Fully | Wollongong | |
| St George Girls High School | 207 | Fully | Kogarah | |
| Sydney Boys High School | 229 | Fully | Moore Park | |
| Sydney Girls High School | 225 | Fully | Surry Hills | |
| Sydney Secondary College (Balmain Campus) | 182 | Partially | Rozelle | |
| Sydney Secondary College (Leichardt Campus) | 186 | Partially | Rozelle | |
| Sydney Technical High School | 198 | Fully | Bexley | |
| Tempe High School | 189 | Partially | Tempe |
How is the entry score calculated?
The entry scores takes in to account both internal school marks and performance in the challenging selective school exam.
The total is out of 300, with 100 of that coming from internal marks and 200 from the exam. Within the exam, English and Mathematics are worth 50 each and General Ability is worth 100. Internal marks are comprised of mid-year report results and NAPLAN results, and include 50 marks for both English and Mathematics.
| Component | School Assessment Score | Test Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| English (Reading, Comprehension and Writing) | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| Mathematics | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| General Ability | – | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 300 |
How can I get my child in to a selective school?
Alchemy Tuition have been helping students prepare for the selective school exam for more than a decade with thousands of success stories to show for it.
Unfortunately due to the extreme competition in the exam, natural intelligence is no longer enough – a comprehensive preparation program is a necessity to achieve success in the exam. A recent article in the Daily Telegraph revealed that 95% of students in one selective school had engaged a tutor in the lead up to the exam, with some starting work with a tutor as early as second grade.
Our selective school preparation is one-on-one and is designed to target your child’s unique strengths, weaknesses and learning styles. It covers all four components of the exam with the ultimate goal of your child walking in to that exam with confidence and leaving with their head held high that they will be going to the selective school of their choice next year.
We come to you and work around your busy schedule. All our selective school tutors go through our selective school accreditation ensuring that they have the skills to effectively prepare your child across all components of the exam. Our tuition is affordable, contract-free and flexible. You can download our course prospectus here to learn more about our tutors, program and how we work.
In 2018, our success rate was 93% – which is more than triple the state average. Get started today and see why we have more verified 5-star reviews on Google than anywhere else.
Alchemy is all about bringing out the gold in the students we work with. We care about so much more than just marks. We want to see your child grow to their full potential, and we carefully choose our tutors to align with this.
