The Evolving Landscape of Selective School Tests

Understanding the changing competition and focus areas

🏫

Private School Migration

✍️

English & Writing Focus

📈

Rising Competition

How changing demographics and exam structures are reshaping the path to selective schools

Private School Trends Driving Change

Rising Private School Fees

Elite schools charging up to $51,000 per year (Years 9–10)
Annual fee increases of 5–9% in 2024
Cost of nearly $1 million to put two children through K–12 private education

“Even when you go to a private school, you still need additional coaching... amounting to even more financial burden.”

Dramatic Shift in Enrolment

20%

Increase in independent school enrolments (2019–2024)

1%

Increase in public school enrolments (2019–2024)

As private education becomes financially unsustainable, more parents are turning to selective schools as a high-quality alternative.

Changing Demographics of Selective School Applicants

Traditional Applicants

🌍 Often from migrant backgrounds with a second language spoken at home
🧠 Typically stronger in thinking skills and mathematics
✏️ May have had less exposure to advanced English writing techniques
🏫 Usually attend public schools with targeted coaching outside school

“The kids who did selective schools test were generally people from a migrant background... English wasn't their primary language.”

New Private School Entrants

💬 English is often their first and only language at home
🎓 Benefit from excellent English and writing programmes at private schools
🏆 Strong literacy levels evident in NAPLAN results
💰 Seeking selective schools due to rising private school costs

“Most private schools, especially the elite private schools, have very good English and writing literacy levels.”

📌 Key Insight: This demographic shift is increasing competition in the English and writing sections of the selective school test.

Increased Focus on English and Writing

Major Shift in Test Weighting

The selective school test now places 50% emphasis on English and writing, compared to ~33% previously.

Previous: 📊 ~33% English & Writing
Current: 🚀 50% English & Writing

“It’s the first year where English and writing now comprise 50% of the test... the most it has ever comprised before is about 33%.”

Implications of This Change

🖋️ Writing is now the key differentiator for top school entry
📚 Reading includes fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and tone-based questions
🧾 Marking criteria emphasise content, style, and prompt relevance
🏫 Private school students may be advantaged due to strong writing foundations

💡 Key Insight: The increased weighting of English and writing is reshaping the competitive landscape for selective school applicants.

Impact on Opportunity Class Students

The Traditional Path

📈 Strong OC performance used to predict selective success
🧠 Emphasis was on thinking skills and maths
🔁 Consistent test formats made progression reliable

“If you did well in OC, it typically meant that you're going to do well in selective because the weighting didn't really change.”

The New Reality

⚠️ Many OC students face a “rude awakening” under the new test
📊 English/writing now weighs 50%, up from 35%
✍️ Writing deficits are more exposed and penalised
🎯 Increased competition from private school students with strong writing skills

💡 Key Insight: OC students must dramatically improve writing to maintain selective school trajectories.

The Growing Public vs Private Education Divide

Educational Quality Concerns

📉 Declining public school standards over recent years
📝 NAPLAN data shows widening performance gaps

“The quality of student that gets turned out of the public school system has gotten worse and worse over the last 5–6 years.”

Taking Responsibility for Your Child’s Education

🧠 Make strategic choices — not just financial ones
👩‍🏫 OC classes can offer enrichment even in public systems
🏡 Home-based learning plays a critical role
🔍 Stay informed and adapt to changing trends

💡 Key Insight: Selective schools offer an affordable, high-quality alternative in a fractured education system — but only with active parental involvement.

Strategies for English and Writing Development

Why Early Intervention Matters

⏳ English and writing take time — Year 6 may be too late
📚 Start structured literacy in Year 4 or Year 5
🧠 Build long-term skills for real test readiness

“Writing and English are one of those things where it's very difficult to pick them up later on down the track.”

Understanding Selective Test Writing

🧾 More rigorous than many scholarship exams
📜 Involves multiple text types: narrative, persuasive, informative
🚫 Memorised responses don’t work
🧩 Focus on structure, tone, and style

Tailored Recommendations by Year Level

Year 4 Students (🟡)

📖 Begin intensive literacy development now
📘 Daily reading and writing across genres
💬 Build strong vocabulary and comprehension
🎯 Prepare for OC while keeping it balanced

Year 5 Students (🔵)

📝 Critical year for advanced writing skills
📚 Focus on tone, emotion, character development
💡 OC students must now shift focus to English
🧠 Perfect time to balance development and test prep

Year 6 Students (🔴)

⏰ Maximise existing skills through writing drills
🧪 Simulate test conditions with real prompts
✍️ Address any remaining writing weaknesses
⌛ Manage time for 50% English/Writing format

💡 Insight: The earlier you begin structured writing development, the greater your child’s selective advantage.

Evolution of the Writing Assessment

How Writing Assessment Has Changed

📅 2015–2017: Predictable tasks and memorised responses often succeeded
🔄 Post-2019: Broader range of topics and unpredictable formats
🧾 Diverse text types: feature articles, diary entries, persuasive writing
🎨 Emphasis on style, tone, and creativity over quantity

“Nowadays it's not possible to rely on memorised narratives because you have a vast array of writing styles and topics.”

💡 Implication: Students need genre fluency, structured feedback, and diverse practice — not just memorisation.

Summary and Action Plan

Key Insights

👨‍🏫 Private school students with strong English skills are reshaping the competition
📊 50% of the test now depends on English and Writing
⚠️ OC success no longer guarantees Selective entry
✍️ Writing ability is the #1 differentiator

Action Plan for Parents

🚀 Start literacy development early — ideally Year 4 or 5
📖 Encourage wide reading and regular writing across text types
👨‍👩‍👧 Take personal responsibility — don’t rely on schools alone
🔄 Adapt to new test formats with practice and feedback

💡 Final Thought: Mastering writing is no longer optional — it’s essential. Build this skill early to unlock Selective success.