Selective High School Preparation

It requires a strategic and personalised approach to prepare for a selective school test. At Maths Words Not Squiggles, we try to determine every student’s strengths and weaknesses so we can work on improving them. We collaborate with experienced tutors for selective schools. Their job entails guiding students, reviewing and mock testing students on past exam papers. Using the results of these tests, we can identify what areas your child needs to work on, emphasising subject-specific insights.

Additionally, selective school tutoring involves teaching effective time management and exam strategies. These skills ensure students feel confident and well-prepared on exam day.

Even for academically gifted students, getting into a selective school in Australia is challenging due to various kinds of pressure. That’s why we’ve designed our selective school tutoring in Sydney to help your child manage them and prepare for the exam not just academically but confidently. Our experienced tutors for selective schools use targeted methods to give them the various tools to ace their exams.

A good score depends on where your child is taking their selective school test. For instance, the Selective High Schools Test in New South Wales has a maximum score of 300 — 100 points each for Reading, Maths and General Ability. The cut-off scores for selective high schools typically range from 230–260. This means students must at least aim to get a score that falls within that range.

However, the raw selective school test score is less important than the student’s percentile ranking. The top 5–10% of test takers, with scores of around 250–270, are considered to be in a great position to be admitted into the most selective schools.

Meanwhile, a score that places a child in the top 15–20%, likely around 230–250, can be enough to enter mid-range selective schools. At Maths Words Not Squiggles, we work with your child to help them get a selective school test score that increases their chances of admission into schools that can nurture them academically.

It depends on the student, and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses is essential to improve preparation for a selective school test. In general, we recommend doing the following: 

• Learn the selective school test’s format — Gain a comprehensive understanding of the format of the selective school test in your region. Insight into the structure, question types and time constraints is essential. At Maths Words Not Squiggles, we use past exams to prepare for current and upcoming tests and their formats. 

• Work on the test’s core skills — Focus on developing the core skills tested in the exam, encompassing reading, maths, critical thinking and vocabulary. Targeted exercises and practice help students build a strong foundation for selective school tests, helping them to become more confident. 

• Perform mock testing — Mock tests simulate exam conditions, allowing students to familiarise themselves with the pressure, time constraints and question styles. Our tutors for selective school tests apply mock testing scenarios to gain valuable insights into areas that need improvement for each student.

Opting for selective school tutoring is a proactive step towards improvement. Our experienced tutors specialise in these exams and offer targeted guidance that goes beyond generic study methods. During individual or micro group sessions, we work on mock testing, strategic skill development and specialised tutoring. Selective school tutoring and prep courses equip students with the knowledge and skills to ace their selective school tests.