NSW Opportunity classes in primary schools are provided to high achieving, academically gifted students with an educationally enriched environment. Opportunity Class Placement are for Year 4 students seeking entry to Year 5 the following year.

The selection criteria: Opportunity Class Placement Score based on the placement test results in English, mathematics and general ability. Other evidence of academic merit may also be considered. However their primary school's assessment of their performance in English and mathematics is no longer required.

Year 5 entry to an opportunity class is managed centrally by the department's Selective High School and Opportunity Class Placement Unit. Application for Year 5 placement in an opportunity class: typically in April - May in Year 4. Prospective students sit the Opportunity Class Placement Test (typically in July in Year 4) and are allocated places at schools according to their Placement Score.

Find more information about Opportunity Class Placement including test format / date / test, application / date, selectionn process and more here under New South Wales or linked official pages.

1. Find out how the minimum entry score or Placement Score (or Placement Profile Score called in the past) is set or calculated.
2. On a statewide basis only one in 200 or .5% of students would generally be capable of acceleration in all subjects to be successful in an opportunity class.
3. There are 75 opportunity classes offering placement in Year 5. The number of vacancies was over 1,800 and the number of applicants was over 14,000. The success rate is about 15%, double competitive as the selective school placement success rate 30%. See OC test success rates and stats by year.
4. The minimum entry score for an opportunity class is the score of the lowest scoring student to accept a place there. Minimum entry scores vary from school to school and from year to year. You cannot compare scores from one year to another.
5. Although the minimum entry scores are expressed as whole numbers, the exact entry score of the last person placed at each school is normally calculated to a number of decimal places. For example, if the minimum entry score is x there will be students below x who will be unsuccessful.
6. It is unlikely a student will achieve a calculated placement score of 120 as the test is very challenging.
7. Please note that the geographical location of the schools can affect the minimum entry score too.
8. The reserve lists for all opportunity classes remain active for the whole of Year 5 and at least the end of Term 1 in Year 6. Should vacancies arise after all vacancies have been filled offers continue to be made in the strict order of the reserve list.
9. Opportunity Class placement test is transitioning to a new test framework and computer-based format through a partnership with Cambridge Assessment and Janison Education Group by 2022. In 2021 the placement test will remain in paper-based format. Please continue to monitor this site for the latest updates. Find OC PastPapers and sample tests and the test format.
10. Practice is the key to excel in the tests. You may need to buy Opportunity Class test books from Better Education Books | BE Books for practice. The practice questions provide an ideal opportunity for students and parents to develop familiarity with the style of the papers and gain valuable experience answering real questions. We recommend that students practise practice papers 'under exam conditions' (e.g. timing).
11. Opportunity Class placement past test papers.
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