Test Information

The Opportunity Class Placement Test will be conducted on Wednesday 25 July 2012 in test centres usually established in government high schools. All applicants in NSW at the time are required to sit for the test, unless there are extenuating circumstances. The test is conducted only on this day and only in designated test centres.

Students who miss the test through illness or other unavoidable mishap may be considered through the illness/misadventure process. Students unable to take the test because they are interstate or overseas at the time should contact the Unit to determine whether they should apply to be considered under the illness/misadventure or the interstate/overseas procedures.

The Opportunity Class Placement Test is written by the Australian Council for Educational Research. It is a secure test and papers are unavailable for scrutiny before or after the test session. The test does not normally contain any questions used in previous tests. Students' final scores include a school-based assessment component.

The school assessment scores will be moderated according to the performance of the candidates from your child's primary school in the English and mathematics tests. Moderating the school assessment scores makes them comparable statewide and gives school assessment scores and test scores in English and mathematics equal weighting.

All candidates will be advised of their designated test centre by Wednesday 11 July 2012.

Parents will be required to make appropriate transport arrangements. Note: Parents must not remain on the school premises during the test unless special permission has been granted in writing for student welfare reasons.

If you have not been advised by Wednesday 11 July 2012 about the test centre your child has been allocated to, you must ring the Unit on (02)9707 6262 or contact the principal of your child's government school. A list of test centres will be published the fortnight before the test on this website.

All candidates from the same primary school are usually sent to the same test centre.

Test answer sheets are marked by the Australian Council for Educational Research using booklet numbers not student names.

If your child does not meet the criteria for entry you should not assume that your application has been approved because your child has been assigned to a test centre.

There are two parts to the test: Parts 1 and 2.  Each part consists of a mix of multiple-choice questions in English, mathematics and general ability. Answers are recorded on computer-marked answer sheets. Each part lasts half an hour.

Past test papers are available which can assist applicants to become more familiar with the format of the Opportunity Class Placement Test. The past test papers include only the questions and answers for the mathematics and general ability components of the test.

A complete sample test paper is also available for applicants to use to familiarise themselves with the test format. The sample test paper contains a selection of questions used in previous tests including English, mathematics and general ability.

A sample answer sheet is also available to familiarise students so that they are familiar with the way they are required to show their answers in the test.

The Department does not endorse coaching for the Opportunity Class Placement Test as it is designed as a measure of ability. The test does not normally contain any questions used in previous tests. Students' final scores include a school-based component. Practice with multiple-choice questions of any sort may help students to become familiar with test technique. There will be a practice session before the test begins to ensure students are fully prepared.

Students must be careful not to look at the work of others during the test. Students found to be cheating risk disqualification from the test.

Students will be sent a copy of Test information for parents and students (68kB) at the same time as they are sent their test centre advice. This information will detail the Opportunity Class Placement Test procedures, show how students should indicate their answers and list the equipment to bring. The Department of Education and Communities recommends that you use this information and the past papers to make sure your child becomes familiar with the test format and knows how to record his or her answers.

Applicants may request special test provisions because of disability, medical condition or behaviour disorder. Requests for special test provisions should be made by the student's parents or school principal in the application.

Applications for special test provisions will be assessed individually.

While the fact that one student has previously been granted a special test provision before does not necessarily mean that another student with the same condition will be granted the same provision. In the past students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome have been seated at the front of the test centre; large print papers have been arranged for students with vision impairments; and FM transmitters have been arranged for students with hearing impairments. Some requests such as extra time to complete the test are not usually granted although these requests are also considered individually.

The applicant and the student's current government primary school principal will be advised in writing whether or not the special test provisions can be granted.

Where special test provisions cannot be granted, applicants may lodge an illness/misadventure claim. The selection committee has the discretion to consider the student on alternative evidence of academic merit such as moderated school assessment scores.

It is important that any special test provision must maintain the academic rigour of the exam and must not confer any unfair advantage to the student.