Unsure about how the selective test works? Worry no further! Here is a breakdown of 2024’s Selective test so you can plan for success.

The 2024 Selective Placement Test was a challenging but ultimately rewarding experience. After months of preparation, students were relieved that it was finally over. Most of our students said they found it similar to the mock tests they have been doing throughout the course at Pre Uni. Some were easier but some were more challenging. Not all students, for obvious reasons, agree on the rating for the difficulty of the questions. However, they all loved the idea that it was finally over!
This year a record of over 19000 students sat the test. There are only just over 4000 seats available in selective schools.

Here is some feedback about each component:

English

The reading included similar types of questions as the year before—nothing unusual.

The cloze comprehension text was about sniffer dogs finding platypuses.

And finally in the four extracts the theme used was “Teachers”.

Overall, the reading test was not that challenging, and the questions varied from factual level to inferential higher-order thinking level.

Mathematical Reasoning

The majority of our students said that it was simpler and similar to our course’s mock exams. Students reported that the problems were mostly problem-solving in nature, requiring little complex calculations. It ultimately comes down to the capability of students to problem-solve rather than computations and formulas.

Some of the questions they remembered were of the following topics:

Speed, distance and time

fractions (involving improper fractions and mixed numerals),

2D shapes involving surface area and perimeter

Lowest common multiples

3D objects statement questions involving the number of vertices and creating triangular prisms from square pyramids

There were questions involving patterns and analysing data (graphs), word problem about probability

Thinking Skills

According to the student’s thinking skill was the most difficult of all the other tests this year but they all said it was expected. Is it not. We all know it is supposed to be the trickiest one and the most demanding in terms of time management. However, there were no surprises.

It had more questions focused on mathematical reasoning rather than critical thinking.

These are some of the questions recalled by our students:

Finding the main idea of the questions

Shapes with most lines of symmetry

Finding fallacy in reasoning

Find the correct reasoning – “Who is correct” questions.

Writing

The writing task was to write a newspaper report about animals running loose in your town for the local newspaper. This is a great age-appropriate topic which our students said it was quite easy to do and fun to think about.  They were happy they knew the marking criteria as they have been practicing this type of genre with the marking rubric in our course.

Overall

As anticipated, the 2024 Selective placement test unfolded as expected, with no surprises. The math section was easier than our intensive mock tests. The reading portion mirrored our practice sessions in difficulty, featuring engaging texts. The writing task, a straightforward newspaper report suitable for year-six students, required precision and clarity. The Thinking Skills section was challenging but within anticipated limits.

Until then, if you are a parent who finds themselves in need of guidance regarding school selection—remember, the deadline is June 16, 2024—or if you are a parent of a Year 5 student seeking assistance in preparing for the 2025 test, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to support one another on this journey towards unlocking a world of full potential for our children.