WHAT THEY SAY
Ateef made it into Baulkham Hills.
"If I asked maybe even five times to explain a question, they would be completely patient and answer it very kindly."
Ateef. Got into Baulkham Hills High School.
EXAM PROGRAMS
The NSW Selective High School Placement Test is the exam students sit in Year 6 to gain entry into a selective high school for Year 7. It is one of the most competitive academic assessments in NSW, and performance on it alongside school preference choices determines placement across the state's selective schools.
The exam is set by Cambridge Assessment and continues to evolve. Resources based on older versions of the test are often inaccurate and can build the wrong habits.
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT
The Selective exam tests things a standard school curriculum does not cover in the same way. Mathematical reasoning involves multi-step problems requiring understanding across several principles at once. Thinking skills involves logic-based questions most students have never encountered before. Writing is assessed on argument and structure, not just whether it is technically correct.
In a group tutoring setting, a tutor cannot adapt to where each individual student is. Students who are confused fall behind without anyone noticing. Students who already understand a concept sit through it again. Neither outcome is good preparation for an exam this competitive.
Signs your child may need more targeted support:
INSIDE THE EXAM
Reading Test
Tests reading skills across different types of material and genres including non-fiction, fiction, poetry, magazine articles and reports. Students are not tested on content knowledge. They are tested on how well they read and interpret what is in front of them.
Mathematical Reasoning Test
Tests mathematical reasoning using concepts students already learn at school. No extra maths content needs to be studied. No calculators are permitted in this or any other section of the exam. The focus is on applying known concepts to unfamiliar problem types.
Thinking Skills Test
Tests general critical thinking and problem-solving ability. No previous knowledge is required. This is the section most students find hardest to prepare for without targeted practice, because there is no direct equivalent in the school curriculum.
Writing Test
Students write a response to a given topic and must address it directly. Markers assess creativity of ideas, the ability to write effectively for a purpose and audience, and use of language for effect. A technically fluent piece that does not address the topic will be marked lower regardless of quality.
John 'Bing' Huang
Got into selective in Year 6.
FROM THE FOUNDER
I grew up in Blacktown and attended a local primary school. I sat the Selective exam and was fortunate enough to get into Penrith Selective High School.
Like a lot of students, I went through group tutoring to prepare. It was not particularly helpful. I was shy and did not feel comfortable asking questions in a room full of other students. When I did not understand something, I stayed quiet and hoped it would make sense later. It often did not. I only found out how much I had missed when I actually sat practice papers under exam conditions.
That experience is directly why Bing's Academy is 1-on-1. When it is just your child and their tutor, there is no reason to stay quiet. Questions get asked and answered in the moment, every session.
Since 2014, we have been preparing students for the Selective exam. The exam has changed over that time and we adapt our preparation to match each update. Every student gets preparation built around where they are right now. Not a generic program. Not the same plan as the last student.
STRUCTURED PREPARATION
Selective Horizon runs from February to April each year, ahead of the NSW Selective exam in May. Students sit one full trial test per week across all four sections: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing. Tests are available Friday to Sunday each week and completed online at home.
Unlike generic practice test websites, every student receives a rank at the end of each week. Rankings are gender-segmented, in line with the current NSW selective placement process, so results reflect how your child compares to students sitting the same exam under the same conditions.
Writing responses are double-marked by expert educators. This takes time, which is why the program is capped at 250 students each year. Current Bing's Academy students are excluded from this cap.
Free to join
The 10-week program is free. An optional Horizon Plus upgrade is available for students who want access to question breakdowns and detailed writing feedback.
Real rankings, not just scores
Weekly ranks are gender-segmented and updated in a shared results sheet approximately one week after each test closes. You will see exactly where your child stands, not just how many they got right.
Expert-marked writing
Writing responses are evaluated by qualified educators, not automated scoring. The same standard applied in the actual exam.
Places are limited to 250 students each year. Dates and registration open annually.
Learn more & join the waitlist →WHAT THEY SAY
"If I asked maybe even five times to explain a question, they would be completely patient and answer it very kindly."
Ateef. Got into Baulkham Hills High School.
HOW WE PREPARE STUDENTS
All Selective preparation at Bing's Academy is 1-on-1. Sessions are built around where your child is right now, not a fixed program everyone follows at the same pace.
Before anything else, we identify which sections need the most work and which are already strong. Every student is different. Some struggle with thinking skills, others with writing or reading. We go where the gaps actually are, not at the beginning of a generic syllabus.
Not textbook exercises. Questions built around the current Cambridge Assessment format, broken down so students understand the reasoning behind each answer, not just whether they got it right.
Writing is the section where preparation makes the biggest difference. We work through planning, structure and editing under timed conditions so students know exactly what to do on exam day.
Preference order matters more than most families realise. The order in which you list your school preferences affects where your child is placed, even with a strong exam score. We help families make realistic and strategic preference choices based on your child's score and circumstances.
Get in touch and we will talk through where your child is, what the exam involves, and whether Selective preparation makes sense for them right now. No commitment required.
Get in touch