How many practice papers should my child do before the NSW Selective test?
Most Year 6 students do best with 8 to 12 full-length, timed practice sets across the four tests (Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing), spread over 8 to 12 weeks, with untimed skill work in between. The number matters less than what happens after each paper: every mistake needs to be understood and re-tried a few days later.
Parents of Year 6 students preparing for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test ask this more than any other question, and the honest answer is that there is a sensible range, not a magic number. This guide gives you that range, a week-by-week plan, and the signs that tell you when more papers will help and when they will not.
What does "a practice paper" mean here?
The Selective test has four separate tests, each worth 25% of the total, and it is now taken on a computer. According to the NSW Department of Education, the format is:
| Test | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 17 multiple-choice questions on texts (a few have several parts) | 45 minutes |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 35 multiple-choice questions | 40 minutes |
| Thinking Skills | 40 multiple-choice questions | 40 minutes |
| Writing | 1 open-response task (expected to be no more than two pages) | 30 minutes |
So "one practice paper" can mean a single test or a full set of four. In this article a set means one sitting of each test. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed. Check the NSW Department of Education website for the current format and dates before you plan, because details have changed over the years (the Reading test, for example, was once 30 questions in 40 minutes).
A sensible target: 8 to 12 timed sets over 8 to 12 weeks
Across the four tests that is roughly two to three timed sittings a week, which is manageable alongside school and sport. Here is a pattern that works for most families:
| Weeks before the test | Focus | Timed sittings per week |
|---|---|---|
| 12 to 9 | Learn the question types. Do each type untimed and check the method. | 0 to 1 |
| 8 to 5 | Build speed. Short timed sections, then full tests. | 2 |
| 4 to 2 | Full timed tests in the real order and conditions. One back-to-back session. | 2 to 3 |
| Final week | Light review of old mistakes. One short timed section. Early nights. | 0 to 1 |
Why the review matters more than the count
A paper that is sat and marked teaches your child their score. A paper that is sat, marked and reviewed teaches them how to get the next one right. As a rule of thumb, spend at least as long reviewing a paper as sitting it. A 40-minute Thinking Skills test deserves a 40-minute review, ideally the next day, when your child can look at the question with fresh eyes.
A simple three-column log helps: question number, why I got it wrong (did not know the method, misread, ran out of time, careless), and what I will do next time. After three or four papers the pattern is usually obvious, and it tells you what to practise.
Signs that more papers will help
- Your child keeps meeting question types they have not seen before.
- Timing is the problem: they know the method but run out of time.
- Their scores are still rising from paper to paper.
Signs that more papers will not help
- The same type of mistake appears paper after paper. That needs a lesson on the method, not another paper.
- Scores have been flat for three or four papers and your child is getting tired or tearful about practice.
- They are guessing quickly just to finish. Slow down and go back to untimed work for a week.
What if you are starting late?
With four to six weeks, drop untimed topic work and concentrate on the two tests where your child loses the most marks. Do one timed paper per test type each week, and review every one. Add one full back-to-back session in the last two weeks.
What if you are starting early?
With six months or more, resist the urge to sit full papers. Build the skills instead: wide reading, mental maths, logic puzzles and short written pieces. Introduce timed work only when your child has met all the question types, around ten to twelve weeks out.
Keep it kind
A child who feels supported will practise better than one who feels watched. Agree the plan together, keep sessions short, celebrate effort and spotted mistakes rather than scores, and protect sleep and play. Practice is a tool for confidence, not a verdict.
Common questions
Is it too late to start six weeks before the test?
No. Six weeks is enough for a focused plan: two timed sets a week, one in the style of each test, plus a review session after each. Cut back on untimed topic work and spend the time on your child's two weakest areas.
Should my child sit all four tests in one day to practise stamina?
Do it once or twice, about three to four weeks before the test, so the day itself is not the first time. For the rest of the preparation, one or two tests per session is plenty.
Do I need to buy dozens of papers?
Rarely. A smaller number of papers that are reviewed properly beats a large pile that is only marked. If your child has finished the papers you have and is still making new kinds of mistakes, add more; if they are repeating the same mistakes, review more instead.
How do I know my child is ready?
Look for three signs across their last three timed papers: they finish with a few minutes to check, their errors are mostly careless rather than not knowing how, and the same type of error is no longer appearing.