Choosing the right high school is one of the most consequential decisions a family makes. For students who qualify, a NSW selective high school offers an academically enriched environment, a cohort of high-achieving peers, and a track record of outstanding HSC results — all at no cost beyond the standard public school fees.
This guide ranks the top fully selective high schools in NSW by their 2025 HSC results, provides key details on each school, and explains exactly how and when to apply for entry.
How NSW Selective Schools Are Ranked
The rankings below are based on the percentage of HSC exam entries that achieved a Distinguished Achiever (DA) result — that is, a mark of 90 or above out of 100 in a given subject. This is the most widely used and consistent measure of academic performance across NSW schools, published annually by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
It is important to note that HSC rankings reflect the academic profile of the student cohort as much as the quality of teaching. Selective schools attract the highest-performing students in the state, which is reflected in their results. That said, the school environment, resources, and peer culture at these institutions genuinely contribute to student outcomes.
The Top 10 Fully Selective High Schools in NSW — 2025 HSC Results
| Rank | School | Location | Gender | DA % (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Sydney Boys High School | Crows Nest, Sydney | Boys | 71.6% |
| 2 | James Ruse Agricultural High School | Carlingford, Sydney | Co-ed | 70.4% |
| 3 | North Sydney Girls High School | Crows Nest, Sydney | Girls | 60.5% |
| 4 | Normanhurst Boys High School | Normanhurst, Sydney | Boys | 57.7% |
| 5 | Sydney Boys High School | Surry Hills, Sydney | Boys | 54.2% |
| 6 | Baulkham Hills High School | Baulkham Hills, Sydney | Co-ed | 51.5% |
| 7 | Hornsby Girls High School | Hornsby, Sydney | Girls | 51.1% |
| 8 | Sydney Girls High School | Surry Hills, Sydney | Girls | 44.2% |
| 9 | Penrith Selective High School | Penrith, Sydney | Co-ed | 41.7% |
| 10 | Fort Street High School | Petersham, Sydney | Co-ed | 40.2% |
Source: Better Education / NESA HSC 2025 results. DA % = percentage of exam entries achieving a Distinguished Achiever result (90+/100).
School Profiles: The Top 10
1. North Sydney Boys High School
Location: Miller Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065 | Gender: Boys only | Type: Fully selective
North Sydney Boys is the top-ranked school in NSW for 2025, with 71.6% of HSC exam entries achieving a Distinguished Achiever result. It consistently ranks first or second in the state across all school types — public, private, and selective. The school has a strong tradition in mathematics, science, and debating, and its alumni include some of Australia’s most prominent professionals and academics.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test. The school is among the most competitive in the state, with cut-off scores typically among the highest of any selective school.
2. James Ruse Agricultural High School
Location: Carlingford NSW 2118 | Gender: Co-educational | Type: Fully selective (agricultural)
James Ruse is arguably the most famous school in Australia for academic achievement. It held the number one ranking in NSW for over two decades and remains in the top two consistently. The school’s agricultural focus is reflected in its curriculum, but it is the academic culture — driven by an extraordinarily high-achieving cohort — that defines its reputation.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test. Historically the hardest selective school to gain entry to in NSW, with cut-off scores at the very top of the distribution.
3. North Sydney Girls High School
Location: Mary Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065 | Gender: Girls only | Type: Fully selective
Located directly across from North Sydney Boys, North Sydney Girls is the top-ranked girls’ school in the state and one of the top three schools overall. It has a strong culture of academic excellence, leadership, and co-curricular achievement, and consistently produces outstanding ATAR results.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
4. Normanhurst Boys High School
Location: Normanhurst NSW 2076 | Gender: Boys only | Type: Fully selective
Normanhurst Boys is one of the most consistently high-performing selective schools in NSW, ranking in the top five for many consecutive years. It has a strong reputation in mathematics and science, and its students regularly feature on the HSC All-round Achievers and Distinguished Achievers lists.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
5. Sydney Boys High School
Location: Moore Park Road, Surry Hills NSW 2010 | Gender: Boys only | Type: Fully selective
Sydney Boys is one of the oldest and most prestigious selective schools in the state, with a history stretching back to 1883. It has a large cohort (over 200 HSC students) and consistently ranks in the top five. The school has a strong tradition in debating, sport, and the arts alongside its academic achievements.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
6. Baulkham Hills High School
Location: Seven Hills Road, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 | Gender: Co-educational | Type: Fully selective
Baulkham Hills is the top-ranked co-educational selective school in NSW and one of the largest, with over 200 HSC students. It draws from the Hills District and is highly sought after by families in north-western Sydney. Its results are consistently strong across a broad range of subjects.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
7. Hornsby Girls High School
Location: Hornsby NSW 2077 | Gender: Girls only | Type: Fully selective
Hornsby Girls is one of the top girls’ selective schools in NSW, consistently ranking in the top eight statewide. It has a strong culture of academic achievement and co-curricular participation, and its students regularly achieve outstanding ATAR results.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
8. Sydney Girls High School
Location: Surry Hills NSW 2010 | Gender: Girls only | Type: Fully selective
Sydney Girls is the sister school to Sydney Boys and shares the same prestigious Moore Park precinct. It is one of the oldest girls’ schools in the state and consistently ranks in the top ten. Like Sydney Boys, it has a large cohort and strong traditions in debating, music, and sport.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
9. Penrith Selective High School
Location: Penrith NSW 2750 | Gender: Co-educational | Type: Fully selective
Penrith Selective is the highest-ranked selective school in Western Sydney and one of the top ten in the state. It serves families across the Penrith, Blue Mountains, and Hawkesbury regions and has built a strong reputation for academic achievement over the past decade.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
10. Fort Street High School
Location: Petersham NSW 2049 | Gender: Co-educational | Type: Fully selective
Fort Street is one of the oldest selective schools in NSW, with a history dating to 1849. Located in the inner west, it draws from a diverse catchment and has a strong tradition of academic achievement, debating, and community engagement. It consistently ranks in the top ten statewide.
Entry: Year 7 via the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
The 2026 Selective School Test: Key Dates and How to Apply
The NSW Selective High School Placement Test is administered by the NSW Department of Education. Students currently in Year 5 (applying for Year 7 entry in 2027) sit the test in May 2026.
Important: Applications for the 2026 test (for Year 7 entry in 2027) closed on 20 February 2026. If your child missed this round, the next application window opens in November 2026.
2026 Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications opened | 6 November 2025 |
| Applications closed | 20 February 2026 |
| Test Admission Tickets issued | April 2026 |
| Selective High School Placement Test | 1–2 May 2026 |
| Make-up test (approved absences only) | 22 May 2026 |
| Results released | July 2026 |
| Offers made | August 2026 |
Source: NSW Department of Education, Application Process page
What the Test Covers
From 2025 onwards, the test has been reformed to give equal weighting to all four components:
| Component | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Reading | 25% |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 25% |
| Thinking Skills | 25% |
| Writing | 25% |
The inclusion of Writing at 25% is a significant change from previous years, when Writing carried less weight. Students who are strong writers now have a meaningful advantage.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online through the NSW Department of Education’s selective school application portal. Students can list up to three school preferences. There is no application fee for the selective school test.
What About the OC (Opportunity Class) Test?
For students in Year 3 (applying for Year 5 entry), the Opportunity Class Placement Test is a separate exam. The 2026 OC test date is 8–9 May 2026. Applications for the 2026 OC test also closed in February 2026. The next round opens in late 2026 for 2027 entry.
How to Prepare for the Selective School Test
The selective school test is highly competitive. In 2025, over 15,000 students sat the test for approximately 4,200 places across all selective schools. Preparation matters.
The most effective preparation strategies include starting 12–18 months before the test, practising all four components equally (with Writing now worth 25%, students who focus only on maths and reading are leaving marks on the table), working with a specialist tutor, and using official practice materials from the NSW Department of Education.
At Olympus Learning, our selective school tutors work with students from Year 3 onwards, covering all four test components with a structured, curriculum-aligned approach.
A Note on Partially Selective Schools
In addition to the 17 fully selective high schools, NSW has 26 partially selective high schools that offer a selective stream within a comprehensive school. These include well-regarded schools such as Girraween High School (Girraween, co-ed), Gosford High School (Gosford, co-ed — the top-ranked school on the Central Coast), Merewether High School (Newcastle, co-ed — the top-ranked school in the Hunter region), and Caringbah High School (Caringbah, co-ed — one of the top selective streams in southern Sydney).
Is a Selective School Right for Your Child?
A selective school is not the right choice for every high-achieving student. Some students thrive in the competitive, academically intense environment of a fully selective school. Others do better in a comprehensive school where they can be a standout student, take on leadership roles, and develop confidence across a broader range of activities.
The key questions to consider are: Does your child enjoy academic challenge and competition, or do they find it stressful? Is your child’s strength in the specific areas tested, or do they excel in areas like sport, music, or visual arts? How far is the school from home, and is the travel sustainable for six years?
A selective school placement is a significant achievement — but it is the beginning of the journey, not the destination. The students who thrive are those who are genuinely motivated by learning, not those who were pushed into the test.
Start Preparing Now
Whether your child is in Year 3 preparing for the OC test, or in Year 5 preparing for the selective school test, early and structured preparation makes a real difference. Find a selective school tutor at Olympus Learning and give your child the best possible start.