OC & selective cut-off scores, explained
The honest, current answer: there is no published cut-off score. NSW sets no minimum entry score for opportunity classes or selective high schools, and no longer releases individual test scores or ranks at all. If a site quotes an exact number, it is outdated or invented — here is what actually happens instead.
- No minimum
- No set entry score, either test
- 4 bands
- What the report shows instead
- No scores
- Individual scores or ranks no longer released
Quick answer
There is no cut-off score to aim for. NSW sets no minimum entry mark for opportunity classes or selective high schools, and no longer releases individual test scores or ranks at all. Instead of a number, families receive a Performance Report that places the child, in each part of the test, in one of four bands — top 10%, next 15%, next 25%, or lowest 50%.
So what is the cut-off score?
There isn’t one — not a published one, anyway. The NSW Department of Education states plainly that there are no set minimum entry scores for opportunity classes or selective high schools. Places are worked out each year from the group of children who applied, so there is no fixed pass mark to hit.
NSW also no longer provides individual test scores or ranks at all. It stopped publishing minimum entry scores several years ago. Families now receive a banding report rather than a number. The Department says the change protects student privacy and wellbeing, and avoids encouraging unhealthy competition between children.
That’s why any website quoting a precise “cut-off score” for a particular school is quoting something that either predates this change or was simply made up. You can confirm all of this on the official NSW selective and opportunity class outcomes page.
For the facts the Department does publish about each school — its type, places and address — see our NSW selective and OC school pages.
Written and reviewed by the Hootbrook education team · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
The banding system, not a score
After the test, you receive a Performance Report. For each part of the test, it places your child in one of four bands. This is a ranking against the other candidates who sat the test that year — it is not a percentage of questions answered correctly, and it is not a cut-off score.
| Band | What it means |
|---|---|
| Top 10% | Your child placed in the top 10% of candidates in that component. |
| Next 15% | The next 15% of candidates below the top band. |
| Next 25% | The 25% of candidates below that. |
| Lowest 50% | The remaining half of candidates in that component. |
A band tells you roughly where your child sat among everyone who took the test — not how many marks they scored. Two children in the same band can have answered a different number of questions correctly.
Reserve-list bands
If your child isn’t given an immediate offer, they may be placed on a reserve list and assigned a band. The band signals how likely an offer is if a place later opens up — again, no score is attached.
Selective high schools
Most reserve bands mean an offer is likely if a place becomes available. The last (lowest) band means an offer is unlikely.
Opportunity classes
Most reserve bands mean an offer is likely if a place becomes available. The last (lowest) band means an offer is unlikely.
An honest note
Be cautious of any site that quotes a specific OC or selective “cut-off score”. Those numbers are either outdated (from before NSW stopped publishing them) or invented — NSW does not release them. The most reliable source is always the official NSW outcomes page. Practice can build familiarity and confidence with the question styles, but it can’t promise a place, and no program can. Hootbrook is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSW Department of Education.
Keep going
Free, accurate guides and practice for every part of selective-school preparation.
Cut-off scores — frequently asked
What score do you need to get into a selective high school?
There is no published minimum. NSW states plainly that there are no set minimum entry scores, and it no longer releases individual test scores or ranks at all. Places are decided from the pool of applicants each year, so no fixed number applies — and any exact selective cut-off score you see quoted elsewhere is either outdated or invented.
What is the minimum OC score my child needs?
There isn't one that NSW publishes. The Department does not release an OC cut-off score, and it stopped publishing minimum entry scores several years ago. Families now receive a banding report instead of a score or rank.
Did NSW really stop publishing cut-off scores?
Yes. NSW stopped publishing minimum entry scores several years ago, and it now provides no individual test scores or ranks at all. It says this protects student privacy and wellbeing and avoids encouraging unhealthy competition.
So what do I get instead of a score?
A Performance Report. For each part of the test, it places your child in one of four bands — top 10%, next 15%, next 25%, or lowest 50%. That is a ranking against the other candidates who sat the test that year, not a percentage of questions answered correctly.
A website quotes an exact cut-off score — is that real?
Treat it with caution. NSW does not release cut-off scores, so any specific number is either left over from before the change or simply made up. There is no official current cut-off score for any OC or selective school.
What are the reserve-list bands?
If your child is placed on a reserve list rather than given an immediate offer, they are assigned a reserve band. This works the same way for selective high schools and opportunity classes: most reserve bands mean an offer is likely if a place becomes available, and the last (lowest) band means an offer is unlikely. No score is attached.
Forget the cut-off — start from the truth
There’s no number to chase, so the useful question is where your child stands today. The free assessment finds their real level across Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills.