James Ruse Agricultural High School
An agricultural high school for boys and girls in Carlingford, with 120 Year 7 places from 2027.
Details checked 15 September 2026 against the NSW Department of Education’s selective high schools list (updated 10 September 2026).
- Type
- Agricultural high school (fully selective)
- Students
- Co-educational (boys and girls)
- Year 7 selective places from 2027
- Boys: 60 day places · Girls: 60 day places
- Boarding
- No — day places only
- Address
- 17–31 Felton Road, Carlingford
- School website
- jamesruse-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
What the Department of Education notes
“From Years 7 to 10, agriculture is a compulsory subject.”
From the Department’s selective high schools list
Size and location
Enrolment: 856.9 students (full-time equivalent), the latest figure in the NSW public schools master dataset, extracted 4 September 2026.
How entry works
- Year 7: parents apply at the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6, and the child sits the Selective High School Placement Test in Year 6. An application can list up to 3 school preferences.
- Co-educational selective schools have a set number of places for boys and for girls.
- The Equity Placement Model holds up to 20% of places at each school for students from under-represented groups.
The numbers above come from the Department’s choosing your schools page (last updated 18 June 2026) and its fair access page (last updated 20 February 2026).
The full picture is in our selective test guide, and this year’s timeline is on test dates.
Is there a cut-off for James Ruse Agricultural High School?
No. The NSW Department of Education does not publish a minimum entry score for any school. In its own words: “There are no set minimum entry scores to receive an offer to a selective high school or opportunity class.” Who receives an offer depends on each year’s applicants and the places available.
Why there’s no number to aim for, and what families receive instead
Nearby selective high schools
The closest others by straight-line distance from James Ruse Agricultural High School. Listed by distance only. Each distance is our own calculation from the campus coordinates in the NSW public schools master dataset, extracted 4 September 2026.
Preparing calmly
On its practice tests page, the Department says:
It is important to know that coaching or tutoring for the placement test is not necessary. The test will not need your child to know any new or special knowledge. So, extra paid coaching outside of school will not give your child an advantage.
The department does not recommend or endorse coaching for the placement test. There is no credible research that shows coaching helps a child gain entry. A child who is coached and gets in is likely to have got a place anyway. Many students who get coaching don’t get a place, and too much coaching can harm their wellbeing.
Source: NSW Department of Education, Selective high school practice tests
The Department’s free selective high school practice tests show the current test format — open them on the Department’s site.
For a sense of where your child is today, Hootbrook’s free assessment looks at Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. It is not the official test and has no bearing on placement.
Questions about James Ruse Agricultural High School
How many Year 7 selective places does James Ruse Agricultural High School have?
The Department of Education lists these Year 7 places for James Ruse Agricultural High School from 2027: Boys: 60 day places · Girls: 60 day places (list updated 10 September 2026).
Is James Ruse Agricultural High School co-ed?
Yes. The Department of Education lists Year 7 selective places for both boys and girls.
Can students board at James Ruse Agricultural High School?
No. The Department of Education lists day places only.
Is there a cut-off for James Ruse Agricultural High School?
No. The NSW Department of Education does not publish a minimum entry score for any school. In its own words: “There are no set minimum entry scores to receive an offer to a selective high school or opportunity class.” Who receives an offer depends on each year’s applicants and the places available.
Sources and licence
- NSW Department of Education, Selective high schools list (last updated 10 September 2026)
- NSW Department of Education, Opportunity classes list (last updated 23 July 2026)
- NSW Department of Education, Selective high school and opportunity class outcomes
- NSW Department of Education, Choosing your schools (last updated 18 June 2026)
- NSW Department of Education, Fair access (last updated 20 February 2026)
- NSW Department of Education, Selective high school practice tests (last updated 20 March 2026)
- Data.NSW, NSW public schools master dataset (extracted 4 September 2026)
Contains information © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), licensed under CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the Department’s lists and joined them to the master dataset. Hootbrook is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSW Department of Education.