Background
In NSW, the first government high schools were established at Bathurst, Goulbourn and Sydney in 1883. These schools were designed with the intention to cater physically for students who aspired to be educated in a tertiary institution, namely a university. The concept of selective entry was devised and prospective students had to sit a competitive examination to gain entry into these schools.
Since then, the state system has evolved to the point where today, the system is based on comprehensive high schools and a small core of specialist high schools. Academically selective high schools, with entrance based on testing, has remained an important part of the system.
In the years following the late 1980s, a number of new specialist high schools have been established. The level of achievement in the entrance test, together with a report provided by the student's primary school principal, forms the entry criteria that must be met in order for a child to be offered a place in a selective school.
In 1988, approximately 15 000 Year 6 students applied for a place at a selective school. In 2002, there were 15 343 applicants for placement in Year 7 in selective high schools. Out of this 51% were boys and 49% were girls. For 2007 placement, 13 200 students sat for the test for 3522 selective places. There are now 17 fully selective high schools, 10 high schools with selective classes and 4 agricultural high schools offering selective placement for Year 7 entry in 2007.
Selective High Schools in NSW
|
Selective High Schools in NSW |
1988 |
2002 |
2007 |
|
1. Fully Selective / academic |
|
Single sex (boys) |
3 |
4 |
4 |
|
Single sex (girls) |
3 |
4 |
4 |
|
Co-educational |
1 |
9 |
9 |
|
Total |
7 |
17 |
17 |
|
2. Fully Selective/ academic-agriculture |
|
|
|
|
Single sex (boys) |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
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