Official OC practice tests: where to find them and how to use them

Why start with the Department's material

The Department writes the test, so its practice material is the best guide to the format. It is also free. The Department says "coaching or tutoring for the placement test is not necessary" and that it does not recommend or endorse coaching. It provides these resources so that every family can see the structure of the test (NSW Department of Education, checked 7 October 2026). Our page on preparing without coaching gives the wider picture.

What is on offer

These are the Department's categories. Links go to the Department's own pages.

• Online practice tests. These are computer-based, simulate the test, show which answers were right and wrong, and have a countdown timer. Start from the OC practice tests page, or go straight to the online practice site.
• Student Resource Hub. A collection of quizzes, practice items, information about the structure of the test and tips. It is the Department's Student Resource Hub for opportunity classes.
• PDF practice tests. There are three, with answers, owned by Cambridge University Press & Assessment (the Department says its CC BY licence does not apply to them, so we link only). The Department says these are older paper-based versions and "do not reflect the current test format". They can still show the style of question.
• Social Stories. Short guides to what to expect on test day. These are particularly helpful for children who like to know exactly what will happen.
• Instructional videos. Short videos explaining the test and the process.

The Department's placement test page also lists what to bring on the day.

We link, and never host

We do not copy, host or recall official questions. The material stays on the Department's site, so that you see the current version and any updates. If you find a site that claims to list real questions from the test, treat it with care. The Department treats sharing test content as malpractice.

How to use the practice tests

A little structure helps. None of this is required.

1. One at a time. Do a single test, not several in a row. A child can learn a great deal from one test that is reviewed well.
2. Choose a calm time. Not straight after school, and not late. A weekend morning often works.
3. Set up like the test. A quiet room, a computer, pencil and paper for working. Leave the calculator in the drawer, because there is none on the day.
4. Let your child do it themselves. Resist the urge to hover. If your child stalls, leave it.
5. Review together afterwards. Look at the questions that were wrong, and ask your child to explain how they were thinking. The aim is understanding, not a score.
6. Stop when it stops being useful. If practice causes worry, it is doing harm.

What the results tell you

A practice score is a rough guide only. The real test uses multiple versions, and children are placed relative to other applicants, so a practice percentage does not tell you where your child will fall. Please keep that in mind before drawing conclusions.

ExamExplained's own practice

We have original practice material in our free OC practice area. It is written from the published description of the test, not from official questions. Like everything else on this site, it is run alongside a tutoring business, and it offers no guarantee. Use it if it helps, and ignore it if it does not.

Next steps

If you would like to know exactly how the sections are built, read the test format. For dates, see key dates.

Department of Education wording on this page is quoted or adapted briefly under CC BY 4.0. © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2023. Licence: CC BY 4.0. ExamExplained has changed and summarised the text and is not endorsed by the Department. The official sample tests linked from this page are not licensed under CC BY 4.0; see the Department's page for their terms.