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NSW opportunity class schools: how to read the list

How to read the Department's list of opportunity classes: opportunity classes and Aurora online, Year 5 places per school, the 7/7/1 rule, and how to choose and order up to four preferences.

Last checked 7 October 2026 against the official sources.

There are 89 opportunity classes including Aurora College online, in metropolitan and rural or regional areas. Families list 1 to 4 in preference order, and a child is offered only one. Year 5 places are mostly 15 or 30 per school, with one school of 60. We do not rank schools. Travel and your child's energy matter as much as anything on a list.

The table below is a filterable version of the Department's list for 2027 entry. The 2028-entry list has not been published, and schools and places can change from year to year. It is reformatted by ExamExplained and carries the Department's attribution. This page explains how to read it.

What the list shows

Each row is an opportunity class. The list shows the school's name, suburb, the Aurora College online class, and the number of Year 5 places for 2027 entry.

Opportunity classes are in selected public primary schools across metropolitan Sydney and rural and regional NSW. The Department says there are 57 in metropolitan Sydney and 31 in rural or regional centres, but its table does not mark which is which, so we do not tag them.
Aurora College is the online option. It is only for students who attend (or will enrol in) an authorised rural or remote Aurora College host school, and not for students at a public school close to or part of another opportunity class. The Department lists 100 Aurora places (50 for boys, 50 for girls). There is no reserve list for Aurora.

The total is 89 opportunity classes including Aurora College online (Glenbrook has no Year 5 intake for 2027).

Places per school

Most schools have 15 or 30 Year 5 places a year; one, Hurstville, has 60. A 15-place school runs one composite Year 5 and 6 class, and a 30-place school runs two classes (one Year 5 and one Year 6 class, or two composite classes). Check the school's website to confirm. A 15-place class works on the 7/7/1 rule: 7 places for boys, 7 for girls and 1 awarded on merit. Under gender parity, which applies from the 2027 intake, equal places are set for boys and girls in opportunity classes. Unfilled places for one gender go to the other (NSW Department of Education, checked 7 October 2026).

A school with more places is not better or worse. It simply has more places, and a different school feel.

Alternate years

Two schools, Blaxland East and Glenbrook, admit new students in alternate years. For 2027 entry, the Department lists 30 places at Blaxland East and none at Glenbrook. If one of these is a realistic option for your family, look at the Department's page for the year you are applying in.

No rankings

We do not rank, rate or compare schools, and the list we reproduce from the Department does not either. Opportunity classes follow the same curriculum, delivered at a faster pace and greater depth. A school that is well known in your area is not necessarily a better fit, and a lesser-known one is not necessarily a worse one.

Choosing 1 to 4, in order

When you apply, you list from 1 to 4 opportunity classes in preference order. Some things worth knowing:

The order matters. List your most preferred class first.
A child is offered only one place, at the highest preference they qualified for.
A child may also be on a reserve list for higher preferences. A child with no accepted offer can stay on a reserve list until the end of Term 1 of Year 6, but a child holding an accepted offer is removed from higher-choice reserve lists after the Department's reserve decision date (3 December 2026 for 2027 entry) unless the family declines that offer first. A declined offer cannot be got back, so read the Department's outcomes page before you decide. The Department's OC reserve list bands page explains the timing.
You can change your choices until the date the Department sets. For 2027 entry, that was 5 June 2026.

Exam tip

Only list classes you would actually accept. Putting a class on your list means a place there is a real possibility.

Practical thinking about travel

The best list is the one your family can live with for two years. Some questions to ask yourselves:

How long would the trip take on a normal morning, and on a wet one?
Would an after-school activity or a sibling's pick-up make it harder?
How will your child feel after a long day, a long trip home and homework?
Is there another family nearby with a child who might also be placed, so that you could share driving?
If the trip changes at the start of Year 6, is there a backup plan?

Children differ. Some enjoy a longer bus ride and some are worn out by it. You know your child best. A calm, workable routine is worth more than a prestigious address. For a fuller look at the decision, see should we apply?.

After you have a draft list

Check the key dates, confirm eligibility, and keep the Department's page open when you submit. Our OC versus Selective page explains how the opportunity class connects to high school, if you are planning further ahead.

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.

Schools

Showing 89 of 89 schools.

Schools, with places where published
School	Type	Suburb	Places	Notes
Alexandria Park Community School	Opportunity class	Alexandria	30	None
Artarmon Public School	Opportunity class	Artarmon	30	None
Ashfield Public School	Opportunity class	Ashfield	30	None
Balgowlah Heights Public School	Opportunity class	Balgowlah	15	None
Balmain Public School	Opportunity class	Balmain	30	None
Beecroft Public School	Opportunity class	Beecroft	30	None
Blacktown South Public School	Opportunity class	Blacktown	15	None
Blacktown West Public School	Opportunity class	Blacktown	15	None
Blaxcell Street Public School	Opportunity class	Granville	15	None
Bradbury Public School	Opportunity class	Bradbury	15	None
Brookvale Public School	Opportunity class	Brookvale	15	None
Camden South Public School	Opportunity class	Camden	15	None
Caringbah North Public School	Opportunity class	Caringbah	15	None
Casula Public School	Opportunity class	Casula	15	None
Chatswood Public School	Opportunity class	Chatswood	30	None
Colyton Public School	Opportunity class	Mount Druitt	15	None
Doonside Public School	Opportunity class	Doonside	15	None
Dural Public School	Opportunity class	Dural	30	None
Earlwood Public School	Opportunity class	Earlwood	30	None
Ermington Public School	Opportunity class	West Ryde	30	None
Georges Hall Public School	Opportunity class	Georges Hall	15	None
Greenacre Public School	Opportunity class	Greenacre	15	None
Greystanes Public School	Opportunity class	Greystanes	30	None
Guildford West Public School	Opportunity class	Guildford West	15	None
Harrington Street Public School	Opportunity class	Cabramatta	15	None
Holsworthy Public School	Opportunity class	Holsworthy	15	None
Hurstville Public School	Opportunity class	Hurstville	60	None
Ironbark Ridge Public School	Opportunity class	Rouse Hill	15	None
Jewells Primary School	Opportunity class	Jewells	15	None
Kingswood Public School	Opportunity class	Kingswood	15	None
Lindfield East Public School	Opportunity class	East Lindfield	15	None
Maroubra Junction Public School	Opportunity class	Maroubra	15	None
Matthew Pearce Public School	Opportunity class	Baulkham Hills	30	None
Miranda Public School	Opportunity class	Miranda	15	None
Mona Vale Public School	Opportunity class	Mona Vale	30	None
Neutral Bay Public School	Opportunity class	Neutral Bay	30	None
Newbridge Heights Public School	Opportunity class	Chipping Norton	15	None
North Rocks Public School	Opportunity class	North Rocks	30	None
Penrith Public School	Opportunity class	Penrith	15	None
Picnic Point Public School	Opportunity class	Picnic Point	15	None
Quakers Hill Public School	Opportunity class	Quakers Hill	30	None
Richmond Public School	Opportunity class	Richmond	30	None
Ryde Public School	Opportunity class	Ryde	30	None
Smithfield Public School	Opportunity class	Smithfield	15	None
St Andrews Public School	Opportunity class	St Andrews	15	None
St Clair Public School	Opportunity class	St Clair	15	None
St Johns Park Public School	Opportunity class	St Johns Park	15	None
Summer Hill Public School	Opportunity class	Summer Hill	30	None
Sutherland Public School	Opportunity class	Sutherland	30	None
Toongabbie Public School	Opportunity class	Toongabbie	15	None
Wahroonga Public School	Opportunity class	Wahroonga	15	None
Waitara Public School	Opportunity class	Wahroonga	30	None
Wilkins Public School	Opportunity class	Marrickville	30	None
Wollongong Public School	Opportunity class	Wollongong	30	None
Woollahra Public School	Opportunity class	Woollahra	30	None
Wyong Public School	Opportunity class	Wyong	30	None
Alstonville Public School	Opportunity class	Alstonville	15	None
Armidale City Public School	Opportunity class	Armidale	15	None
Bathurst West Public School	Opportunity class	Bathurst	15	None
Biraban Public School	Opportunity class	Toronto	15	None
Blaxland East Public School	Opportunity class	Blaxland East	30	Blaxland East and Glenbrook admit new students in alternate years. The Department lists 30 places for 2027 entry.
Cessnock West Public School	Opportunity class	Cessnock	15	None
Coonabarabran Public School	Opportunity class	Coonabarabran	15	None
Cudgegong Valley Public School	Opportunity class	Mudgee	15	None
Dubbo West Public School	Opportunity class	Dubbo	15	None
Glenbrook Public School	Opportunity class	Glenbrook	Not published	Glenbrook and Blaxland East admit new students in alternate years. No places for 2027 entry.
Goonellabah Public School	Opportunity class	Goonellabah	15	None
Gosford Public School	Opportunity class	West Gosford	30	None
Goulburn West Public School	Opportunity class	Goulburn	15	None
Illaroo Road Public School	Opportunity class	Nowra	15	None
Leumeah Public School	Opportunity class	Leumeah	15	None
Lithgow Public School	Opportunity class	Lithgow	15	None
Maryland Public School	Opportunity class	Maryland, Newcastle	15	None
Moree Public School	Opportunity class	Moree	15	None
Moss Vale Public School	Opportunity class	Moss Vale	15	None
New Lambton South Public School	Opportunity class	New Lambton	15	None
Port Macquarie Public School	Opportunity class	Port Macquarie	15	None
Queanbeyan South Public School	Opportunity class	Queanbeyan	15	None
Rutherford Public School	Opportunity class	Rutherford	15	None
Soldiers Point Public School	Opportunity class	Soldiers Point	15	None
South Grafton Public School	Opportunity class	South Grafton	15	None
Sturt Public School	Opportunity class	Wagga Wagga	15	None
Tahmoor Public School	Opportunity class	Tahmoor	15	None
Tamworth Public School	Opportunity class	Tamworth	15	None
Tamworth South Public School	Opportunity class	Tamworth	15	None
Tighes Hill Public School	Opportunity class	Tighes Hill	15	None
Toormina Public School	Opportunity class	Toormina	15	None
Wentworth Falls Public School	Opportunity class	Wentworth Falls	15	None
Aurora College (online opportunity class)	Online opportunity class	Not stated	100	Online; only for students at (or enrolling in) an authorised rural or remote host school, not a public school close to or part of another opportunity class. 100 places (50 boys, 50 girls). No reserve list.

NSW Department of Education school lists for 2027 entry, checked 7 October 2026. © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2023, CC BY 4.0. Reformatted by ExamExplained; not endorsed by the Department. Official source for this schools list, checked 7 October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many opportunity classes can we choose?

Families choose from 1 to 4 opportunity classes, listed in order of preference. A child is offered a place at only one school, the highest preference they qualified for, and may sit on reserve lists for any higher preferences.

Do you rank the schools?

No. We do not rank or rate schools. The list shows what the Department publishes: location, type and number of places. Which class suits a child depends on travel, family routines and the child, not on a league table.

What does the 7/7/1 rule mean?

In a 15-place class, 7 places are for boys, 7 are for girls and 1 is awarded on merit. This applies from the 2027 intake under the Department's gender parity approach. If places for one gender are not filled, they go to the other.

Why do Blaxland East and Glenbrook alternate?

The Department lists them as admitting new students in alternate years. For 2027 entry Blaxland East has 30 places and Glenbrook has none. Check the Department's page for the year you are applying in, since this can change.

What is Aurora College?

Aurora College is the Department's online school. Its opportunity class is only for students who attend, or will enrol in, an authorised rural or remote host school, and not for students at a public school close to or part of another opportunity class. The Department lists 100 places for 2027 entry (50 for boys, 50 for girls), and there is no reserve list. Check its eligibility rules on the Department's page.

What the list shows

Places per school

Alternate years

No rankings

Choosing 1 to 4, in order

Practical thinking about travel

After you have a draft list

Schools

Frequently asked questions

Sources