NSW OC Placement — Scoring & Performance Bands Explained (2026)

1. Why results are scaled (not raw marks)

Statewide tests compare students who sat different question sets at different venues/times. To keep things fair:

• Raw marks (questions correct) are not comparable on their own.
• Statistical scaling adjusts for test form difficulty so results sit on a common scale.
• The goal is to report where a student sits relative to the cohort for that year.

Plain-English takeaway: Two students with the same raw mark can receive different scaled results if their test forms were of different difficulty.

2. How to view your child’s Performance report

1. Log in to the application dashboard.
2. Select the three dots in the Action column → View outcomes.
3. Click Student performance report to see the bands for Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills.

Based on NSW DoE instructions; exact labels can change year to year.

3. How to read the Performance report

Your child’s Performance report shows how they performed compared with all students who sat the test that year. For each component—Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills—students are placed into one of four bands:

• Top 10% of candidates
• Next 15% of candidates (top 25%)
• Next 25% of candidates (top 50%)
• Lowest 50% of candidates

Important: These bands do not show a percent correct. The report also doesn’t provide individual test scores or placement ranks.

Example: “Top 10% in Reading” means your child performed as well as, or better than, about 90% of students who sat Reading—not that they scored 90% on the questions.

4. Worked example (illustrative only)

This mirrors the format of the official report using invented allocations. It's to help parents read the report.

How to read this: use the pattern across components to understand strengths, set expectations for offers or reserve lists, and plan classroom extension. You can’t retake the OC test for this intake, but these insights help with future learning (and, if relevant, later selective high school testing).

5. Interpreting your child’s result (what it does and doesn’t mean)

• Look across components. Balance matters more than a single strong result.
• No pass/fail. In a ranked cohort, half of students will sit in the lower 50% for any component.
• Not a curriculum diagnostic. The test targets reasoning and critical thinking, so results don’t map to school grades or syllabus checklists.
• Discuss the results thoughtfully. Many candidates are high performers at school; disappointment is common when results don’t match usual grades.
• Plan next steps, not a retake. Use the pattern to guide extension at school and, if your child will later sit the Selective High School placement test, to shape future preparation. There’s no retake for this OC cycle.

6. What the report includes (and what it doesn’t)

Includes

• Your child’s band for each component, relative to the cohort that year
• A plain-language sentence for each component (“Top 10% …”, “Better than 50% …”)
• Context about the cohort for that year (where provided)

Doesn’t include

• Percent of questions correct
• Individual test scores or placement ranks
• Minimum entry scores for schools (not published)
• A curriculum breakdown of skills (it’s not a subject-based diagnostic)
• A remark option for questions (multiple-choice items are computer-marked with reliability checks)

7. What affects offers besides a score

Placement decisions account for more than a single number:

• School preferences and capacity. Families rank schools; some receive far more applications.
• Reserve lists move after initial offers.
• Official adjustments and documentation (where applicable) must be submitted on time.

Important: The department publishes official rules and timelines each year. Always confirm the latest guidance before acting.

• What will the Performance report show?

  Bands for each test component—Top 10%, Next 15%, Next 25%, Lowest 50%—relative to the cohort for that year.
• Why can’t I receive my child’s test score or rank?

  For privacy and wellbeing reasons, and because the placement tests identify suitability for OC rather than curriculum achievement. Individual scores and ranks aren’t provided.
• Does the report show percentages or pass/fail?

  No. The bands are not percent-correct and there is no pass or fail.
• Why doesn’t the department publish minimum entry scores?

  Offer levels vary by school and year depending on applications, relative performance, places available and declined offers.
• Can test questions be remarked?

  No. Multiple-choice items are computer-marked with reliability checks (and where relevant, writing is double-marked).

Sources & acknowledgements

• NSW Department of Education — Outcomes & Performance report (how to view outcomes; band definitions; FAQs): education.nsw.gov.au/.../outcomes#Performance3
• NSW Department of Education — Performance report example (OC Placement Test) [PDF]: Opportunity_Class_Placement_Test_Performance_Report_Example.pdf
• NSW Department of Education — Opportunity classes (Year 5–6): education.nsw.gov.au/.../opportunity-classes
• NSW Department of Education — Placement test (OC & SHS): education.nsw.gov.au/.../placement-test