The Big Change: Everything is Worth 25% For a long time, if you were a maths genius but struggled with writing, you could still breeze into a selective school. That has changed. For the 2026 intake (and beyond), the NSW Department of Education has leveled the playing field. The test is now split into four equal parts, and each one counts for exactly 25% of your final score: Reading (40 mins) Mathematical Reasoning (40 mins) Thinking Skills (40 mins) Writing (30 mins)
Why This Matters This is a huge shift. Writing used to be weighted lower (around 15%), but now it's equal to Maths. This means you can't ignore your essay skills anymore. If you want a top spot, you need to be a "triple threat": good at logic, good at maths, and good at writing.
Computers Over Paper The test is now fully computer-based (using the Janison platform). This isn't just about clicking buttons; it changes how you take the test. You can't scribble working out on the question paper anymore (though you get scrap paper). You also need to be comfortable scrolling through long texts on a screen without losing your place.
What Are They Actually Testing? They aren't testing what you learned in Year 5 history. They are testing aptitude—which basically means "how well does your brain learn new things?" Thinking Skills tests how fast your brain processes logic. Mathematical Reasoning tests if you can apply maths to weird, new problems. Reading tests if you can "read between the lines".