Fort Street High School: Selective Entry Guide

Fort Street High School is a fully selective, co-educational public school in Petersham, and one of the oldest and most prestigious government schools in Australia. Established in 1849, "Fort Street" carries a long academic tradition and draws high-achieving students from right across Sydney. If it's on your child's preference list, here's an honest profile and a clear explanation of how entry works.

School Snapshot

• Type: Fully academically selective public high school, co-educational
• Years: 7–12
• Location: Parramatta Road, Petersham, in Sydney's Inner West
• Enrolment: roughly 920 students
• Established: 1849 — described as the oldest government school in Australia
• Motto: Faber est suae quisque fortunae — "Every person is the architect of their own fortune"

What the School Is Like

Fort Street describes itself as a long-standing "beacon of academic excellence, innovation and social conscience," serving high-achieving students from more than 100 Sydney suburbs, with around 40 languages spoken across the community. It began in 1849 as the Fort Street Model School at Observatory Hill and moved to the Petersham campus in 1916; the separate boys' and girls' schools merged into today's co-educational school in the 1970s. That history sits alongside a strongly academic, socially engaged culture and a broad co-curricular program.

Academic Reputation

Fort Street is consistently regarded as one of the top-performing selective schools in NSW and a strong HSC school. As with every selective school, it's worth being precise: the NSW Department of Education does not publish official rankings or entry cut-off scores, so any specific "state rank" comes from third-party HSC tables, not an official source. The honest summary is that it is a highly regarded academic school with a long record of strong results.

How Entry Works

Year 7 — the main entry point

Fort Street High School offers 150 Year 7 places for 2027 entry, according to the NSW Department of Education (75 boys / 75 girls).

Most students join in Year 7 through the NSW Selective High School Placement Test, sat in Year 6. The test is computer-based and covers Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing.

You nominate up to three selective schools in order of preference on the one application. Your preference order doesn't change your odds at any single school — it only decides which offer you receive if your child qualifies for more than one.

A co-ed school — the 2027 gender balance change applies here

Because Fort Street is co-educational, it's affected by the NSW gender parity model that applies from the 2027 intake. At co-ed selective schools, places are split equally between boys and girls, with boys competing against boys and girls against girls for their halves of the places (any odd place, and any places one gender doesn't fill, go on academic merit). This does not change how your child is assessed — the placement test is identical for everyone.

Later-year entry

A limited number of places open in Years 8–11 when vacancies arise, through a separate process (Year 11 entry is competitive, using the ACER HAST test plus application merit). Year 7 remains by far the main entry point.

Getting There

The campus fronts Parramatta Road in Petersham, a short walk from Petersham station on the Inner West line, with multiple bus routes along Parramatta Road. As a selective school it draws students from across the metropolitan area rather than a local catchment.

What a Competitive Application Looks Like

There's no published cut-off, so aim for a strong, balanced result across all four sections of the placement test. A lopsided result can be overtaken by a more even one. The most reliable preparation is consistent practice with realistic, exam-style questions in the same computer-based format used on test day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fort Street co-ed or single-sex?

Co-educational. The historically separate boys' and girls' schools merged into a single co-ed school in the 1970s.

What score do you need to get in?

There's no officially published cut-off, and any specific number online is an unofficial estimate. Entry is decided by placement-test performance.

Does the 2027 gender balance change affect Fort Street?

Yes. As a co-ed selective school, places are split 50/50 between boys and girls from the 2027 intake. The placement test itself is unchanged.

Can you apply here and to other selective schools at the same time?

Yes. You list up to three selective schools in order of preference on one application. Order doesn't affect your chances at any single school.

Is there entry other than in Year 7?

A limited number of Years 8–11 places open when vacancies arise, via a separate process, but Year 7 is by far the main entry point.

Related reading

• Selective High School Test dates 2028
• How selective placement scores are calculated
• The selective reserve list explained
• Gender parity in NSW selective schools from 2027

Prepare for the Placement Test with AcePath

Whichever selective schools you're aiming for, the placement test decides your child's options. Start with a free AcePath sample quiz to see where they stand in Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, then build an exam-ready routine with our OC and Selective practice test packs, which mirror the real computer-based format used on test day.