Harrington Street Public School OC: Class Guide

Harrington Street Public School in Cabramatta hosts an Opportunity Class (OC) — a gifted-education placement for high-potential students in Years 5 and 6 — and is one of the OC schools serving south-western Sydney. Entry is by the OC Placement Test. If Harrington Street is on your child's list, here's an honest profile and a clear explanation of how OC entry works.

School Snapshot

• Type: NSW public school (Preschool to Year 6) hosting an Opportunity Class
• OC program: Years 5–6
• Location: 13–25 Harrington Street, Cabramatta, in south-western Sydney
• Motto: "Enriching Lives Through Learning"; the school crest carries "Honour & Service"
• Community: more than 91% of students come from language backgrounds other than English
• Also on site: a preschool and a support unit for students with intellectual disabilities

What the OC Class Is Like

Harrington Street Public School describes itself as providing a comprehensive education from Preschool to Year 6 that includes both a support unit and an Opportunity Class, with an emphasis on student voice, community partnerships and high expectations — aiming for students to become confident, lifelong learners and active global citizens. The school also names Inspire, the NSW high potential and gifted education program, among its commitments, which is the framework every public school uses to extend high-potential students whether or not they sit in an OC.

An OC is a distinct academic class within the school, not a separate school — your child joins in Year 5 and continues in the OC to the end of Year 6.

One structural point worth understanding: Harrington Street is a 15-place OC school, not a 30-place one. Schools with 15 Year 5 places typically run a single OC cohort rather than a separate class at each year level, which often means a combined Years 5–6 class. If the exact class structure matters to you, ask the school directly — this is the kind of detail that varies year to year with enrolments and is not published centrally.

How OC Entry Works

The OC Placement Test — Year 4 for Year 5 entry

For 2027 entry, Harrington Street Public School offers 15 Year 5 opportunity-class places according to the NSW Department of Education. Children apply in Year 4 and sit the OC Placement Test, with places offered for Year 5 the following year. The test is computer-based and covers:

• Reading
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Thinking Skills

You nominate up to four OC schools in order of preference on the one application — one more than the selective high school test allows. Preference order never changes your chances at any single school; it only decides which offer you receive if your child qualifies for more than one.

The 2027 gender balance change applies to OC

From the 2027 intake, OC places are split equally between boys and girls. At a 15-place school that means roughly 7 places to boys and 7 to girls, with each competing within their own half and the remaining place awarded on academic merit. This does not change how your child is assessed — the OC Placement Test is identical for everyone.

Getting There

The school is on Harrington Street in Cabramatta, in south-western Sydney, within the Fairfield area and close to Cabramatta station on the T2 Inner West & Leppington and T5 Cumberland lines. As OC classes are not zoned like a local primary, families travel in from across south-western Sydney.

Harrington Street and Nearby OC Options

South-western Sydney has a cluster of OC schools within a reasonable radius, and most of them — like Harrington Street — offer 15 places rather than 30. Nearby options include Greenacre, Guildford West, St Johns Park, Smithfield and Holsworthy public schools. Because each of these is a smaller intake, families in this area often use several of their four preferences locally rather than betting everything on one school. Check places and suburbs in the full NSW OC schools directory before you lock in your order.

A note on the arithmetic: a 15-place school offers half the places of a 30-place one, which makes each individual school a narrower target. That is a reason to use all four preferences thoughtfully, not a reason to avoid smaller schools — demand varies between schools, and a smaller OC is still a full two-year gifted placement.

A Note for Families from Language Backgrounds Other Than English

More than 91% of Harrington Street's students come from a language background other than English, so a child who speaks another language at home is the norm here rather than the exception. That said, the OC Placement Test itself makes no allowance for language background — the Reading and Thinking Skills sections are demanding English comprehension tasks for every candidate. If English is a second language at home, reading volume in English is usually the highest-leverage thing to build in the year before the test. Our guide to preparing bilingual children for the OC test goes into this in detail.

What a Competitive Application Looks Like

There's no published cut-off, so aim for a strong, balanced result across all three sections of the OC test. A lopsided result — strong maths but weaker Reading or Thinking Skills — can be overtaken by a more even performer. The most reliable preparation is consistent practice with realistic, OC-style questions in the same computer-based format used on test day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Harrington Street Public School have an opportunity class?

Yes. The school hosts an Opportunity Class for high-potential and gifted students in Years 5 and 6, entered through the NSW OC Placement Test.

How many OC places does Harrington Street have?

15 Year 5 places for 2027 entry — roughly 7 boys and 7 girls under the gender balance model, with the remaining place on academic merit.

What is an Opportunity Class?

A two-year placement (Years 5 and 6) in a public primary school for high-potential and gifted students, entered by the OC Placement Test. Your child stays in the OC for both years.

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 OC Placement Test performance.

How many OC schools can you apply for?

Up to four, in order of preference, on the one application. Order doesn't affect your chances at any single school.

Does the OC test include writing?

No. The OC Placement Test covers Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. (Writing is part of the selective high school test, not the OC test.)

Related reading

• How to apply for OC and Selective: 2028 entry
• OC test dates 2028
• How OC placement scores are calculated
• The OC reserve list explained
• Find OC schools near you in NSW

Prepare for the OC Test with AcePath

Whichever OC schools you're aiming for, the OC 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 practice test packs, which mirror the real computer-based format used on test day.