North Sydney Boys High School: Selective Entry Guide

North Sydney Boys High School is a fully selective public school for boys on Sydney's lower North Shore, and one of the most sought-after selective schools in the state. In recent years it has been reported at the very top of media HSC results tables, which has only sharpened the competition for its Year 7 places. If it's on your child's list of preferences, here's a clear picture of the school and how entry actually works.

School Snapshot

• Type: Fully academically selective public high school, boys only
• Years: 7–12
• Location: Falcon Street, Crows Nest (despite the name, the campus is in the Crows Nest / St Leonards area)
• Enrolment: roughly 930 students
• Established: 1912
• Sister school: North Sydney Girls High School

What the School Is Like

In its own words, North Sydney Boys offers "a diverse curriculum and co-curricular program that allow each boy to explore and develop his interests and strengths within a supportive and inclusive environment," with academic support for gifted students alongside sport, music, drama, visual arts and outdoor education. Students are known as "Falconians," and the school has a long-standing alumni network and a strong, academically driven culture. It also runs a support unit for students with autism, enrolled through a separate departmental process.

Its student body is notably diverse, with a very high proportion of students from a language background other than English — a reflection of how families across Sydney compete for its places rather than a local catchment.

Academic Reputation

North Sydney Boys is consistently among the very top academic performers in NSW, and several media compilations of HSC results have placed it first in the state in recent years. As with every selective school, it's worth being precise: the NSW Department of Education does not publish official rankings or league tables, and the "number one" claims come from media tallies of results, not an official source. The honest summary is that it is a leading HSC school and one of the hardest selective schools in NSW to get into.

How Entry Works

Year 7 — the main entry point

North Sydney Boys High School offers 150 Year 7 places for 2027 entry, according to the NSW Department of Education.

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. Applications open in the second half of Year 5 and close early in Year 6, with the test held in May.

You nominate up to three selective schools in order of preference on the one application. 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 single-sex school — the 2027 gender rule doesn't change entry here

North Sydney Boys is a boys-only school, so the NSW gender parity model that splits places 50/50 at co-educational selective schools from 2027 does not change how places are allocated here. Entry remains purely a matter of placement-test performance among boys applying.

Later-year entry

The school also runs its own entry pathway for Years 8–11 when vacancies arise. This is separate from the Year 7 process: candidates register and sit an entrance exam (verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematics and written expression), with shortlisted students completing an application and possible interview. These places are limited and depend on vacancies.

Getting There

The Crows Nest campus is an easy walk from St Leonards station on the North Shore line, with North Sydney station and the Crows Nest metro station also within reach, plus several bus routes nearby. Because it's selective, boys travel in from across the metropolitan area.

What a Competitive Application Looks Like

With no published cut-off, the only sensible goal is a strong, balanced result across all four sections of the placement test. Strength in maths alone won't carry a shaky Reading or Thinking Skills result at a school this competitive. The most effective preparation is steady practice with realistic, exam-style questions in the same computer-based format used on test day, so timing and question style feel routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is North Sydney Boys really in North Sydney?

The campus is on Falcon Street in Crows Nest, in the broader lower North Shore area, despite the school's name.

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, and demand for North Sydney Boys is very high.

Does the 2027 gender balance change affect North Sydney Boys?

No. The 50/50 split applies to co-educational selective schools. As a single-sex boys' school, North Sydney Boys allocates places purely on placement-test performance.

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?

Yes, the school runs a separate Years 8–11 entry process for vacancies, 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.