2025 Test Disruption & Reviews: What Changed for 2026

In 2025, the first day of the NSW Opportunity Class and Selective High School placement tests was seriously disrupted at three large Sydney venues, affecting about two-thirds of students who were due to sit that day. Two independent reviews followed, the government accepted their recommendations, and from 2026 the tests run at smaller, department-managed venues. If you are preparing for an upcoming test cycle, here is exactly what happened, what the reviews found, and why the new set-up is designed to be calmer and fairer.

The short version for anxious parents: an independent review of the results themselves found that no student was advantaged or disadvantaged by the disruption — the problems were about venue logistics, not the integrity of the scores.

What Went Wrong in 2025

On the first day of testing, three large Sydney centres — Randwick Racecourse, Sydney Olympic Park, and Canterbury Racecourse — suffered significant failures in event management. The problems were serious enough that testing at those centres had to be cancelled for the day, affecting roughly two-thirds of the students scheduled to sit then.

The NSW Department of Education responded by moving the remaining and rescheduled tests to smaller venues managed directly by department staff — an approach that ran smoothly and now continues going forward.

Two Independent Reviews — Not One

Because two very different questions were at stake — "how was the day run?" and "can we trust the results?" — the government commissioned two separate independent reviews.

1. The delivery review (Dr Michele Bruniges AM)

Respected education academic Dr Michele Bruniges AM led a review of how the testing was delivered. She made a series of recommendations — all accepted by the NSW Government — to prevent a repeat. The most concrete changes are about venue size and control:

• Smaller, local school venues instead of large commercial centres
• A maximum of 300 students at a large school venue, and 180 students at a smaller one
• Only one placement test session per day at each venue
• Logistics overseen directly by the NSW Department of Education, with stronger communication, governance, and quality-assurance processes

2. The fairness and integrity review

A separate independent review examined whether the disruption — and the fact that some students had to re-sit — compromised the fairness of the results. Its findings are reassuring: students who sat the test a second time did not receive an advantage, there was minimal difference between scores on the first and second sittings, and the different test versions were of equal difficulty. In other words, the placement scores that came out of 2025 were sound.

What's Changed for 2026 and Beyond

The practical upshot for families preparing now:

• Tests are held at smaller, local school venues, not large racecourses or stadiums
• Crowds are capped — no more than 300 students at a large venue, 180 at a smaller one
• One session per day per venue, reducing congestion and handover chaos
• The Department of Education runs the logistics itself, rather than outsourcing event management

For most children, this means a quieter, more familiar, school-like environment on test day — closer to the conditions they have practised in than a vast unfamiliar hall.

What This Means for Your Child

Two things are worth holding onto.

First, the scoring you are preparing for is trustworthy. The 2025 problems were logistical, and the fairness review confirmed the results held up. The way places are decided has not changed — it is still a ranked placement score, which we explain in how Selective placement scores are calculated.

Second, the one thing entirely within your control is preparation. Venue arrangements are the Department's job now; your child's job is to walk in ready. A calm, well-drilled student handles an unfamiliar room far better than an anxious, under-prepared one — regardless of where the test is held.

It also helps to know the rest of the current landscape: the new 50/50 gender balance from the 2027 intake, the typed Selective Writing task, and simply managing the wait for results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Were the 2025 results fair despite the disruption?

Yes. An independent fairness and integrity review found no student was advantaged or disadvantaged: re-sit students gained no advantage, first- and second-sitting scores barely differed, and all test versions were of equal difficulty.

What actually went wrong in 2025?

Event-management failures at three large Sydney venues — Randwick Racecourse, Sydney Olympic Park, and Canterbury Racecourse — on the first day of testing, which forced cancellations affecting about two-thirds of that day's students.

Where will the test be held now?

At smaller, local school venues run by the Department of Education, capped at 300 students (large venues) or 180 (smaller venues), with one session per day.

Who reviewed the tests?

Two independent reviews were commissioned: a delivery review led by Dr Michele Bruniges AM, and a separate review of fairness and integrity. The NSW Government accepted the recommendations.

Does any of this change how my child should prepare?

No. The test format and the way scores decide placements are unchanged. The best preparation is the same as ever: consistent, realistic, exam-style practice.

Where to Confirm the Official Details

For anything date- or logistics-sensitive, rely on official sources, not third-party summaries (including this one):

• The NSW Department of Education selective high schools and opportunity classes pages at education.nsw.gov.au, including its published reviews and reports
• Official communications sent to you after you apply, which confirm your child's specific venue and session

Control What You Can — The Preparation

The venue is now the Department's responsibility; your child's readiness is yours. Start with a free AcePath sample quiz to see where they stand across Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, and Thinking Skills, then build an exam-ready routine with our OC and Selective practice packs, which mirror the real computer-based format so test day feels familiar — wherever it is held.