NSW · Year 3 and 4 parents · Updated October 2026

OC cut-off scores by school: what the numbers mean

Many parents search for "the OC cut-off score" for each school. The honest answer is that the NSW Department of Education does not publish one. This page explains what it does say, how to read the performance report, and why numbers you see online are only estimates.

What the Department says about cut-offs

On its outcomes page (last updated August 2026), the Department gives these facts:

How the four bands work

Your child's performance report shows one band for each test component: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. Each of the three components is weighted equally, at 33.3%.

The bands do not show the percentage of questions answered correctly. They compare your child with the other children who sat the same test. The Department also says there are measures in place so that sitting the test on a particular day gives no advantage.

Why the level changes by school and by year

A school with many applicants and few places will need a stronger result than a school with fewer applicants. Each year the group of children is different, so the level moves too. This is why last year's "cut-off" cannot tell you what will happen this year.

Offers also depend on the order of your school choices. At the first release a family can receive an offer from only one school: the highest choice your child's performance qualifies for. A child can also be placed on a reserve list for a higher choice and may get a later offer.

Equity places

Up to 20% of places at each school are held for students from lower-income or lower-opportunity backgrounds (the Department says "low socio-educational advantage"), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, rural and remote students, and students with disability. These children are still assessed on test performance, under what the Department calls the Equity Placement Model. A selection committee also looks at special cases.

Reserve bands: when a later offer might come

If your child is on a reserve list, the application dashboard shows a reserve band. It is an estimate based on the previous year, not a promise.

Reserve offers can continue until the end of Term 1 of Year 6, whenever a family declines a place.

What about the numbers on other websites?

Tutoring sites sometimes publish "cut-off scores" or "ranking" tables. Since the Department does not release raw scores or school cut-offs, these are estimates. Treat them as a rough idea at best, and do not choose schools or plan your child's year around them.

What to do instead

• List schools in your true order of preference. The Department says there is no extra consideration for ranking a school first, so choose the order you really want.
• Aim for steady skills in all three sections. Each section counts equally, so a weak Thinking Skills result may hold back a strong Reading result.
• Practise under a timer. Thinking Skills gives about one minute per question. Start with our Thinking Skills question types and the OC test guide.
• Read your report with your child. See which section needs the most work, and decide on a calm next step. Our page on OC results and what comes next walks through it.