A trial test gives you a score. On its own, a score doesn't tell you what to work on next, or whether that work is paying off.
MockStar is built around one idea: every mock exam should lead straight to the next step. Your child sits a full trial test. The report shows exactly which skills cost marks. Practice goes after those skills. Method videos teach the approach behind the questions that keep going wrong. Then the next trial test shows whether the gap has actually closed.
This page walks through that loop for both the NSW OC Placement Test (Year 4) and the Selective High School Placement Test (Year 6), and explains what you get in the 7-day free trial.
The Loop at a Glance
| Step | What your child does | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mock exam | Sits a full OC or Selective trial test on screen, timed section by section | A realistic rehearsal of the computer-based test |
| 2. Diagnosis | Nothing extra: the report is ready when they submit | A score per section, a ranking, and the specific skills that cost marks |
| 3. Practice | Works through practice sets built from their wrong answers and weak skills | Practice time spent on the gaps, not on questions they can already do |
| 4. Video explanations | Watches the method video for a question type they keep missing | The method itself, explained on real example questions |
| Back to 1 | Sits the next trial test | Evidence of whether the gap closed, and the next set of targets |
1. Mock Exam: The Real Format, On Screen
Both placement tests have been delivered on computer since 2025, so practice on paper misses half of what matters on the day: timed sections, on-screen navigation, and no margin to scribble in.
MockStar's trial tests follow the structure of each test:
- OC (Year 4): Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills. All three are multiple choice, full length and under exam timing. See the OC trial test →
- Selective (Year 6): Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing, each worth 25%. The writing task is included. See the Selective trial test →
The questions are written by our team. They are not copies of the real test. There's nothing to book and no centre to drive to: the test runs in a browser whenever it suits, and the timer starts when your child begins.
2. Diagnosis: A Report You Can Act On
Knowing your child scored 65% in Thinking Skills is far less useful than knowing which kind of Thinking Skills question is costing marks. Each MockStar report covers:
- A score for each section, so you can see the weakest subject straight away
- A ranking against the other students who sat the same paper, which gives you a sense of where your child stands
- The specific skills that cost marks. For example, spatial reasoning or conditional logic in Thinking Skills, or multi-step word problems in Mathematical Reasoning
- A written analysis for parents, in English or Chinese, that explains what the results mean and where to focus
- For Selective, a marked-up writing report. The writing task comes back with feedback shortly after submission.
Multiple-choice sections are scored the moment your child submits.
3. Practice: Aimed at the Misses
Every wrong answer feeds a targeted practice queue. Practice sets draw on your child's weak skills and are pitched at their current level, so the time goes into the questions that move the score.
A missed question is marked as fixed once your child answers it correctly. You can see the list of open mistakes shrink as the weeks go on.
4. Video Explanations: The Method Behind the Question
Some mistakes aren't careless. Your child doesn't yet have the method for that type of question. That's what the teaching videos are for.
Each video teaches one method for one type of question, worked through on example questions. Examples include "nets and folding" for cube questions, "follow the arrows" for conditional reasoning, and listing in order for counting problems. The library covers Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, with English and Chinese versions of every episode.
The videos connect back to the exam. When your child reviews a question that has a method video, a video button sits next to the solution and jumps to the part of the video that explains that method.
Some videos are free for everyone. You can browse them in the video library. The full library comes with a paid plan.
Then the Loop Closes
The next trial test is where the loop pays off. If the practice and videos worked, the skills that cost marks last time should now hold up. Whatever still costs marks becomes the next set of targets. A full mock every 2–3 weeks, with practice and videos in between, is a steady rhythm for most families.
The 7-Day Free Trial
Registering starts a 7-day free trial. No credit card is required.
During the trial you get full access to:
- Mock exams. Full timed trial tests for OC or Selective
- Detailed reports. Section scores, ranking and skill breakdown
- Smart Practice. Practice sets built from your child's results
Choose OC or Selective when you set up your child's profile. Because no card is taken, nothing is charged when the trial ends. If you want to keep going, you choose a plan. What each plan includes is on the pricing page.
Free Official Past Papers
Before or alongside the trial, it's worth looking at the official papers. NSW Education's sample tests and the 2021–2023 past papers are in our free library, with answer keys and no email required: download official OC and Selective past papers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. The trial lasts 7 days and no credit card is required, so nothing is charged when it ends.
What's the difference between a trial test and a mock exam?
They're the same thing: a full rehearsal of the placement test, with the same sections, question types and timing, sat in one go. "Trial test" is the term most NSW families use.
Are the questions from the real OC or Selective test?
No. Every question is written by our team to match the format and difficulty of the computer-based tests. The real past papers released by NSW Education are free in our past papers library.
Does MockStar cover the Selective writing task?
Yes. The Selective trial test includes the writing section. Your child's response comes back with a marked-up report.
How often should my child sit a full trial test?
One full mock every 2–3 weeks works well for most families, with targeted practice and method videos in between. Sitting test after test without acting on the results is the most common trap.