All children who sit the Academic Selective Entrance Test will receive an emailed performance report at the end of May each year. Offers of placement come at the end of June.
- Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET)
- Reading the ASET Performance Report
- Minimum entrance scores
- Preference changes
- Requesting a results check for the ASET
The Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET) consists of 4 individual tests. Each one is designed to assess different skills, strategies and higher-order thinking in a specific context, for example:
- working scientifically
- thinking mathematically
- reading for analysis.
Test items are designed to be difficult and it is unlikely for any applicant to achieve the maximum score in any test. All test questions are trialled and evaluated to ensure they successfully identify the most suitable students.
The ASET is vastly different from, and much more complex than, school-based assessments. NAPLAN provides specific measure of skill ability and cannot be compared to ASET results.
An example of an ASET performance report
We will send an email with your child’s ASET performance report to the email address (or addresses) listed in your child’s application.
Your child’s report will show their scores in the 4 sub-tests that make up the ASET, as well as their Total Standard Score (TSS) that is the sum of these 4 scores.
Scores shown are standardised scores that are calculated by comparing individual raw scores to the entire cohort who sat the test. Standardised scores do not represent a percentage or a percentile rank.
Placement into an Academic program is based on the TSS. For children to be considered for Academic programs only, they must score a minimum TSS of 209.5. However, due to high competition for specific schools or programs, the actual TSS required for entry is often higher.
Your child’s TSS will determine whether they will qualify for a Languages interview for any Languages program preferences.
Consideration for Arts selection is based partly on the ASET and partly on your child’s performance in other selection tasks.
To help you understand your child’s likelihood for placement in Year 7, you can compare your child’s Total Standard Score (TSS) with the minimum entrance scores that resulted in placement in previous years. These minimum entrance scores represent the very lowest score that resulted in an offer of placement for that particular program at the end of the placement process in that particular year. They do not indicate Round 1 or 2 cut-off scores which, for most programs, will tend to be higher than the eventual minimum entrance score. Minimum entrance scores for Year 7 in 2026 will only be known at the very end of the 2025 placement process once the last vacancy is filled.
It is important to remember that as the pool of applicants changes each year, previous scores should be used as a guide only and not as a guarantee for placement.
Note:
- This table should be applied to the Year 7 intake only. Scores for older years will vary as they depend on a much smaller amount of available vacancies.
- Schools listed in the table as 'ALT' (alternate) for a particular year were approved for a variance in the traditional 209.5 benchmark due to low student numbers. For more information, refer to the Applicant guidelines.
| Program | 2016 score | 2017 score | 2018 score | 2019 score | 2020 score | 2021 score | 2022 score | 2023 score | 2024 score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Senior High School | - | - | - | - | - | 209.50 | ALT | ALT | ALT |
| Alkimos College | - | - | - | - | - | 209.50 | ALT | ALT | ALT |
| Bunbury Senior High School | 210.62 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | ALT | 209.5 |
| Bob Hawke College | - | - | New in 2020 | 229.55 | 231.61 | 234.65 | 236.41 | 234.76 | 234.59 |
| Carine Senior High School | - | - | New in 2020 | 218.34 | 221.26 | 221.42 | 221.93 | 223.83 | 221.23 |
| Comet Bay College | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | ALT | ALT | 209.5 |
| Duncraig Senior High School | 216.98 | 222.30 | 229.47 | 219.73 | 217.73 | 220.76 | 216.12 | 215.19 | 216.2 |
| Ellenbrook Secondary College | - | - | - | - | 209.50 | 209.50 | ALT | ALT | ALT |
| Fremantle College | New in 2017 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | ALT | ALT | 210.26 |
| Governor Stirling Senior High School | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | ALT | ALT | 209.5 |
| Harrisdale Senior High School | - | - | - | New in 2021 | 220.26 | 222.17 | 227.05 | 226.15 | 227.64 |
| Kelmscott Senior High School | 210.43 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | ALT | 209.5 |
| Melville Senior High School | 213.64 | 217.73 | 218.25 | 219.88 | 216.00 | 217.68 | 220.11 | 223.67 | 225.6 |
| Perth Modern School | 233.86 | 237.00 | 237.78 | 240.13 | 240.06 | 242.61 | 245.56 | 242.52 | 247.2 |
| Shenton College | 226.66 | 229.28 | 230.42 | 230.43 | 228.22 | 232.69 | 231.72 | 231.39 | 234.94 |
| Willetton Senior High School | 226.15 | 228.25 | 229.27 | 228.88 | 227.78 | 231.91 | 235.76 | 234.58 | 235.98 |
| Selective Academic Program Online (country students only) | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.5 |
The following minimum TSS was required to qualify for a languages program interview. These applicants' TSS was combined with the interview score to rank the applicant for placement.
| Program | 2016 score | 2017 score | 2018 score | 2019 score | 2020 score | 2021 score | 2022 score | 2023 score | 2024 score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Lawley Senior High School | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.50 | 209.5 |
| Rossmoyne Senior High School | 220.00 | 220.00 | 220.00 | 225.00 | 225.00 | 227.0 | 227.50 | 227.50 | 230.00 |
Once you have received your child’s ASET performance report, you will have approximately 7 days to change your child's preferences before the first round of offers. The specific deadline will be noted in your child’s Performance report email. Options include:
- changing the order of your child's preferences
- reducing the amount of preferences
- removing one or more preferences and exchanging with another (limitations apply as below).
Preference change limitations
- Arts preference additions can be made providing the child has undertaken the necessary testing. For example, you will not be able to add the Drama program if the child has not gone through the Drama testing process.
- Languages preference additions are bound by strict deadlines as they require the scheduling of an interview before any round of offer. For more information, refer to the key dates.
Make preference change requests in writing to gtsu@education.wa.edu.au.
Results check requests
You have approximately 7 days if you want to lodge a request for a check of one or more of your child’s ASET scores. We will note the deadline and a link to the form you will need to complete in your child’s Performance Report email.
You should consider the following before you decide to submit a results checks request. Each child’s ASET scores have already passed through multiple manual reliability checks as part of the process of marking and reporting. Errors are very rare. Scores which are lower than anticipated are more likely because of the complexity of the ASET, which is designed to challenge students at the highest levels.
What is a results check?
The results check process is one of verification in which:
- a student’s data is hand-checked to ensure it is matched correctly to their test
- multiple choice answer grids are manually checked to ensure there were no scanning errors in the marking process
-
'Communicating Ideas in Writing' scores are reviewed by the chief marking supervisor.
Results check outcomes will not be known until after the first round of offers and in the unlikely event an error is discovered, this may result in a child’s score being raised or lowered. Where a child’s score is lowered, an existing offer may be withdrawn. Where a child’s score is raised, and the rise in score makes a child eligible for an offer they were previously deemed ineligible for in Round 1, this will be honoured in Round 2.
You can't use the results check to request an investigation into a potential misalignment or ask for a review based on illness or other incident or misadventure. Such requests are managed as part of the Illness, incident and misadventure review requests, which must be submitted within 7 days of any child’s original testing date. To find out more about this process, refer to our information on testing.
Submit your results check requests by the deadline we provide in our email to you. To submit a request, complete the ASET results check request form.
Results checks are free of charge. After a results check is submitted, you can not cancel it or request that it be disregarded in favour of previously reported scores. Any changes in score will automatically replace originally reported scores
Offers of placement
After your child receives their ASET performance report, they may receive an 'offer of placement'. You must respond to the offer of placement to secure their place in a Gifted and Talented program.
How the offers process works – Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance programs
- Round 1 offers
- Round 2 offers
- Responding to offers
- Unsuccessful notifications
- Reserve lists
- Change in circumstances
The first round of offers for all programs will be emailed to successful applicants in late June 2025.
You will have the following options to respond to your child's offer.
Accept
Choosing 'Accept' in Round 1 means no other offers of placement will be made for Gifted and Talented Programs for 2026. Applicants who accept are bound to abide by the enrolment deadline that will be communicated to them by the school. Applicants who do not enrol by the deadline will be viewed as a 'Withdraw' and the place will automatically be offered to the next ranking applicant.
Overseas and interstate applicants
Families living outside of WA who accept their child’s offer of placement will be contacted by the Gifted and Talented Selection Unit (GTSU) regarding the residency criteria for students new or returning to WA. Eligibility will need to be confirmed prior to students commencing enrolment at the school.
Decline
Choosing 'Decline' means the applicant is no longer interested in the offered placement, and the preference will be removed from their application.
Applicants who decline an offer of placement that is not their first preference will automatically be considered for their higher preferences in Round 2.
Applicants who decline a first preference offer, with no indication they wish to change their preference order, will not be considered for any further offers of placement for 2026.
Withdraw
Choosing 'Withdraw' means the applicant is no longer interested in any of their preferences, and will not be considered for any future offers of placement for 2026.
Hold
Applicants can only use the 'Hold' option in Round 1 if they have been offered a place that is not their first preference. Choosing to hold means the Round 1 offer will remain valid in Round 2.
An applicant who has put their Round 1 offer on hold will be automatically considered for a higher preference offer in Round 2. If they are successful for a higher preference offer, their original Round 1 offer will be automatically passed to the next eligible candidate. If they are unsuccessful for a higher preference offer, their original Round 1 offer will be reissued.
We will send out confirmation of placement emails on a date to be advised.
The second round of offers for all programs will be emailed to successful applicants in late July 2025. Round 2 will offer all the places that were not filled in Round 1, as well as any offers that are the result of an increase in score following the remark appeal process.
There is no option to 'Hold' a place in Round 2.
Parents and carers will have the following options to respond to their Round 2 offer of placement.
Accept - No Reserve List
Choosing this option means no other offers of placement will be made, regardless of preference order.
Applicants who accept an offer of placement are bound to abide by the strict enrolment deadline that will be communicated to them by the school. Applicants who do not enrol by the deadline will be viewed as a 'Withdrawal', and the place will automatically be offered to the next ranking applicant.
Accept - Yes Reserve List
This option is for applicants who wish to accept an offer which is not their first preference, but would like to remain on a reserve list for potential future vacancies until the end of the year.
Applicants who take up this option are still bound by the enrolment timeline that will be communicated to them by the school, and will lose their place – in addition to their position on any reserve lists - if they fail to enrol by the deadline.
Decline
As with Round 1, choosing 'Decline' means the applicant is no longer interested in that particular offer of placement, and the preference will be removed from their application.
Applicants who decline an offer of placement that is not their first preference will automatically be considered for reserve lists for their higher preferences.
Applicants who decline a first preference offer with no indication they wish to change their preference order will not be placed on any reserve lists.
Withdraw
As with Round 1, choosing 'Withdraw' means the applicant is no longer interested in any of their preferences. They will not be placed on any reserve lists, nor considered for any future offers of placement for 2026.
Note:
Confirmation of placement emails will be sent out within 10 working days.
Offers of placement come from the Gifted and Talented Selection Unit (GTSU), not individual schools. Responses to all offers must be made in writing to GTSU, not the relevant school.
Parents and carers who do not respond to their offer of placement in writing to GTSU by the deadline stated in their offer email will be assumed to have withdrawn from the process, and their offer will be issued to the next eligible applicant.
Applicants who do not qualify for an offer of placement in either Rounds 1 or 2 will be notified by email by the end of August.
Reserve lists for all programs will remain active until 1 December in any given year. Any places that become available between the end of Round 2 and this date will be offered to applicants next ranked on the reserve list.
We will make reserve list offers by email. Parents and carers will typically have up to 48 hours to accept or decline the placement. No response to an offer will be considered a ‘withdraw’ and we will extend the offer of placement to the next candidate on the list.
Applicants who did not receive an offer of placement in Rounds 1 or 2 will be automatically placed on a reserve list if both:
- the program is included in their preferences
- they have attained the minimum requirement for consideration for the particular program.
Any places that remain unfilled at the close of the reserve list or become available after the close of the reserve list will be put into the pool of vacancies for the next intake year.
Note: The next entry point after Year 7 is Year 9, followed by Years 10 and 11. Applicants who are unsuccessful for their desired program are free to apply in subsequent intake years.
If your child is no longer able to take up the placement they have previously accepted, you must immediately notify both:
- the Gifted and Talented Selection Unit (GTSU)
- the relevant school.
This allows us to offer the placement to the next ranked applicant as soon as possible.
Accepting a placement that your child does not intend to fill will not improve their standing on any reserve lists for higher preference schools. This only limits the ability of another child to take up the opportunity in the time available. The window for reserve list offers closes on 1 December.