Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a fully selective, co-educational government high school in Petersham, in Sydney's Inner West. Established in 1849, it is the oldest government high school in Australia; its boys' and girls' campuses were amalgamated onto the current Petersham site in the mid-1970s. Entry to Year 7 is by the NSW Selective High School Placement Test sat in Year 6.
Key facts
| Location | Petersham, Inner West Sydney |
|---|---|
| Type | Fully Selective |
| Gender | Co-ed |
| Places (approx.) | 160 |
| Applicants (approx.) | 800 – 1,000 |
| Acceptance rate | 15.0% - 20.0% |
Entry score history
Official minimum entry scores are not published for recent years. Historical figures use earlier scoring scales and are not directly comparable to current scores. Estimates are indicative only and labelled as such. Always confirm details with the school and the relevant Department of Education.
| Entry year | Minimum score | Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 216 | Official — NSW DoE selective high schools minimum entry scores dataset (data.cese.nsw.gov.au), as reproduced by Global Education Academy | pre-2022 (out of 300). Final year before the test format changed to the current 120-point scale (2022 entry onwards); NSW DoE has not published per-school minimum entry scores since. |
| 2020 | 216 | Official — NSW DoE selective high schools minimum entry scores dataset (data.cese.nsw.gov.au), as reproduced by Global Education Academy | pre-2022 (out of 300). Minimum score accepted (last-placed student), on the pre-2022 calculated placement scale out of 300. |
Education departments no longer publish exact cutoff scores for recent years, so the only reliable strategy is maximising performance across every test section rather than chasing a target number.
Is your child on track for Fort Street High School?
Try the free Selective Readiness Check — enter your child's recent practice scores and get an indicative verdict on whether they're on track for Fort Street High School by test day, plus what to work on. No signup required.
The test you'll sit
Entry to Fort Street High School is decided by the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
Read the full NSW Selective School Test guide →How to prepare
- Free sample lessons — guided tutorials covering the reading, mathematical reasoning, thinking skills and writing sections of the NSW Selective High School Placement Test.
- Practice books — downloadable PDF practice papers and drills.
- A personalised iClass study plan tracks mastery against Fort Street High School and tells you whether your child is on track to be ready by test day.
Common questions
NSW DoE has not published official per-school minimum entry scores since the test format changed in 2022; current results are reported only as performance bands (not raw scores or cut-offs), and the score needed varies every year with the applicant pool. The last officially published minimum entry scores for Fort Street High School, on the old 300-point scale, were 216 for 2020 entry and 216 for 2021 entry — these are historical figures on a scale NSW DoE no longer uses, so they cannot be read as today's cut-off.
Fort Street High School offers approximately 160 Year 7 selective places each year, against roughly 800 – 1,000 applicants. Exact numbers can vary slightly year to year.
Entry to Year 7 at Fort Street High School is through the NSW Selective High School Placement Test, sat in Year 6. The test has four equally weighted components: Reading, Mathematical Reasoning, Thinking Skills and Writing.
Fort Street High School is located in Petersham, in Inner West Sydney.
Aiming for Fort Street High School?
iClass builds a goal-driven study plan around your child's target school, tracks every practice session, and forecasts whether they will be ready by test day.
Sources
- NSW DoE - Selective high schools: outcomes (current reporting; no published cut-offs)
- 2020 NSW selective high school minimum entry scores (Global Education Academy, citing NSW DoE)
- 2021 NSW selective high school minimum entry scores (Global Education Academy, citing NSW DoE)
- NSW fully selective schools: 2020 and 2021 minimum entry scores (cross-check, citing data.cese.nsw.gov.au)
- Fort Street High School — Wikipedia
Data last verified 2026-07-07.