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Selective coaching in Hornsby: 9 tutoring centres compared
9 tutoring providers run a named NSW Selective Test program at a centre in Hornsby — every one below with published prices where they exist, checked against the provider's own site.
Hornsby is the upper North Shore's selective-prep hub, with nine providers running a named program in the suburb — chains and locals both, most within a short walk of the station and Westfield.
Hornsby has an unusual advantage: a fully selective school, Hornsby Girls High, sits in the suburb itself, with Normanhurst Boys High a stop up the line. That proximity keeps local demand high, and the centres below reflect it.
Before you compare
Sit a free paper →Whichever Hornsby centre you choose, your child still needs hours on the real on-screen test — the timer, the flag button, the question grid. Our full-length papers mirror it exactly, and the first in each subject is free, no card.
Selective coaching & tutoring centres in Hornsby
| Provider | Selective program | Published pricing | Free trial / assessment | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS Educationfull profile → | Computer-based Selective Trial Test Course (Years 5/7) | Norwest Year 5: $73/test, $730 per 10-week term; full 41-test course ~$2,993 (per-campus) | None found — paid trial-test course | Suite 206, 16 Hunter St, Hornsby NSW 2077 |
| Dymocks Tutoringfull profile → | OC + Selective streams: Thinking Skills, English, Maths (Grades 5–6) | Thinking Skills from $360/term; English & Maths from $495/term (10 lessons/term) | Free first session | Hornsby |
| James An Collegefull profile → | Selective Reading & Maths Reasoning, Thinking Skills, Writing Skills; NST mock | Not published (sales-gated) | Free assessment test at enrolment | Suite 1, 17-19 Florence Street, Hornsby NSW 2077 |
| North Shore Coaching Collegefull profile → | Year 5 & 6 selective/scholarship: Fastrain Extended, High Achiever, SS Exam Prep (mock) | Chatswood Term 3 2026 (10 wk): Fastrain $920/term, High Achiever $920/term, SS Exam Prep $880/term | Free Assessment (sitewide) | Suite 1.09 / 10 Edgeworth David Avenue, Hornsby NSW 2077 |
| Pre-Uni New Collegefull profile → | Selective Trial Test Course (Years 5/6), online variant; ASAT mock | Core STTC price not published (Intensive-tier STTC is: $160/week); ASAT mock $100 ($90 enrolled) | Free Assessment Test unconfirmed; paid ASAT mock $100 | Suite 106, 2 Burdett Street, Hornsby NSW 2077 |
| Au Academy Tutoring CentreSome details unconfirmed | "Selective Test Preparation Class/Coaching" for current Year 4, 5 and 6 students — weekly classes covering Mathematical Reasoning, Reading, Thinking Skills and Writing … | $70 per week (per search-indexed snippet of the provider's own selective-test-preparation page; billing period beyond "per week" not stated) | Free initial assessment for all new students, described as gauging course suitability and analysing strengths/weaknesses… | Level 1/8-10 Florence Street, Hornsby NSW |
| Edu-Kingdom College | A 50-week "Selective Trial Test" course (part of Edu-Kingdom College's Primary School exam-preparation range) for students preparing for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test: weekly… | Not published | Free Student Assessment: a short sample test covering English, Maths and Thinking Skills (T.A.) at Levels 2-6 … | Level 2, 45 Hunter St, Hornsby NSW 2077 |
| Mathnasium — Selective School Test Prep | One-on-one, face-to-face (in-centre or online) maths test-prep tutoring, built on the Mathnasium Method™ … | Not published | "Schedule a Free Assessment" — a free initial one-on-one maths assessment (verbal + written) used to build a personalise… | Shop 10, 25-31 Florence Street, Hornsby, NSW 2077 |
| Xseed (Xseed HSC / Xseed Tutoring) | Primary-level tutoring track offering Opportunity Class (OC) and Selective School entrance-exam preparation alongside general Maths/English foundations … | Primary tier $600/term (includes weekly classes, unlimited resources, feedback and marking, daily help, study-space access) … | Free consultation, described as tutors assessing learning needs and designing a personalised plan (no fixed "trial lesso… | Not published (site states only "Hornsby, NSW") |
Prefer to prepare at home? Online options
These providers run selective preparation without a fixed centre — online classes, self-paced programs, or tutors who come to you — so they're worth comparing against a weekly commute to a Hornsby classroom.
| Provider | Selective program | Published pricing | Free trial / assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrainTree Coaching | Self-paced Selective Test Preparation Packs (Super / Ultimate / Premium) + Writing Packs | One-off packs: $99–$399 | Free practice paper, no card |
| Scholarly | WEMT + Trial Test programs, Years 2–6 (Year 5 Selective, Year 6 Final Sprint) | Year 5 Selective $1,088 / 10-week term; Year 6 Final Sprint $909 | Free 30-min diagnostic test |
| Alchemy Tuition — Selective School Tutoring | One-on-one "Selective School Tutoring" for students from Year 3 through Year 10, preparing for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test (aimed at Year 6 students sitting for Year 7 entry… | $59 per hour (online lessons); $89 per hour (in-home lessons). Pay-as-you-go, no contract — card charged 24 hours after each lesson. | "First lesson covered by our 100% happiness guarantee – if you aren't happy after the first lesson it's on us" (effectiv… |
| Burwood TutoringSome details unconfirmed | Lists "Selective & OC exam preparation" as a core service within its Years 1-9 (some sections say 1-12) maths and English tutoring, delivered 1-on-1 or in small groups, online or in-centre … | Not published | Free assessment and trial lesson, claimed by direct-messaging promo code "Tutor 2026" … |
| Cluey Learning | Cluey Learning offers "Selective School Tutoring" — 1-to-1, live online tutoring in English and Mathematics (plus small-group options) aimed at Years 6–10 students preparing to sit the NSW S… | Not published — the pricing page states cost "depends on what the student needs and the individualised learning program that we design," with pay-as-you-go or session-pac… | A "Book a Trial Session" call-to-action is offered site-wide and the pricing FAQ says "you can start by committing only… |
| Erudite Tuition | One-on-one online or in-home tutoring for NSW Year 5 students preparing for the Selective High School Placement Test, covering reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning … | From $59/hour for online tutoring or $74/hour for in-home tutoring, pay-as-you-go with no long-term lock-in ("no lock-in or hidden fees... continue lesson by lesson"). | Not a free trial as such: a "satisfaction guarantee" on the first lesson. |
| Excel Academics | Online (and in-person) personalised 1:1 tutoring sold as "OC exam preparation (for NSW & Sydney students)" … | Online Lessons: "Prepaid 10-Hour Package at $750" or "Pay As You Go $80 per hour, billed after lesson". | "Free no-obligation 30-min trial" (also promoted as "Book a FREE Consultation, Expected response time: within 24hrs"). |
| Learnikx Education | "Selective Test Preparation Course" for the NSW Selective Test (Year 7 entry), run as small-group classes for Year 5 ("Selective Prep") and Year 6 ("16-Week Non-Stop Revision") … | Year 5: $121 per class (incl. GST) / $1,210 per term (10 classes, incl. GST). Year 6: $143 per class (incl. | None found. No free trial or free assessment offer is advertised. |
| NextStepAcademy | "Selective School Tutoring" is a one-on-one (no group sessions) tutoring programme for Year 4–6 students preparing for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test, covering Reading … | $65 per hour lesson (online); $85 per hour lesson (in-home); pay-as-you-go, charged per lesson (24 hours after each session), no upfront payment or contract | "First Lesson Guarantee" — the first lesson is risk-free; if the matched tutor isn't the right fit … |
| NL English Academy | Small-group online English tutoring (max 6 students/class) for Years 3–12, run as 10-week Term Programs and intensive Holiday Programs explicitly branded "OC … | Not published | None found — the site has an FAQ item titled "Why is there no free trial?" … |
| Olympus Learning | A dedicated "Selective School Tutoring" service preparing students for the NSW Selective High School Placement Test (reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning … | Not published | No free trial lesson or selective-specific assessment. Site-wide … |
| Primo Tutoring | A distinctly-priced "Test Prep" service line (separate tier from general Maths/English/ESL tutoring) that explicitly names OC and Selective High School Placement Test preparation alongside N… | Not published | "Free Intro Chat" — an introductory consultation (not described as a free lesson or diagnostic assessment). |
| Selective Success Academy | Small-group, live-online (Microsoft Teams) coaching for students in Years 8-11 seeking lateral entry into NSW selective high schools, preparing specifically for the EduTest, HAST … | Live Term Course: $800 (early bird) / $900 (normal) per term (2-hour weekly lessons), or $90 per individual lesson. | A "Free Trial Class" is advertised (dedicated /freetrial page titled "Trial Class | EduTest … |
| Selective Test Prep | An AI-powered online practice-test platform wholly dedicated to the NSW Selective High School Placement Test, offering mock tests across Reading, Mathematical Reasoning … | Not published | Paid "Trial" tier at $10 for 12 months giving one mock test per subject (Reading, Maths, Thinking Skills … |
| Selectivetrial | Online exam-prep platform with a named "NSW Selective High School Practice Test" course (plus a separate OC/Year 4 practice course) offering timed, computer-based mock tests across Reading … | Varies by package: NSW Selective course – Pack 1/Pack 2 $69 each (3/6/9-month access), Elite 2027 $159 (valid until exam) … | "3 Days Free Trial" — instant access, no credit card required. |
| Shoreline Tutoring | A named "Selective High School Exam" preparation offering for Year 6 entry (plus a parallel "Opportunity Classes Exam" offering for Year 4 entry) … | One-on-one: $90/hr (Years 1–6, incl. Selective High School/OC Prep), or 20-lesson bundle $1,600 total ($80/hr). | Free complimentary first/trial lesson, "no obligation," described as "Experience our approach risk-free before committin… |
| Sprouts Academy | Sprouts Academy runs dedicated Selective School / OC Test and Thinking Skills selective-test tutoring (covering the writing task plus the mathematical reasoning … | Not published | Free trial class offered ("Book Your Free Trial Class Today!" … |
| Thrive Coaching College | The "Booster Program Plus+" is an online, subscription-based OC (Year 4) and NSW Selective High School Placement Test (Year 6) preparation program combining weekly trial tests … | "$39/week" via direct debit (site states "PRICE GOING UP TO $59/WEEK SOON – DUE TO HIGH DEMAND"); cancel anytime. No fixed-term/one-off price published. | None found — no free trial or free assessment offer is advertised … |
| Tutoring4All | A distinct "NAPLAN, Opportunity Classes & Selective High School" service line offering intensive one-on-one tutoring to prepare primary students for the OC placement test and the NSW Selecti… | Not published | A trial lesson is offered, bookable via the contact form; no length, price or free/paid terms specified on the site. |
The preparation a Hornsby classroom can't cover
Every centre above teaches content — that's what you'd be paying for. What no weekly class gives your child is hours on the real on-screen format — the timer, the flag button, the question grid they'll actually face on test day. Our practice papers are full-length, matched to the real question counts and timing, and sat in a player built to mirror that screen.
The arithmetic is hard to argue with: the centres above charge roughly $35 to $95 for a single class. A Day Pass to every one of our papers is $12 — less than half of one coaching hour — and one paper in each subject is free, no card required. Whichever centre you choose, or if you prepare at home, it's the piece of preparation a classroom can't cover.
Frequently asked
Questions Hornsby parents ask.
Which selective schools do Hornsby families usually aim for?
Hornsby Girls High School is in the suburb itself, and Normanhurst Boys High is close by — both are fully selective and natural targets for local families. North Sydney Boys and Girls, further down the line, are also within reach. Entry to all of them is through the same computer-based Selective High School Placement Test.
How much does selective coaching cost in Hornsby?
Group classes at the Hornsby centres start at roughly $35 an hour, with weekly term courses running a few hundred dollars per subject per 10-week term at the larger colleges. Some publish prices; others ask you to enquire. Confirm before enrolling.