Introduction of New OC Schools for 2025 Entry

By Post Author | 8th Apr, 2024

The Opportunity Classes in NSW are undoubtedly one of the most sought after education programs run by the Department of Education. Since its inception it has always been the numero uno choice of the academically gifted students and their parents.

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About Opportunity Classes

The Opportunity Class is essentially a mindfully crafted academic program catering to the learning needs of the students with high potential. It is a 2 year program (Year 5 & Year 6) where the gifted learners are subjected to a constantly challenging and stimulating learning environment. But the gateway to this specially designed academic program is through the highly competitive OC Test or the Opportunity Class Placement Test.

Latest addition Opportunity Classes for 2025 entry

With the changing needs of the time many things undergo gradual change in order to stay relevant or rather to meet up the surge of demand. Similar is the case of the Opportunity Classes.

The Opportunity Classes are run by the NSW Department of Education across selected government primary schools. Very recently it has been formally announced by the authorities that the 9 new primary schools will be added to present 77 schools having Opportunity Classes. These newly added schools will have operational Opportunity Classes from Term 1 of Year 5 2025 entry.

Though there has been an increase in the number of schools from 77 to 86, the seats in the Opportunity Classes remain unchanged at 1840 places.

List of new schools to the Opportunity Classes

The newly added schools are:

Blacktown West Public School
Brookvale Public School
Lindfield East Public School
Maroubra Junction Public School
Miranda Public School
Penrith Public School
St Clair Public School
Toongabbie Public School
Wahroonga Public School

The above mentioned schools will have one Opportunity Class for Year 5 with a class strength of 15 students.

As the total number of places in the Opportunity Classes remain unchanged to 1840, the department has clarified that some existing schools with Opportunity Classes will have reduced class sizes 2025 onwards.

List of schools with reduced Opportunity Class intake

The schools with reduced Opportunity Class intake from 2025 are:

Artarmon Public School (60 to 30 places)
Balgowlah Heights Public School (30 to 15 places)
Blacktown South Public School (30 to 15 places)
Caringbah North Public School (30 to 15 places)
Colyton Public School (30 to 15 places)
Kingswood Public School (30 to 15 places)
Woollahra Public School (60 to 30 places)

Well, it is also to be noted that the students in the current Opportunity Classes will not be impacted at all. Moreover, no existing student will be required to change schools due the mentioned addition to the list of schools with Opportunity Classes.

What impact will the new addition be created?

Being a highly popular and successful education program the Opportunity Classes are always on high demand. There has always been an increase year on year in the number of students taking the OC Exam to secure a place in the Opportunity Classes.

The popularity of the Opportunity Classes is not only restricted to the urban and suburban locations in and around Sydney but also in the regional and remote locations. Thus, this addition of the Opportunity Classes in 9 new schools across different locations will:

reach out to more deserving students all across NSW
eventually create more Opportunity Classes in more schools
make better use and optimal utilisation of the already existing school resources and infrastructure
improved accessibility and opportunities for the local students
lastly, might potentially increase capacity of new schools with Opportunity Classes for accepting siblings of pre-existing OC students.