Victorian SEHS Practice Platform - Mock Tests, AI Writing Feedback, Full Prep

The SEHS exam is a competitive test administered by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) for Year 9 entry into four government selective schools in Victoria - Melbourne High School, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, Nossal High School and Suzanne Cory High School. Students sit the exam in Year 8. It covers Mathematics, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Writing across three timed sections.

Students sit the exam in Year 8 for entry into Year 9 at one of the four selective schools. The exam is held in June each year. Many families start serious preparation 6 to 12 months out, ideally from late Year 7 or the first term of Year 8.

The exam runs for around 3 hours including breaks. Section 1 covers Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (60 minutes). Section 2 covers Reading Comprehension and Verbal Reasoning (55 minutes). Section 3 is Writing - one persuasive task and one narrative task (40 minutes total). See our exam format section above for the full breakdown.

ACER calculates a scaled score across all sections. Places are then offered based on your child's combined score and school preferences. The four schools share the same exam, so a strong overall score gives the best chance regardless of which school is the first preference. Read our how results are calculated guide for more detail.

Start with the free 50-question diagnostic to see where your child stands. From there, use the SK Writing Lab for instant essay feedback, Section Prep courses for targeted practice, and SK Mock Tests for timed exam simulation. The SK Study Buddy creates a personalised plan based on results.

The 50-question diagnostic test is completely free with no sign-up required. Annual plans start from $99/year (BUILD) for skill builders and diagnostic, $149/year (PRACTICE) to add section prep courses and Poetry Mastery, or $199/year (PRO) for AI essay coaching and parent reports. SK Mock Tests, SK Writing Lab, SK Writing Coach and SK Study Buddy are available as separate purchases. 7-day free trial, no credit card required, no lock-in.

Yes. The 50-question diagnostic is permanently free with no credit card required. It covers all four exam sections, takes about 35 minutes, and gives an instant score breakdown showing strengths and weaknesses. Many families start here to decide whether their child needs structured prep.

Yes. Many students prepare effectively with structured online tools. SK Edge Prep provides diagnostic tests, AI-scored writing feedback, timed mock exams and targeted practice modules covering every exam section - all accessible from home. It can complement tutoring or work as a standalone preparation tool. Read our take on online prep vs tutoring.

Six months is the practical minimum for serious preparation. Twelve months is better, especially for students who have not encountered verbal reasoning or quantitative reasoning before. Year 5 and Year 6 students can build foundation skills (vocabulary, reading, mental maths) without doing exam-style practice. By Year 7 or early Year 8, structured exam preparation should begin.

Melbourne High (boys only, South Yarra) and Mac.Robertson (girls only, Albert Park) are the two oldest and historically most competitive. Nossal (Berwick) and Suzanne Cory (Werribee) are co-educational and were established more recently in 2010 and 2011 to serve outer suburbs. All four use the same exam. Students rank their preferences when applying. See the school comparison section above.

Yes. Any Victorian student in the eligible year level can apply, regardless of postcode. ACER runs the exam at multiple test centres around the state. Regional families benefit most from online preparation since travelling to Melbourne tutoring centres several times a week is rarely practical.

Roughly 1,028 places total across all four schools each year - approximately 312 at Melbourne High, 300 at Mac.Robertson, 208 at Nossal and 208 at Suzanne Cory. Thousands of families apply, so competition is genuine and structured preparation makes a real difference.

Three differences. First, we are 100% online with no commuting and no fixed schedules. Second, the writing feedback is rubric-based and instant - your child sees criterion scores in seconds, not days. Third, we are built in Melbourne by a local parent educator (SK), not an anonymous interstate company. Every AI prompt is set to Australian English because ACER marks in Australian English.

The SK Writing Lab evaluates persuasive and narrative essays against an 8-criteria rubric (argument structure, paragraph logic, vocabulary precision, sentence variety, cohesion, evidence quality, time and word count). Students get a band score, criterion-by-criterion feedback, and specific suggestions for improvement - all in seconds. 3 free evaluations included, then add the Writing Lab subscription for more.

Our SK Mock Tests simulate the real ACER exam timing exactly - Section 1 (60 min Maths and QR), Section 2 (55 min Reading and VR), Section 3 (40 min Writing). Students get paper-like tools (flag, skip, review, rough working area) so the experience matches exam day. Instant scoring after submission with section-by-section breakdown.

Yes. Every Writing Lab essay receives criterion-by-criterion feedback. Every diagnostic shows section-by-section strengths and weaknesses. Mock tests show which question types your child finds difficult. The SK Study Buddy uses these results to recommend what to practise next.

Yes. The PRO plan includes a Parent Report showing your child's diagnostic scores, mock test results, writing band scores, study time and weak areas. Parents can also use the Family Profile Switcher to track multiple children from one account.

Yes. The platform works in any browser - desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. We recommend a tablet or laptop for mock tests and writing practice (since the exam itself is paper-based and a larger screen is closer to that experience), but daily skill practice works fine on a phone.

The platform is self-paced, so students can spend longer on each task without pressure. ACER offers exam adjustments for students with documented learning difficulties - speak to your school about applying. Our diagnostic and writing feedback work the same regardless of pace, so your child gets honest results either way.

Yes. The 50-question diagnostic is permanently free. The SK Writing Lab includes 3 free essay evaluations. Section Prep modules include a free Module 1 across all 4 subjects. Plus the entire blog library with over 60 articles is open access. Try everything before paying anything.

Realistic mock tests build familiarity, which is the best antidote to exam anxiety. Students who have sat 3 to 5 timed mocks before exam day know what to expect and how to pace themselves. We also publish parent guides on managing pressure - read our exam anxiety tips for parents.

Yes - the writing section is one of our strongest features. The SK Writing Lab evaluates persuasive and narrative essays against the same criteria ACER markers use. Students get immediate band scores and improvement suggestions. We also offer the optional SK Writing Coach add-on for deeper one-on-one style coaching.

Use the 7-day free trial before committing - no credit card required to start. Annual subscriptions are non-refundable after the trial period, but mock tests and add-ons can be requested for refund within 7 days of purchase if unused. Full details are on our terms and refund policy page.

The exam is held in June each year. Check the countdown timer above for the exact date. Applications usually open in February through ACER. Early preparation gives your child the best chance to build confidence across all sections.

Start free with the diagnostic - no sign-up needed. To save your progress and unlock the platform, create a free account. You can add up to 4 children to one parent account using the Family Profile Switcher.