Start with an observation, not a target score.
Ask what the child wants to understand about the online task and which part of a recent question was difficult. Choose one visible behaviour for the first session: restating the goal, drawing a quantity relationship or locating the sentence that supports a reading answer.
If there is no recent result, a short, low-pressure session can provide a baseline. A complete test has a different purpose: it can check how methods transfer when questions are mixed and attention must be managed for longer. It need not be the first or weekly task.
Use the sequence as a menu of decisions.
| Stage | Useful task | Question before moving on |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1: notice | Try a small mixed sample or review a recent result. Choose one reasoning or reading behaviour. | Can the child explain what the question asks? |
| Week 2: model | Show one method step by step, then try a new question together. | Which clue tells the child to use this method? |
| Week 3: transfer | Use a different context without showing the original answer first. | Can the child choose the method with less prompting? |
| Week 4: review | Look at one mistake and one uncertain correct answer; record a repair. | Does the repair describe a step the child can actually try? |
| Week 5: mix | When useful, try a longer online session to practise navigation and mixed questions. | Was the difficulty in content, pacing or the interface? |
| Week 6: decide | Review a fresh attempt and choose to repeat, change focus or rest. | What small change has been observed under similar conditions? |
The stages are not a six-week guarantee and do not set a number of questions or hours. A family can spend longer on one method, skip the longer session or stop when the child needs a break.
Change the plan when the evidence or the child's energy changes.
- If the method is unclear: repeat a small teaching example and ask the child to explain the crucial step.
- If the child can explain but not apply: use a fresh situation without immediate hints.
- If concentration is falling: shorten or postpone the session; more questions may make review less useful.
- If the online task is unfamiliar: practise navigation separately from the question content.
Record a next action after review. “Look for the condition before deciding” is more useful than “work harder”.
Use current official materials for format and applications.
The NSW Selective student guide and Opportunity Class student guide provide test information and official practice links. Check those pages again before making application or test-day decisions. This SteadyMarks plan is a family review tool, not official advice.
SteadyMarks parent resource written 16 September 2026. Official source links checked 16 September 2026; dates and eligibility are deliberately not repeated.