Anh Tran-Nam remembers sitting the entry test for the opportunity class at Woollahra Public School almost 30 years ago.

“It was like taking one of those external tests we’d do during the term, similar to the basic skills test. I did a few practice questions at home, but there was no high-stress or intense pressure,” she recalls.

She secured a place in the academically selective year 5 class and enjoyed her time at the school, motivated by her peers and focus on science and problem-solving skills. “But it was a different time then, there was no coaching or private tutoring to get into the OC,” she says.

Decades later, she didn’t hesitate enrolling her son, Jake, in his local primary school, Waverley Public, which she was drawn to for its size, proximity to home and sense of community.

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