Good readers don't guess. They prove it.
Small online classes in reading and writing for the NSW selective test, for Year 5 students sitting the test in May 2027.
- Five students per class, taught live
- Starts in January 2027, during the summer holidays
- Run by Chris, tutoring English since 2016
Mira's grandmother kept the jar of buttons on the top shelf, behind the flour. Every few weeks Mira climbed the stool and lifted it down, and they tipped the buttons across the kitchen table and sorted them by colour, though neither of them ever sewed anything.
Why do Mira and her grandmother sort the buttons?
How a 90-minute reading class runs
Every class follows the same shape, so students always know what comes next. Each part builds on the one before it.
- Homework reviewThe five or six questions the group missed most.
- Two core skillsEach skill is explained, then practised straight away.
- Reading togetherOne exam-style text read and annotated as a group, using the new skills.
- On their ownStudents try a new section by themselves, then we review it.
The January pilot
A short run of classes in the summer holidays, before weekly classes begin in Term 1. It's the easiest way to see whether Praxis suits your child.
Reading and writing are separate classes. Choose one or both.
- Who it's for
- Year 5 students sitting the selective test in May 2027
- When
- Two weeks from Monday 12 January 2027
- Groups
- Group A: Tuesday and Thursday
Group B: Wednesday and Friday
4:30 to 6:00 pm - Class size
- Five students per class
- Where
- Online, live over Google Meet
- Price
- $45 per class
$180 per subject for the pilot (four classes)
Families who join Term 1 classes by 23 January keep a founding rate of $55 per class through to the May test. The usual rate is $60.
What your child gets
A live teacher, not a video
Classes are taught live over Google Meet. With five students, every child is asked to explain their thinking, every class.
Practice on the Praxis platform
Students do their classwork and homework on Praxis's own online platform. Mock tests use an interface built to look like the real selective test, so test day feels familiar.
Homework that is actually checked
Each class comes with homework. The answers and explanations are released once your child hands it in, and the questions most students miss open the next class.
Writing marked out of 25
Each piece is scored on ideas, structure, cohesion and voice (15 marks), and on sentences, grammar, punctuation and spelling (10 marks), with written feedback.
About Chris
I've tutored primary and high school English since 2016. I went through the selective system myself, finishing my HSC at North Sydney Boys High School, and I'm now completing a Master of Teaching at the University of New England.
Praxis is built on one idea: students improve fastest when they stop hunting for the answer that sounds right and start proving it from the text. Every class, task and homework sheet is designed around that.
Questions parents ask
What does my child need?
A laptop or desktop computer with a camera and microphone, and a quiet place to work. Classes run in Google Meet, and the classwork opens in the browser. There's nothing to install.
Does the pilot cover maths and thinking skills?
No. Praxis teaches the reading and writing sections only.
Why online rather than in person?
No travel, and every student works on the same platform they'll use for homework and mock tests. Small classes keep it as interactive as a room.
What happens after the pilot?
Weekly classes start in Term 1 2027 and run through to the May test: one 90-minute reading class and one 90-minute writing class a week. Pilot families get first choice of class times.
How do I pay?
Once your place is confirmed, you'll receive an invoice by email. Payment is due before the first class.
Join the January pilot
Places are limited to five per class. Send your details and Chris will reply within a day to confirm a place.