NAPLAN

 

Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit for the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test in May each year. The assessments are an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned in class.

 

For students in Years 3 and 5, there are four tests covering numeracy, reading, writing and language conventions (spelling, punctuation and grammar). For students in Years 7 and 9, there are five tests including two tests in numeracy – a calculator allowed test and a non-calculator test.

 

The NAPLAN test results and the student reports are released in September.

 

The results provide information about student achievement that can be used to inform teaching and learning programs. NAPLAN tests provide point-in-time information regarding student progress in literacy and numeracy and are intended to complement the wide range of formal and informal assessments that are already conducted in schools. NAPLAN test results are not intended to be used in isolation from other school-based assessment programs.

 

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has responsibility for the central management of the NAPLAN. The Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) is the NSW Test Administration Authority (TAA) and is responsible for the administration of the NAPLAN tests in all NSW schools.