More than 86,800 students across South Australia will start National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing today.

Held in schools across Australia each year, including 718 sites in South Australia, the online testing assesses students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

NAPLAN can help evaluate whether young people are reaching important numeracy and literacy goals. It’s tailored to each year level, assessing skills in writing, reading, spelling, grammar, punctuation and numeracy.

South Australia continues to be on an overall improving trajectory, particularly in Year 3, which demonstrates the focus on the early years is playing a significant role.

This year, the testing period is between Wednesday 13 March and Monday 25 March. It’s the second year the test will be held in Term 1 after it was moved from May to March in 2023.

The move ensures NAPLAN results are made available earlier in the year to better inform teaching and learning programs and to identify any additional supports that students might need.

It’s through reviewing these results over the past two years that the Malinauskas Labor Government introduced the Mathematics Improvement Strategy in schools.

The focus on numeracy saw the inaugural Numeracy Summit and an overhaul of the curriculum, starting with mathematics. A numeracy check for students was also introduced – similar to the literacy checks former Education Minister Susan Close introduced in 2017 which saw improvements in literacy proficiencies in students.

Preliminary results in all domains except writing, will be provided to schools about four weeks after the test period ends.

Quotes

Attributable to Blair Boyer

NAPLAN is one of the ways schools, teachers and parents can see how students are doing in their learning.

For students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9, the assessment also provides teachers with a glimpse into how their students' skills are progressing in numeracy, writing, reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

I know tests can feel stressful for those participating, and their families, but it is important to remind students that NAPLAN isn’t about passing or failing.

Two of my daughters will also be sitting the NAPLAN tests this year and I’ve been telling them it’s just about trying their best.

We are implementing a comprehensive plan to improve our schools including implementing the Mathematics Improvement Strategy – which saw the inaugural Numeracy Summit last year – as well as investing $50 million into mental health and wellbeing in our schools, which is critical to seeing every South Australian student achieve their potential.

Attributable to Salisbury Primary School Principal Shane Atkins

In the lead-up to NAPLAN, we remind students and their families that it is just one part of the school program that we use to support students' learning journey and all we want is for everyone to try their best.

NAPLAN provides valuable insights that help us identify areas of misconception and areas where additional support may be needed to ensure every student reaches their full potential, no matter their starting point.

By doing NAPLAN in Term 1, it provides the school, staff, and students a snapshot of individual and year-level cohort understanding. These results allow us to tailor our teaching strategies for the rest of the year to better meet students individual learning needs.