NAPLAN test tutoring sets your child up for success
Since NAPLAN is an important test in Australia, it’s important to understand it to help your child perform at their best. Tutoring is one way to get your child ready for the examination.
Learn all about NAPLAN to help your child
If your child is sitting in NAPLAN soon, you probably have many questions. NAPLAN is a performance measure that’s used throughout Australia for students in both primary school and high school. The more you know about the test, the better you can help your child prepare for success.
NAPLAN tests are written exams for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9
NAPLAN is an abbreviation for National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy. It is a series of tests for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Although you can elect to withdraw your child from NAPLAN testing, the majority of students participate because it can have beneficial effects moving forward with their education.
NAPLAN tests measure literacy and numeracy skills
NAPLAN testing was created to measure the numeracy and literacy skills of students within the same year group. Being able to compare results with peers allows students, their parents and their teachers to see how they are faring relative to other students at the same level and whether or not they are making progress.
Some educational institutions also use the NAPLAN test to evaluate their teaching programs. However, NAPLAN scores are not used in the admissions process of universities or other forms of tertiary education.
NAPLAN results can help guide your child’s future
NAPLAN test results are often used to decide which students are best suited for gifted learning programs or academic enrichment tracks. The most discerning high schools use NAPLAN scores to help determine who matriculates there.
Has your child been asked to submit a portfolio of their achievements to a high school of their choice? If so, NAPLAN results will probably figure in their admission decision process. It’s worth enquiring if NAPLAN is part of the decision criteria for any school your child is interested in attending.
Changes to where NAPLAN scores can be applied
Please be aware that NAPLAN scores for year 9 students no longer factor in permission to undertake the HSC (Higher School Certification).
Also, NAPLAN results for students in year 7 do not determine entry into Selective Schools — only the Selective School Test is part of this process. Likewise, Opportunity Classes for year 4 are only influenced by the Opportunity Class Placement Test, not NAPLAN year 3 examinations.
NAPLAN is administered by the Department of Education
An independent authority under the Department of Education administers all NAPLAN tests. This body is the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). They decide on the Australian curriculum and monitor data on student academic performance nationwide.
NAPLAN tests are conducted online now
Whilst NAPLAN used to be administered on paper, most of the test is now done online since 2022. Only the writing test for year 3 is still done on paper. Before the NAPLAN testing period in May, students can do practise tests online at the end of March and the beginning of April to become more familiar with the test and its format.
The NAPLAN tests for each year are different
Since NAPLAN is intended to test the skills of different years, each examination varies to reflect the appropriate degree of difficulty. Your child will see various formats, including multiple choice questions, questions that require a short written answer and those that need a fixed response on the computer.
The only extended response required is for writing. Historically, both calculator and non-calculator numeracy tests have been conducted for students in years 7 and 9. More about what is tested each year is outlined in our FAQs below.
Understand how NAPLAN sores are interpreted
Each test your child takes (Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy) will have its own score. Students are given a raw score and a rating for their performance on a band scale.
On the band scale, ACARA provides national minimum standards for comparison with the least expected at that level. You can use the band scale to evaluate your child’s progress over time. For example, a score of 700 in year 7 numeracy and a score of 900 in year 9 indicate your child has improved over 2 years in this area.
NAPLAN testing is held annually in March
The month of March is when NAPLAN testing occurs. Only students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be invited to participate. There is a 9-day assessment window during which your child can catch up on missed tests. However, once that window closes, the opportunity to sit the test has passed.
You can preview NAPLAN tests
We encourage you and your child to visit the NAPLAN test’s public demonstration system to learn more about the test firsthand. Follow the links below to see the sample tests for each year:
Dymocks Tutoring can help your child prepare for NAPLAN tests
Dymocks Tutoring offers tutoring services for all grades tested with NAPLAN. As one of the highest-rated tutoring services in Australia, we are also one of the most cost-effective available. We only hire about 3 per cent of our applicants because we want our tutors to be top performers in the subjects they teach and be able to connect and communicate at an exceptional level with our students.
Providing tutoring in Victoria and New South Wales, including the Sydney area, Dymocks Tutoring can help your child perform better on NAPLAN and set themselves up for academic and career success. Whether you want small group or one-to-one tutoring for your child, ring us on 1300 33 77 88, or enrol online today.
FAQs
Short for National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy, NAPLAN is an Australia-wide examination open to students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It tests literacy and numeracy skills to see how students compare to their peers, and it lets schools evaluate the effectiveness of their educational programs.
Multiple parties benefit from NAPLAN. Students and their parents can see if they are performing below, on par with, or above their peers in literacy and numeracy. Likewise, educators can assess their teaching to see if their classrooms and schools are keeping up with the rest of Australia.
Some high schools also use NAPLAN as one part of their admission criteria. Because this varies from school to school, we advise parents to check with any schools to which their child wishes to matriculate.
NAPLAN tests literacy and numeracy skills in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Each test is a little different, based on the year and what is expected from the students at that level. Reading, writing, conventions of language and numeracy are covered to evaluate topics such as:
• Narrative writing
• Persuasive writing
• Understanding of informative texts
• Spelling
• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Measurements
• Geometry
• Algebra
• Statistics
• Probability
As of 2023, NAPLAN costs $45 per student each year the test is administered.
No, NAPLAN is not compulsory. You and your child may decide not to take the test.
Yes, parents can withdraw their children from NAPLAN after being invited to take the test. However, in most cases, we strongly recommend participating in NAPLAN because of the benefits associated with it:
• Students and their parents can see how their academic progress compares to other children in the same grade.
• Students can track their progress in literacy and numeracy across years to see if it improves over time.
• Teachers and education administrators can assess the progress of their programs to ensure they’re keeping up. The more students in a class who take NAPLAN, the more accurate the picture educators get of whether or not children are performing up to or exceeding the national standards.
• Students who wish to attend high schools for which NAPLAN is an admission criterion won’t be denied matriculation for not participating in the test.
The NAPLAN examinations are given every year in March. The test was formerly on paper but is now almost exclusively given online.
The administrators of NAPLAN strive for maximum participation and work to include students with disabilities and special needs. In particular, adjustments for physical, cognitive, sensory and social or emotional needs may be allowed. Additionally, braille and paper-based versions of the test are offered alongside the standard electronic format.
Educational institutions and teachers use NAPLAN scores to see how their programs perform overall compared to the national standards. They can change their programs if they find students not scoring as highly as their peers. They can also identify students needing more help or an advanced curriculum.
It’s easy to sign up for tutoring services from Dymocks Tutoring. Ring us on 1300 33 77 88, or enrol online. We also welcome you to contact us with any questions about tutoring and NAPLAN.