What to Know about NAPLAN 2024

by Rayma Bryant, NAPLAN Coordinator

As we begin the new year, staff are planning for NAPLAN. Testing will be held from 13th March, in Term 1 for Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students will  participate in tests for reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation), and numeracy.

What is NAPLAN?

Unfortunately, much of what you may hear about NAPLAN is from inaccurate headlines.  The media can sometimes equate NAPLAN results as the be-all and end-all of educational excellence.

NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment that allows you to see how your child is progressing in literacy and numeracy against the national standard and compared with their peers throughout Australia. Faith’s teachers frequently use NAPLAN data to provide additional information about student progress, as well as to support the school in making informed decisions regarding differentiation and targeted teaching in the classroom, to improve future student outcomes.

When used as intended, NAPLAN can be a really useful tool.  For example, teachers will sit down with our NAPLAN data and it can reveal interesting trends.  Our NAPLAN results can show there is room for improvement in students’ paragraphing skills, for example. This helps us evaluate our teaching and examine how we can help students improve in this area. Examination of the data reveals some interesting things, areas that we as a school need to work on, and areas that you as parents can assist with. This is the real benefit of the NAPLAN tool.

Participation and Adjustments

At Faith, we expect and encourage all students to complete the NAPLAN testing process. Support can be arranged for students with specific learning needs, particularly if a student regularly accesses similar support for school assessment tasks.

Every student at Faith will do the NAPLAN tests online except the Year 3 writing which will be a written test. This shift means that the test is “intuitive” therefore the questions are adjusted according to the student’s ability.

Testing Centres

Due to changes made by QCAA, we are unable to provide testing centres for NAPLAN this year. If you wish to participate you will be required to attend a local school, however to make this happen, we do need you to inform us ASAP as it will take some time to set up. If you live at least 16 km from a school, you are able to take the off site test supervised by your Home Educator. Please complete the attached short survey, to inform us of your intentions with regards to Naplan this year, even if you will not be participating.

Click here and complete the short survey.

NAPLAN Dates

Begins Wednesday 13 March – Ends 22 March 2024

• Tests include – Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language and Maths

We will be in touch as information becomes available to keep you informed of all relevant NAPLAN information. Please log in to Learning@Faith and click here for detailed information about the NAPLAN requirements.

Thank you for your support and understanding,

Kindest Regards

Rayma Bryant

NAPLAN Coordinator