Naplan

Naplan - Transitioning to Online

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students is held in May each year. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. The results of the tests provide information for students, parents, teachers and principals which can be used to improve student achievement. 

In 2018, the NAPLAN tests began transitioning from a paper based test to an online assessment (i.e., students complete the tests utilising a computer or tablet). It is anticipated that from 2022, all schools in Australia will deliver the tests online. NAPLAN Online delivers numerous benefits including: 

• a ‘tailored test’ design that adapts to correct and incorrect student responses providing a more precise understanding of student achievement; 

• innovative use of technology, including a more engaging test design and a wider range of item types; 

• the extension of the ‘test window’ to two weeks, allowing schools greater opportunity to schedule the tests at times that suit them best and increasing student participation. 

Our school will be transitioning to NAPLAN Online in 2022. As part of this transition, we will be administering a NAPLAN Online School Readiness Test (SRT). The SRT is intended to enable us to confirm our technical capacity and to assist in determining the most effective way to deliver NAPLAN Online in our school next year. 

Testing will be conducted on a single day at our school between 23 August – 1 November 2021. The SRT contains the following sample online tests: 

• Omnibus test – this includes questions from the reading, conventions of language and numeracy domains. 

• Writing test – for Years 5, 7, and 9. 

Please note that Year 3 students are only able to complete the omnibus test, as the Year 3 writing test will continue to be a pen and paper assessment in 2022. Support can be arranged for students with disabilities, if the student regularly uses similar support for classroom assessment tasks. It is important to remember that the SRT is not a formal assessment and students will not be graded for any of the tests. However, student participation will assist in our school confirming that we are ready for NAPLAN Online. 

If you have any concerns about your child participating in the SRT, please discuss these with his/her classroom teacher. For more information about NAPLAN Online, please visit the NAP website at www.nap.edu.au/onlineassessment

Yours sincerely 

Verona Gridley