Teaching and Learning 

NAPLAN

In Week 7, from Wednesday 11th March, our Year 3 and 5 students will take part in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).

Throughout Australia, students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are assessed on their knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. 

All eligible students are expected to participate in the NAPLAN tests. 

NAPLAN schedule at Karoo PS: 

This year at Karoo Primary School, students in Years 3 and 5 will follow the NAPLAN schedule below:

• Writing test: Wednesday 11th March 
• Reading test: Thursday 12th March
• Conventions of Language test: Friday 13th March
• Numeracy test: Monday 16th of March.

Any Year 3 or 5 student who is away on a NAPLAN testing day will be supported to catch up on missed tests up to and including Friday 20th March 2026 

Other considerations: 

• Exemptions may be granted to students with significant intellectual disabilities and to students who have been learning English for less than one year. In addition, students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN by their parent or carer. This is a matter for consideration by parents and carers in consultation with the Principal. If after consultation, you decide to withdraw your child, you must sign a student withdrawal form. These forms are available at the school. We ask that you contact the school no later than Tuesday 10th March if your child is eligible for exemption or you wish to withdraw them, as signed paperwork must be submitted. 

The results:

NAPLAN is an important benchmark assessment that enables provides information for students, parents/carers, teachers and principals and can be used to improve student achievement. Our school analyses NAPLAN data to identify trends, and better understand what areas of our teaching and learning program may require further attention. We also use the data to identify individual students who may require further intervention or extension. 

Later in the year, parents/carers will receive their child’s personal NAPLAN report. We will inform you of when this will be when the information becomes available to us. 

Want more information:

Further information about NAPLAN can be found via the following website: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers Translation material is also available at the bottom of the page. 

Supporting students at Karoo:

We strongly advocate for all students to participate in the NAPLAN assessments and give it their best by showing Personal Excellence and Tenacity.  

Whilst for some students NAPLAN can seem a little daunting at first, generally students feel very positive about the assessments, especially after the first day once they have experienced it all together. The Year 3 and 5 teachers have already begun to support students in the class by talking about NAPLAN. Whilst we never ‘teach to a test’, students are given opportunities to participate in practise tests so that they can become familiar with the layout and types of questions to expect.  The 2026 NAPLAN demonstration site will be used in class to do just this and I encourage you to take a look so you too can get a feel for NAPLAN (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site).

There are sample tests in all the subject areas for all the NAPLAN year levels. It also mimics the logging-in process and tools students can use to make the test easier for them. 

What can you do at home to support your child through NAPLAN:

It sounds obvious, but the best thing parents can do is be supportive and encourage them to try their best and do what they can. Encourage your child to take their time, stay positive (even with challenging questions), and not compare themselves to others. Before testing days, helping your child get a good night sleep, before eating a fulfilling and sustaining breakfast, followed by a calm and happy morning to school are some of the best ways you can help your child. 

Policies Update

At Karoo Primary School, we are committed to regularly reviewing and updating our policies to ensure the safety, wellbeing and smooth running of our community. Policies are living documents that reflect current guidance, legislation and the evolving needs of our pupils and families. We would like to highlight recent updates to our Mobile Device Policy, which sets clear expectations around the safe and appropriate use of phones and smart devices; our Volunteers Policy, which outlines safeguarding requirements and procedures for anyone supporting school activities; and ourVisitor Policy, which details the steps we take to ensure all visitors on site are properly signed in and supervised. You can find all of these policies on the school website, and we encourage all parents and carers to take a few moments to review them. If you have any questions, please contact the school office. Working together helps us maintain a safe, respectful and focused learning environment for every child.

Term 1 Parent Education Partnership Series

Wednesday 25th March 9:15-10:15am

Our “Helping in the Classroom” session for parents and carers is designed to show simple and practical ways families can support learning at school. During the session, teachers demonstrate activities that build both literacy and numeracy skills in everyday classroom tasks. You will see how children practise reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension through guided reading, word games, and storytelling. The session also introduces numeracy strategies such as counting activities, number recognition, basic problem-solving, and using everyday objects to explore addition and subtraction. By understanding these approaches, parents and carers can feel more confident supporting their child’s learning at home and reinforcing the skills students practise in the classroom.

All welcome, please book through the Event Brite link below.

I look forward to seeing you all around our amazing school and enjoy the long weekend!

Best wishes,

Assistant Principal

Peta Phillips