Northcote High School Newsletter

NAPLAN tests 2018

Information regarding 2018 tests for Years 7 and 9

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 7 and 9 and will be held at school from 15 to 17 May 2018.

 

NAPLAN measures skills which are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling and numeracy. The assessments are undertaken nationwide, every year.

NAPLAN is made up of tests in the four areas (or ‘domains’) of:

  • reading
  • writing
  • language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation)
  • numeracy

In NAPLAN, as in all assessments, we want to prepare our young people and provide them the opportunity to perform at their best. At the same time, we want to approach the national tests in a way that will help our students’ learning and not just use the tests for measuring.

 

Northcote High School is keen to partner with you to prepare your child. We want students to feel confident to do their best and for the NAPLAN to provide an accurate measure of a student’s level so that the data can assist teachers to tailor their teaching for each student’s individual need.

 

Ways families can help:

  • We have provided students a document with strategies to practice. You could go through the strategies with them and help them self-assess which strategies they might already be using, which they can improve and which they might try.
  • We encourage you to view some of the practice tests available here http://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/the-tests with your child and discuss ways they might approach the different questions … they might even do the practice one with you.

All students in years 7 and 9 are expected to sit the NAPLAN tests.

However, there are some instances where students may be exempted from one or more of the NAPLAN tests or marked absent (for the purpose of the tests) or withdrawn from the tests. The National protocols for test administration provide the framework for understanding student participation.

 

Exemptions

Exemptions may be granted for students with a language background other than English or for students with a disability. In both cases, Northcote High School will discuss the proposed exemption with the student's parent/carer and gain their permission prior to the testing period.

 

Withdrawals

NAPLAN tests are a routine part of the school calendar. However, students may be withdrawn from the testing program by their parent/carer if there are religious or philosophical objections to testing. This is a matter for consideration by individual parents/carers in consultation with the school.

If this is relevant to your child’s situation then please contact your child’s Year Level Program Leader and the school will provide the appropriate paper work.

Further info: http://www.nap.edu.au/

 

If you have any questions about NAPLAN or how you can help your child please contact Curriculum Leader Josh Melican at melican.joshua.j@edumail.vic.gov.au .