Head of Department-Curriculum - Karen Newton
NAPLAN 2025
Key Dates - 12–24 March
Download the 2025 NAPLAN Testing Window Infographic (Link)
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake.
As students progress through their school years, it is important to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy. NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the Australian Curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national proficiency standards.
NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.
NAPLAN tests are delivered in an Online environment
NAPLAN tests are designed to provide precise results and are engaging for students. The tests are tailored (or adaptive) which means that each test presents questions that may be more or less difficult depending on a student’s responses. This helps students remain engaged with the assessment.
Tailored testing allows a wider range of student abilities to be assessed and measures student achievement more precisely. A student’s overall NAPLAN result is based upon both the number and complexity of questions they answer correctly.
Your child should not be concerned if they find questions challenging; they may be taking a more complex test pathway.
All Year 3 students will continue to complete the writing assessment on paper in 2025.
Take a look at the Tests
The public demonstration tests show the types of questions students will answer and the functionalities that are available in NAPLAN tests. The following links will take you to these test examples.
After clicking on the link below, choose the type of test you would like to see and then select “Standard Test”. Continue to click the “next” button until the example test appears. Even if prompted, you do not need a PIN to access this public demonstration site just click “next”.
Participation in NAPLAN
NAPLAN is for all Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. All students have the opportunity to participate in the National Assessment Program. To support all students to participate in the testing, adjustments are available for students with disability who have diverse functional abilities and needs.
Aspley State School teachers and administration will work with parents/carers and students to identify, on a case-by-case basis, reasonable adjustments required for individual students with disability to access NAPLAN. Adjustments should reflect the support normally provided for classroom assessments. We will make contact with families of students that have been identified as requiring adjustments to participate in the testing over the coming weeks.
Parent / Caregiver Withdrawals From NAPLAN
NAPLAN tests are a routine part of the school calendar. However, students may be withdrawn from the testing program by their parent/carer for reasons such as religious beliefs or philosophical objections to testing. This is a matter for consideration by individual parents/carers in consultation with their child’s school. A formal application in the manner specified by the relevant test administration authority must be received by the principal prior to testing.
Notification of Parent/Caregiver Forms must be completed and received by the school Administration by Tuesday 11 March 2025. If you are considering withdrawing your child from the NAPLAN tests this year, please make contact with your child’s teacher and discuss your decision. Classroom teachers will then be able to provide access to the withdrawal of consent forms required by the school.
Australian Curriculum – Refined – Version 9
The Australian Curriculum sets the learning goals for all students as they progress through their school life – wherever they live in Australia and whichever school they attend, and when parents/carers are actively involved in their children’s education, children achieve better results.
The goal for the Australian Curriculum is to develop successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed young people who are ready to take their place in society. To achieve this goal, the Australian Curriculum includes 3 parts:
- 8 learning areas which are sometimes referred to as subjects,
- 7 general capabilities which as sometimes known as the 21st century skills
- 3 cross-curriculum priorities
From 2025 our teachers and students will be operating in Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum, in subject English and Mathematics, with other subject areas to roll out over the coming years. This gradual release schedule allows schools to make adjustments, changes and refinements to our curriculum delivery at a reasonable and steady pace.
What do English and Mathematics look like in Version 9.
Over the coming newsletter instalments, I will be giving you brief tour of what is expected in subjects English and Mathematics across difference sectors of primary schooling.
Foundation (Prep)
In their first year of school, students learn from their teachers and through their interactions with others. They experiment, practise and play in the classroom and school community. Priority is given to literacy and numeracy development as these are the foundations upon which further learning is built. There are opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy in all subjects and particularly in English and Mathematics. Learning in a classroom and belonging to a school community are key to the first year at school.
English
Students engage with texts that entertain and inform, such as picture books and rhymes. They begin learning to read and create texts.
Students learn to:
- communicate with others in familiar situations
- retell stories and personal experiences
- report on topics they have learnt
- read and talk about texts, including stories, information texts and texts by First Nations Australian, Australian and world authors and illustrators
- recognise rhyming words, syllables and sounds
- name letters and the most common sounds the letters make
- listen to, read and view picture books
- write some words and phrases
- recognise some common words
- create texts both orally and in writing.
Mathematics
Students develop a sense of shape, size, number, order, sequence, pattern and position in relation to familiar settings.
Students learn to:
- connect numbers, their names and quantities up to 20
- count numbers in sequences up to 20
- recognise repeating patterns
- compare different attributes of objects
- use materials to represent problems, compare and sort objects, and discuss answers
- group, sort and name familiar shapes
- connect events with times of the day and days of the week
- use location words such as above, below, outside, next to, underneath.
Respectful Relationships
Respectful Relationships education is an essential part of our school's approach to fostering a positive and inclusive environment. This program helps students develop important life skills, including emotional awareness, communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
By learning how to build healthy and respectful relationships, students are better equipped to navigate friendships, collaborate with others, and handle challenging situations. These skills not only support their success in the classroom but also set them up for positive interactions in high school and beyond. For example, students can use problem-solving strategies to resolve sibling disagreements, practice respectful communication with family members, or show kindness and empathy when playing sports or participating in group activities.
By reinforcing these skills at home, families can help children build strong, respectful relationships that will benefit them throughout life. The Respectful Relationships lessons are taught by Mr Kyle Rankine. These lessons support our commitment to enhancing the wellbeing and engagement of our students.
Play is the Way
Play is the Way uses physically active games, key concepts and reflective language to teach social and emotional learning.
In the first lesson, students were introduced to the Golden Rule – Treat others as you would like them to treat you. We then launched into our first game, Piccadilly Circus, a frantic, noisy game requiring good communication skills.
Play is the Way lessons are taught by Mrs Maria Pearce. These lessons support our commitment to enhancing students developmental thinking and interactions.
