Years 5 and 7 NAPLAN PARENT INFORMATION SESSION

NAPLAN
YEARS 5 and 7
PARENT INFORMATION SESSION
Melissa Boyle and Sharyn Hadden
Ascot State School

What is NAPLAN?
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and
Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual national assessment for all students in Years
3, 5, 7, and 9.
All students in these year levels are expected to participate in tests in
Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation)
and Numeracy.
Purpose of the Tests
The NAPLAN tests are designed to assess the skills of Australian students in
literacy and numeracy. The specific purposes are:
• to collect data from the population of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students for
reporting to parents/carers and schools for systematic reporting
• to accommodate the assessment of students against national minimum
standards.
• To provide schools, states and territories with information about how
education programs are working and which areas need to be prioritised
for improvement.

How are NAPLAN results used?
• Schools use results to identify strengths and weaknesses in
teaching programs and to set goals in literacy and numeracy.
• School systems use results to review programs and support
offered to schools.
• Students and parents may use individual results to discuss
progress with teachers.
• Teachers use results to help them better identify students
who require greater challenges or additional support.
• The community can see average school NAPLAN results on the
My School website.

What is Tested?
A series of tests will assess areas of literacy and numeracy.
The following areas of literacy are assessed:
• Language conventions - spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Writing - knowledge and control of written language
• Reading - comprehension.
As in other years, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be required to respond to a stimulus in the
2013 NAPLAN Writing test. Students are asked to write a response to the task in a maximum of
three pages.
The response formats for questions on all other test papers will be either multiple choice (shade
a bubble to indicate the answer) or constructed response (write the answer in a box or on a line).
In numeracy, the content areas assessed are:
• Number
• Measurement, chance and data
• Space
• Algebra, function and pattern (formal algebra for Year 9 only).

Assessment and Reporting
Results from the tests will provide important
information about children's progress in literacy and
numeracy. Following the tests, schools and students
will receive a statement of performance in relation to
the national minimum standards.
NAPLAN tests are one aspect of the school’s
assessment and reporting process, and do not replace
the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers
about each student’s performance.

Time of Testing
Tuesday 14 May
Official test date
Wednesday 15 May
Official test date
Thursday 16 May
Official test date
Friday 17 May
Catch up tests
permitted
Language conventions
Yr 3: 40 min
Yr 5: 40 min
Yr 7: 45 min
Reading
Yr 3: 45 min
Yr 5: 50 min
Yr 7: 65 min
Numeracy
Yr 3: 45 min
Yr 5: 50 min
Yr 7 (calculator): 40 min
Yr 7 (non-calc.): 40 min
Writing
Yr 3: 40 min
Yr 5: 40 min
Yr 7: 40 min

Writing – Persuasive Text
Writing: students write a persuasive text in response to a given
stimulus. They are assessed on the quality and organisation of
ideas, structuring of sentences and use of correct spelling and
punctuation.

Language Conventions
Language Conventions: students
identify and correct spelling errors and
answer questions on aspects of
grammar and punctuation.

Spelling – Year 5

Spelling – Year 7

Grammar and Punctuation – Year 5

Grammar and Punctuation – Year 7

Reading: students read a number of short texts and
answer questions to show understanding of the texts.
Year 5

Reading: students read a number of short texts and
answer questions to show understanding of the texts.
Year 7

Numeracy: students solve problems across Number; Algebra, function
and pattern; Measurement, chance and data; and Space.

Numeracy: students solve problems across Number; Algebra, function
and pattern; Measurement, chance and data; and Space.

How is the school preparing my
child for NAPLAN?
• We are preparing students for NAPLAN at school
through good quality teaching.
• Children are engaged in Test Wiseness activities at
school each day. The aim of these activities is for
students to be familiar with test instructions and
common forms of questions.
• Adequate preparation ensures that students feel
comfortable in the testing environment and are able
to confidently demonstrate what they know and can
do.

How can I help my child prepare
for NAPLAN?
• Focus on doing their best & trying hard
• Validate your child’s feelings if they’re feeling nervous, tell them that it’s
normal to feel a little nervous. Listen to any of their concerns.
• Give them some relaxation ideas: deep breaths.
• Give them a good breakfast on each of the assessment days.
• Be positive when asking your child how the test went. If you act worried,
your anxiety will be noticed.
• Treat the test as just one component of your child’s educational
achievements.
• Make sure your child’s sleeping and waking schedule is regular in the days
leading up to and during the assessment period.
Above all have a positive view of NAPLAN – a positive
caring attitude is the best thing you can do to support
your child.

Where can I get more information?
For more information about NAPLAN:
• visit National Assessment Program
www.nap.edu.au
• visit QSA www.qsa.qld.edu.au
A parent information tip sheet will be on the
school website this week:
http://ascotss.eq.edu.au/wcms/