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NAPLAN 2023 | Key Dates, Exam Pattern and Much More

Written by Shefali Sundram

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NAPLAN 2023 Test Dates

NAPLAN 2023 will be held from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March.

NAPLAN is conducted in this 9-day exam window. The 9-day exam window is available for use by schools to plan test dates.

YearNAPLAN 2023 Test Dates
NAPLAN Year 315 March to 27 March
NAPLAN Year 515 March to 27 March
NAPLAN Year 715 March to 27 March
NAPLAN Year 915 March to 27 March
Year-wise test dates for NAPLAN 2023

NAPLAN Test Schedule 2023

Here’s the NAPLAN Test Scheduled for 2023:

EventsDates 2023Action
NAPLAN Practice testing for schools Begin from Term 1, 2023 for NAPLAN pattern familiarity (*information regarding term dates is given below)Schools can complete practice tests in the assessment platform from the beginning of Term 1*
National Assessment Program- 2023 Sample assessment.The assessment dates will move from October to Term 2, i.e April to May (*information regarding term dates is given below). The National Assessment Program will conduct sample assessments.
School access to student data in the Online National Assessment PlatformMonday 6 March 2023 – Monday 13 March 2023Schools will have 6 days to complete their test preparation activities on the platform 
NAPLAN 2023 test windowWednesday 15 March 2023 – Monday 27 March 2023NAPLAN begins on 15th March 2023
Catch-up tests Wednesday 15 – March 2023Students who are absent when their class participates in the tests can sit catch-up tests later in the test window.
NAPLAN Test Schedule 2023

**what are ‘Terms’?
According to Australia’s Department of Education, each assessment year for the schools of Australia has been divided into 4-terms i.e. one year of schooling will comprise of 4-terms from the month of January to December. The term dates of schools for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025 are as follows:

YearTerm 1Term 2Term 3Term 4
202330 Jan to14 Apr1 May to7 Jul24 Jul to29 Sep16 Oct to15 Dec
202429 Jan to12 Apr29 Apr to5 Jul22 Jul to27 Sep14 Oct to13 Dec
202528 Jan to 11 Apr28 Apr to 4 Jul21 Jul to26 Sep13 Oct to12 Dec
Dates for School Terms for 2023,2024,2025

What is changing in NAPLAN 2023

NAPLAN is moving from May to March.

NAPLAN, which has previously been held in the second week of May, will move to mid-March starting in 2023. This means results will be available to education authorities earlier in the year.

The changes applicable from 2023 are as follows:

EventNAPLAN Changes 2023
Practice testing for schools Beginning from Term 1, 2023 Practice tests are being introduced at schools. This is for students to become familiar with the NAPLAN exam.
School access to student data in the Online National Assessment PlatformMonday 6 – Monday 13 March 2023;
Schools will have 6 days to complete their test preparation activities on the platform 
Test windowWednesday 15 March 2023 – Monday 27 March 2023;
Which has previously been held in the second week of May
Writing test scheduleWednesday 15 – March 2023
All years (3, 5, 7, and 9) will commence writing on day 1 of the NAPLAN test window
Changes in NAPLAN from 2023 onwards

The National Assessment Program (NAP) and the NAPLAN will benefit from changes to NAPLAN. The changes were approved by the education ministers as the changes will provide better tools for teachers, schools, governments, and parents to support students. The goal is to make sure the students are developing critical literacy and numeracy skills.

Education ministers have agreed to the following changes:

  • NAPLAN will move to Term One from 2023
  • From 2023, the existing triennial NAP Sample assessments for Years 6 and 10 in Science, Civics and Citizenship, and Digital Literacy will move from October to Term Two.
  • In addition to the NAP Sample program, new annual assessments in these subjects for Year 6 and Year 10 students will be available as opt-in assessments for any school or system. They will be phased in over three years, starting with Science in 2024, with Civics and Citizenship added in 2025 and then Digital Literacy in 2026.
  • Results of these opt-in assessments will be available to the participating schools and systems in order to support their teaching and learning programs, but will not be reported publicly by ACARA.

NAPLAN Test structure and duration

The NAPLAN Test for 2023 will include testing on 4 domains:

Writing – Students are provided with a ‘writing stimulus’ (sometimes called a ‘prompt’ – an idea or topic) and asked to write a response in a particular genre (narrative or persuasive writing).

Reading – Students read a range of informative, imaginative, and persuasive texts and then answer related questions.

Conventions of language – This test assesses spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Numeracy – This test assesses numeracy skills i.e. numbers and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability.

Schools will schedule tests during the 9-day NAPLAN testing window timeframe, taking into account the test order as below:

Test Domain Scheduling requirementsYear 3Year 5Year 7Year 9
WritingYear 3 students do a paper-based writing test (on day 1 only). It is recommended that Year 3 writing tests be completed by all classes at the same time in the morning.

Years 5, 7, and 9 writing must be scheduled on day 1, with day 2 only used where there are technical or logistical limitations.
40 mins(on paper)42 mins42 mins42 mins
ReadingTo be completed before the conventions of language test.45 mins50 mins65 mins65 mins
Convention of LanguageTo be completed after the reading test.45 mins45 mins45 mins45 mins
Numeracy
To be completed after the conventions of language test.
45 mins50 mins65 mins65 mins
NAPLAN 2023 Test Structure

Students who are absent during the test period for their class may take ‘catch-up tests‘ at a later time.

  • The morning scheduling of tests should take precedence over the afternoon schedule inside the test timeframe.
  • A break of at least 20 minutes must be provided for students who take more than one test on a single day.

Ramadan and NAPLAN

The lunar calendar (moon phases) determines the timing of Ramadan and Eid; these holidays’ dates fluctuate from year to year and frequently coincide with NAPLAN exams.

For 2023 Ramadan starts on 23rd March and ends with Eid al-Fitr(festival) on 22 April. NAPLAN 2023 is being scheduled from 15–27 March 2023 i.e during Ramadan.

What if School is closed for Eid or students are absent from school on test days?
-The local test administration authority must grant clearance for any changes to the NAPLAN exam schedule for schools that will be closed for Eid celebrations on test days (TAA).
-Participation in NAPLAN is encouraged for all pupils. Whenever possible, the school will arrange for a student who is missing on test day to make up the test at a later during the test window.

What if Students are observing Ramadan while undertaking NAPLAN?
Parents and carers may discuss with their child’s school any concerns regarding their child observing Ramadan and participating in NAPLAN. Schools with Muslim students can schedule NAPLAN tests first thing in the morning to ensure fasting students’ energy levels are at their highest. TAAs are best placed to support schools that require further advice.

How to prepare for NAPLAN 2023

We have compiled a set of resources to help you ace the NAPLAN test

Download the NAPLAN Guide

Are you a parent or student preparing for the NAPLAN test? Our comprehensive e-book, “NAPLAN – The Definitive Guide for Parents & Students,” covers everything you need to know to succeed in the exam.

Download NAPLAN past papers

Past papers serve as key resources for students as well as teachers who teach for NAPLAN. Past papers reveal the exam pattern, level of questions, and types of questions asked.

Also, attempting past papers can help students to analyze the preparation level for the NAPLAN exams. Wiingy provides you with a directory of past papers for free.

Use the links below to download the NAPLAN Past Papers

NAPLAN Year 3

NAPLAN Year 5

NAPLAN Year 7

NAPLAN Year 9

Download NAPLAN Test Prep App

Unlock your full potential and ace the NAPLAN exam! With our app, you can build Numeracy skills with practice tests for Year 3, Year 5, Year 7, and Year 9 giving yourself a competitive edge.

NAPLAN Practice Test App

How are NAPLAN results reported

Results from the NAPLAN tests are reported on scales that compare student performance to established standards.

The scales are divided into 10 bands and apply to all academic years, from Year 3 to Year 9.

Not all bands are reported for each level of the year. For each year i.e. years 3, 5, 7, and 9, the scales and standards system are reported.


The band scale shown below reflects the standard marking pattern for the respective years i.e. years 3, 5, 7, and 9.

NAPLAN-Marking-Bands
NAPLAN Assessment Scale

According to the NAPLAN assessment scale, the marking process is explained below:

  • For each year level of the NAPLAN results, a national minimum standard has been established and is listed on the assessment scale.
  • Band 2 is the required minimum for Year 3, Band 4 is the required minimum for Year 5, Band 5 is the required minimum for Year 7, and Band 6 is the required minimum for Year 9.
  • At each year level, the performance of the students is reported using six bands. The Year 3 report shows bands 1 through 6, the Year 5 report shows bands 3 through 8, the Year 7 report shows bands 4 through 9, and the Year 9 report shows bands 5 through 10.

Who marks NAPLAN?

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is responsible for the administration and marking of the Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests.

NOTE:

Parents may request that their children be removed from the testing program due to concerns like religious beliefs or philosophical objections to testing. Individual parents and caregivers should think about this in collaboration with their child’s school. Prior to testing, the principal must receive a formal application in the format required by the applicable test administration body.

Read our detailed article – “NAPLAN – The Definitive Guide for Parents & Students” to know more about the NAPLAN exam.

Wiingy provides tutoring support specific to NAPLAN for year 3, year 5, year 7, and year 9 students.

Register for a free demo with our online NAPLAN Tutor today!

FAQs on NAPLAN 2023

What is the date for NAPLAN 2023?

NAPLAN 2023 has been scheduled from Wednesday, 15 March to Monday, 27 March.

What is NAPLAN QCAA?

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is a statutory body of the Queensland Government. It was established on 1 July 2014, replacing the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA). The QCAA plays a critical role in the design and delivery of education in Queensland in collaboration with a range of stakeholders and partner agencies.

What is the date for NAPLAN 2023 Victoria?

NAPLAN 2023 Victoria will be held during Term 1 from Wednesday, 15 March to Monday, 27 March. Victoria schools will schedule the exam dates within the test window.

What is the date for NAPLAN 2023 Queensland?

NAPLAN 2023 Queensland will take place from Wednesday, March 15, to Monday, March 27, inclusive. The exam dates will be scheduled by Queensland schools during the testing period.

What is the date for NAPLAN 2023 New South Wales?

NAPLAN 2023 NSW will take place from Wednesday, March 15, through Monday, March 27, 2023. The exam dates will be set by New South Wales schools during the testing period.

What is the date for NAPLAN 2023 Western Australia?

In 2023, NAPLAN will be held from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March. Western Australia schools will schedule the exam dates within the test window.

What is the date for NAPLAN 2023 South Australia?

NAPLAN will be held in 2023 from Wednesday, March 15, to Monday, March 27, inclusive. The exam dates will be set by South Australian schools during the testing window.

What if School is closed for Eid or students are absent from school on test days?

-The local test administration authority must grant clearance for any changes to the NAPLAN exam schedule for schools that will be closed for Eid celebrations on test days (TAA).
-Participation in NAPLAN is encouraged for all pupils. Whenever possible, the school will arrange for a student who is missing on test day to make up the test at a later during the test window.

What if Students are observing Ramadan while undertaking NAPLAN?

Parents and carers may discuss with their child’s school any concerns regarding their child observing Ramadan and participating in NAPLAN. Schools with Muslim students can schedule NAPLAN tests first thing in the morning to ensure fasting students’ energy levels are at their highest. TAAs are best placed to support schools that require further advice.

How many bands are there in NAPLAN?

NAPLAN is reported in a scale band of 10. Band range differs for students in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7, and Year 9.

Written by by

Shefali Sundram

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