NAPLAN Year 3 Guide [+ Free Download of NAPLAN Year 3 Past Papers]

Year 3 is the first year in which students undergo the NAPLAN assessment. Students are tested for four testing domains through written and online assessments.

The four NAPLAN testing domains are:
1. Writing
2. Reading
3. Conventions of language
4. Math

For complete info on the NAPLAN test, read our “NAPLAN – The Definitive Guide for Parents & Students”.

What is NAPLAN Year 3?

The year 3 NAPLAN test is an annual assessment taken nationwide by all Australian students studying in year 3. The test includes assessments on four domains – Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy.

In 2023 the NAPLAN Year 3 test will be conducted in a 13-day test window between Mar 15 and Mar 27.

The detailed format of the Year 3 NAPLAN assessment is as below:

Test Domain	Scheduling	Format and Duration
Writing	The first test in the test window	Written | 40 minutes
Reading	To be held after Writing	Online | 45 minutes
Conventions of Language	To be held after Reading	Online | 45 minutes
Numeracy	To be held after Conventions of Language	Online | 45 minutes

Download Year 3 NAPLAN Past Papers:

Click on the link below to download all official NAPLAN Year 3 past papers:

Let us look at each of the four testing domains of NAPLAN year 3

NAPLAN Year 3 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).

The writing stimulus can be in two formats either:

1. The persuasive writing, and
2. The narrative writing

NAPLAN Year 3 exam lasts 40 minutes. For NAPLAN year 3, writing is on paper, i.e., the test is in pen-paper mode.

NAPLAN Year 3 Writing Sample Questions

Some of the NAPLAN Year 3 writing sample questions are provided below. You can also download the past question papers from our article – “NAPLAN Past Papers“.

NAPLAN Year 3 Persuasive Writing Examples

The question below is from the 2015 NAPLAN Test Year 3. The question below describes what to write.

NAPLAN Year 3 Narrative Writing Examples:

The question below is from the NAPLAN 2016 Writing Test for Year 3. The question below describes what to write.

NAPLAN Year 3 Reading

Students read a range of informative, imaginative, and persuasive texts and then answer related questions. The reading section takes place after Writing. It is an online 45 minutes test.

NAPLAN Year 3 Reading Sample Questions

Some of the sample questions for NAPLAN Year 3 Reading is given below. To download the full stack of NAPLAN style tests you can download from our article on “NAPLAN Past Papers“.

NAPLAN practice tests Year 3 is beneficial for both practice test as well as for past question paper analysis.

NAPLAN Year 3 Reading Examples

The question below is from the NAPLAN 2016 Reading Test for Year 3. The question also describes what to respond to based on the given paragraph.

NAPLAN Year 3 Conventions of Language

Convention of language or Language conventions Year 3 of NAPLAN is held after the Reading Test of the NAPLAN exam. It is a 45 minutes online test. This test assesses the spelling, grammar, and punctuation of the students. The sample question for language conventions NAPLAN Year 3 is given below.

NAPLAN Year 3 Language Conventions Sample Questions

Some of the sample questions for language conventions NAPLAN year 3 are given below. You can also download the full stack of past question papers from our article – “NAPLAN Past Papers“.

The NAPLAN past papers are useful to get familiar with the Year 3 NAPLAN style tests and serve as practice tests as well. The section below gives an example of NAPLAN practice tests for Year 3 questions.

NAPLAN Year 3 Language Conventions Examples

The question below is an example of NAPLAN practice Year 3 for Language Conventions for Year 3. Each question describes what to do.

NAPLAN Year 3 Numeracy

NAPLAN Numeracy Year 3 or NAPLAN Year 3 Maths is held after the Language Convention test of the NAPLAN exam. NAPLAN Maths Year 3 is a 45 minutes online test.

This test assesses numbers and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability. The sample question for NAPLAN year 3 numeracy example test answers and questions are given below.

NAPLAN Year 3 Numeracy Year 3 Sample Questions

We are providing NAPLAN numeracy Year 3 sample questions. You can also download the past question papers from our article – “NAPLAN Past Papers“.

The test papers work well both as practice tests as well as for past question paper analysis for Year 3 NAPLAN style tests.

NAPLAN Year 3 Numeracy Examples

The question below is the example for NAPLAN Year 3 numeracy example test answers with their Questions. Each question describes what to do.

Downloading NAPLAN Year 3 Past Papers From the ACARA Website

You can also download NAPLAN sample papers from the official website. The steps to download are as follows:

NAPLAN 2023 Dates Year 3

In 2023, NAPLAN Year 3 will be conducted between 15 Mar to 27 Mar 2023 all across Australia.

Schools can complete practice tests for Year 3 in the assessment platform from the beginning of Term 1. Prospective students can use the public demonstration site at any time during the year to familiarize themselves with the format of the test.

What Is a Good NAPLAN Score for Year 3?

Each NAPLAN scale is divided into 10 bands used to report student progress through Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. Band 2 is the minimum standard for Year 3. Anything above Band 2 is considered to be a good score for Year 3. NAPLAN is not a test of intelligence it only shows a snapshot of the reading, writing, and numeracy skills of the student.

How to Practice for NAPLAN Year 3?

You can take NAPLAN Year 3 practice tests by downloading the past test papers and taking the tests in a timed environment. Make sure to allot only the specified duration for the practice tests of NAPLAN year 3.

Disclaimer: While we have taken utmost care to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information, you are recommended to refer to the official website of ACARA and NAPLAN for test-related info.