NAPLAN 2023 | Key Dates, Exam Pattern and Much More

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.

Year	NAPLAN 2023 Test Dates
NAPLAN Year 3	15 March to 27 March
NAPLAN Year 5	15 March to 27 March
NAPLAN Year 7	15 March to 27 March
NAPLAN Year 9	15 March to 27 March

NAPLAN Test Schedule 2023

Here’s the NAPLAN Test Scheduled for 2023:

Events	Dates 2023	Action
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 Platform	Monday 6 March 2023 – Monday 13 March 2023	Schools will have 6 days to complete their test preparation activities on the platform
NAPLAN 2023 test window	Wednesday 15 March 2023 – Monday 27 March 2023	NAPLAN begins on 15th March 2023
Catch-up tests	Wednesday 15 – March 2023	Students who are absent when their class participates in the tests can sit catch-up tests later in the test window.

**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:

Year	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4
2023	30 Jan to14 Apr	1 May to7 Jul	24 Jul to29 Sep	16 Oct to15 Dec
2024	29 Jan to12 Apr	29 Apr to5 Jul	22 Jul to27 Sep	14 Oct to13 Dec
2025	28 Jan to 11 Apr	28 Apr to 4 Jul	21 Jul to26 Sep	13 Oct to12 Dec

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:

Event	NAPLAN 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 Platform	Monday 6 – Monday 13 March 2023; Schools will have 6 days to complete their test preparation activities on the platform
Test window	Wednesday 15 March 2023 – Monday 27 March 2023; Which has previously been held in the second week of May
Writing test schedule	Wednesday 15 – March 2023 All years (3, 5, 7, and 9) will commence writing on day 1 of the NAPLAN test window

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.

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 requirements	Year 3	Year 5	Year 7	Year 9
Writing	Year 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 mins	42 mins	42 mins
Reading	To be completed before the conventions of language test.	45 mins	50 mins	65 mins	65 mins
Convention of Language	To be completed after the reading test.	45 mins	45 mins	45 mins	45 mins
Numeracy	To be completed after the conventions of language test.	45 mins	50 mins	65 mins	65 mins

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.

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.

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.

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.

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