Information for parents

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is delivered to students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in an online environment, except for a very small number who attend schools delivering an Authority-approved alternative curriculum, who will sit paper-based tests.

Information for parents of students at schools sitting the test in either mode is below.

The following forms and documents may be required by parents and/or home educators.

The forms apply to both online and paper testing modes.

NAPLAN 2023 Exemption Application

Students in the following categories may be considered for formal exemption from the testing program:

  • Students with a language background other than English, who arrived from overseas and have been attending school in Australia for less than a year before the test, should be given the opportunity to participate in testing, but may be exempted.
  • Students with significant intellectual disability and/or those with significant co-existing conditions that severely limit their capacity to participate in the tests may be exempted from taking NAPLAN. This is decided after the principal, student and the relevant parent/carer have consulted with each other and agreed that the student is not able to access the tests even with adjustments.

Applications for exemptions must be submitted by Friday, 3 March 2023.

NAPLAN 2023 Withdrawal Application

Students may be withdrawn from the testing program by their parent/carer. This is a matter for consideration by individual parents/carers in consultation with their child’s school.

Withdrawals are intended to address issues such as religious beliefs and philosophical objections to testing

NAPLAN 2023 Home Education Registration

Home educators should complete this form and return it to the address shown on the form by Friday, 3 February 2023.

This brochure contains information on how to interpret the individual student report. It relates to the 2022 NAPLAN assessment.

NAPLAN 2022 Reporting information brochure for parents and carers

The individual student reports show student performance in relation to:

  • national proficiency bands
  • the national minimum standard
  • the national mean
  • the range of performance of the middle 60% of Australian students
  • the skills assessed at each year level and in each performance band.

There are ten proficiency bands for each area of assessment, with six bands used for each year group. Year 3 performance is reported against bands 1 to 6, Year 5 bands 3 to 8; Year 7 – bands 4 to 9; Year 9 – bands 5 to 10.

The national minimum standard is represented by the second lowest band for each year group. This standard describes the minimum skills and understandings that students are expected to demonstrate at their particular year level. Students who do not achieve the national minimum standard at their year level may need intervention and support to help them progress satisfactorily through school.

Individual NAPLAN reports are prepared for all students, including students who were absent, withdrawn or exempted. NAPLAN reports are forwarded directly to parents by the school. If you do not receive a report, please contact your child's school immediately.

Parents should keep their child’s report in a safe place as duplicate copies are not available.

For more information about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s school directly.