OLNA

The OLNA is an online literacy and numeracy assessment. It is designed to enable students to successfully meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) literacy and numeracy standards.

WACE literacy and numeracy standard

To successfully meet the WACE literacy and numeracy standard, students must demonstrate the skills regarded as essential to meet the demands of everyday life and work in a knowledge-based economy. These skills are described in Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework.

These skills must be demonstrated in:

  • Literacy (reading and writing)
  • Numeracy.

Prequalification through NAPLAN

Students may prequalify through the reading, writing and numeracy tests of the Year 9 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Further information can be found via the Prequalification through NAPLAN page.

The tests

The reading and numeracy tests each comprise 45 multiple–choice questions. Students have 50 minutes to complete each of these tests. The writing test is a typed response of up to 600 words. Students have 60 minutes to complete the writing test. The table below provides a quick guide to each test.


NumeracyReadingWriting
Number of questions 45 1
Question type Multiple-choice Typed response (up to 600 words)
Time 50 minutes 60 minutes
Disability Adjustments A variety of adjustments are available

2025 Testing window dates

Semester

Test Period

Writing

Numeracy and Reading

Cohort

1

Term 1*

26–27 February

26 February–14 March

Year 11, 12

Term 2 Window A

5–6 May

5–16 May

Year 10, 11, 12

Term 2 Window B

16–17 June

16–27 June

Year 10, 11, 12

2

Term 3 Window A

28–29 July

28 July–8 August

Year 10, 11, 12

Term 3 Window B

8–9 September

8–19 September

Year 10, 11, 12

Term 4

27–28 October

27 October–7 November

Year 9, 10

*Monday, 3 March is a public holiday in Western Australia. The OLNA will not be available on this date.
Year 11 students are required to sit in one of the Semester 1 windows.
Optional sit: Year 9 students who sit in Term 4 will have this count as their first sit as a Year 10 student.

2026 Testing window dates

Semester

Test Period

Writing

Numeracy and Reading

Cohort

1

Term 1*

25–26 February

25 February–13 March

Year 11, 12

Term 2 Window A

28–29 April

28 April–8 May

Year 10, 11, 12

Term 2 Window B

15–16 June

15–26 June

Year 10, 11, 12

2

Term 3 Window A

27–28 July

27 July–7 August

Year 10, 11, 12

Term 3 Window B

7–8 September

7–18 September

Year 10, 11, 12

Term 4

26–27 October

26 October–6 November

Year 9, 10

*Monday, 2 March is a public holiday in Western Australia. The OLNA will not be available on this date.
Year 11 students are required to sit in one of the Semester 1 windows.
Optional sit: Year 9 students who sit in Term 4 will have this count as their first sit as a Year 10 student.

Post-Year 12 sits

Post-Year 12 students can apply to sit the test for each component that they have not demonstrated the standard in. Applications are to be made via the WACE after Year 12 page.