NAPLAN results: significant gains over time, plateaus for 2016

Today ACARA has released the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2016 summary information. 

The data released demonstrate that, compared to 2008 (the first year of NAPLAN), there have been gains in all content areas (except for writing), but not for all year groups. See the NAPLAN 2016 graphic (PDF 109 kb) for more information.

“There have been some significant gains in some domains in each state and territory, with Western Australia and Queensland standing out more than others", says Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, Robert Randall. 

“NAPLAN is about driving improvement in schools across the country. The data allow us to celebrate success and to identify areas for improvement. NAPLAN also contributes to the sharing of successful strategies within and across states and territories, with the goal of improving learning across the country.”

“We are concerned, however, that on a national level the results have shown no significant improvement across the domains and year levels from 2015. Plateauing results are not what we should expect or assume from our education systems”, continues Robert Randall. “ACT, NSW and Victoria continue to have the highest mean achievement across the NAPLAN domains, although it would be encouraging to see improvement in these places along with further improvements in other states and territories.”

“Literacy and numeracy are the foundation of learning in and beyond school. Literacy and numeracy achievement needs to improve to ensure the wellbeing of individual students and the country as a whole."

During August 2016, state and territory test administration authorities will be releasing individual student reports to schools for distribution to parents.

The final National Report will be available in December and provides a detailed analysis of how students perform in each year level, state/territory and by various demographics on a national scale in each of the four test domains.

Read the NAPLAN 2016 summary information on the NAP website. 

Read ACARA’s media release (PDF 168 kb)