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NAPLAN in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9: a parent's guide

Parent guides. Facts checked on 16 October 2026 against the official pages listed at the foot.

NAPLAN is the national test every child sits in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, in March. It is not a pass-or-fail exam, and no school place depends on it. This guide covers the dates, the four tests, the report you get back and what helps, from the official NAPLAN pages.

Try 10 free questions with your child, marked as soon as you finish: the Year 3, Year 5 or Year 7 check.

When does NAPLAN run?

Since 2023 NAPLAN has run in March, early in the school year. The 2027 tests run from 10 to 22 March 2027. The 2028 window is 15 to 27 March 2028, and the 2029 window is 14 to 26 March 2029.

Each school sets its own timetable inside a nine-day window. Writing comes first, then reading, then conventions of language, then numeracy, with at least a 20-minute break between any two tests on the same day. A child who is away on a test day can usually catch up later in the window.

What does NAPLAN test?

Writing
One piece, either a narrative or a persuasive text. The type is revealed on the day, and every year level writes the same type. Year 3 writes on paper; Years 5, 7 and 9 type.
Reading
Passages of different kinds and lengths, with multiple-choice questions and some drag-and-drop and click-the-words questions.
Conventions of language
A spelling section, then a grammar and punctuation section. Once a child moves on from spelling, that section locks.
Numeracy
Number, algebra, measurement, space, and statistics and probability. In Years 3 and 5 there is no calculator. In Years 7 and 9 a short section has none, and then an online calculator is available.

The tests get longer as children get older. Writing takes 40 minutes in Year 3 and 42 in the other years. Reading and numeracy take 45 minutes in Year 3, 50 in Year 5 and 65 in Years 7 and 9. Conventions of language takes 45 minutes in every year.

The online tests are tailored: the questions a child meets later in a test depend on their earlier answers, so a child who is doing well is given harder questions. ACARA says a child "should not be concerned if they find questions challenging". That is the test working as designed.

How are the results reported?

Each test is reported against four proficiency levels. Exceeding means the result is above what is expected at the time of testing. Strong means it meets challenging but reasonable expectations. Developing means the child is working towards those expectations. Needs additional support means the child is not yet achieving the expected outcomes and is likely to need extra help to progress.

Your child's school gives you an individual student report later in the year. ACARA does not name a month, because the state test authority sends the reports to schools; if none arrives, ask the school. The report shows each test's result as a dot on a scale, with the national average for the year level and the range of the middle 60 per cent of students beside it, and a last page listing the skills typical of each level.

ACARA publishes the national results in August; the 2026 results came out on 5 August 2026. The tests are not pass or fail, and ACARA says they "do not replace the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers".

Should my child study for NAPLAN?

ACARA's words are that "students are not expected to study for NAPLAN", and that it does not recommend excessive preparation or the use of coaching providers. Its advice to parents is to reassure a child and tell them to do their best.

Two things do help. The first is knowing the format: the public demonstration site on nap.edu.au shows the kinds of question, the drag-and-drop tools and the on-screen calculator, and ten minutes there takes the surprise out of the screen. The second is a normal week: ordinary bedtimes, breakfast on the day, and no talk of the test as a judgement.

What can a parent do with the report?

  1. Read it with the teacher, not alone. The teacher sees the child every day and can say whether the dot matches what they see in class.
  2. Treat Developing or Needs additional support as a direction, not a label. The report names an area, such as numeracy; the useful next step is to find the specific skill inside it, such as fractions of a quantity or place value past a thousand.
  3. Look at Strong with the same eye. A Strong result can still hide one skill that has slipped, and the last page of the report lists what a child at each level can usually do.
  4. Remember it is one morning. A child who was unwell, anxious or distracted scores below their level, and the test cannot tell.
  5. Ask about exemptions and adjustments early. A formal exemption is for exceptional circumstances, such as a disability that severely limits taking part or a recent arrival from a non-English speaking background, and the principal can arrange reasonable adjustments for a child with disability.

Questions parents ask

When is NAPLAN in 2027?

From 10 to 22 March 2027, for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. In 2028 it runs from 15 to 27 March 2028, and in 2029 from 14 to 26 March 2029. Each school sets its own timetable inside the window.

Is NAPLAN pass or fail?

No. Each result is reported against four proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support. ACARA says the tests do not replace the ongoing assessments teachers make.

When do we get the results?

Your child's school gives you an individual student report later in the year. ACARA does not name a month, because the state test authority sends the reports to schools. If none arrives, ask the school.

Should my child study for NAPLAN?

ACARA says students are not expected to study for NAPLAN, and it does not recommend excessive preparation or coaching services. Knowing the online format and a normal routine on the day are enough.

Can my child be excused from NAPLAN?

Only in exceptional circumstances, such as a disability that severely limits taking part or a recent arrival from a non-English speaking background. Ask the principal, who can also arrange adjustments for a child with disability.

How Learnest helps

Learnest gives a child fifteen to twenty minutes a day of the NSW syllabus in maths, English and science, pitched at the skill they are on, from Kindergarten to Year 8. When NAPLAN is coming, you can set a timed NAPLAN-style paper from your parent page: numeracy with 30 questions, conventions of language with 35, or reading with 20 questions on whole passages, each timed as the real test is for your child's year. Learnest does not set or mark writing, and its papers are not tailored the way NAPLAN online is. Every question is Learnest's own.

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Ten questions, marked as soon as you finish. No sign-up, and no answers kept.

Sources

Checked 16 October 2026. Every date, number and rule above comes from these pages. If one of them has changed since, it is right and this page is behind.

Learnest is not affiliated with ACARA, NESA, the NSW Department of Education or the Australian Maths Trust. This guide explains the published facts in Learnest's own words; the official pages above are the record.