NAPLAN: a calm, official-first guide for parents and carers
NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy check for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The 2027 window is 10 to 22 March. This guide explains the tests, the results and what your child does and does not need to do, using ACARA's own pages.
Last checked against the official sources.
NAPLAN is for every Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 student, and is online except Year 3 writing. The 2027 window is 10 to 22 March. It is not an admission test and your child is not expected to study for it.
This guide is written for parents and carers. It follows the official National Assessment Program (NAP) site and links to it wherever you may want the original wording.
Start with 2027 dates if you want to know when to expect the tests and results. If your child is about to sit the tests, read the page for their year: Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 or Year 9.
ACARA says students are not expected to study and does not recommend excessive preparation. Its code of conduct for schools says preparation should familiarise students with the test process and question formats without excessively rehearsing them. If you want optional skill practice, see NAPLAN practice. It is original, not official, and not endorsed by ACARA, and we keep it light for that reason.
About this site
ACARA is the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, which runs NAPLAN.
ExamExplained is run alongside a tutoring business. The pages here are free and written from ACARA's published information, and we say plainly where ACARA advises against coaching.
NAPLAN is not the NSW Selective High School Placement Test. If you are looking for that, see Selective.
Attribution: © Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2011 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the National Assessment Program website (www.nap.edu.au) (accessed 7 October 2026) and was modified. The material is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ACARA does not endorse any product that uses ACARA material or make any representations as to the quality of such products. Any product that uses ACARA's material should not be taken to be affiliated with ACARA or have the sponsorship or approval of ACARA. It is up to each person to make their own assessment of the product.
Understand NAPLAN
- NAPLAN 2027 dates: test window and when results are expectedThe NAPLAN 2027 test window is Wednesday 10 March to Monday 22 March, 9 days. Individual student reports are expected from the start of Term 3 and national results in August, based on ACARA's last four releases.
- NAPLAN test format and timetable: minutes for each year levelNAPLAN has four tests, sat in this order: writing, reading, conventions of language, then numeracy. Time allowed ranges from 40 to 65 minutes a test, depending on the test and year level.
- What each NAPLAN test covers: writing, reading, conventions and numeracyNAPLAN assesses writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy, aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Here is what each test asks of your child, in plain language.
- NAPLAN online adaptive testing: why each child sees different questionsNAPLAN reading, conventions of language and numeracy are tailored: the questions your child sees depend on how they answer earlier ones. A harder set is not a bad sign, and results account for question difficulty.
- NAPLAN FAQ: opting out, absence, tutoring and selective entryStraight answers for parents on NAPLAN withdrawal, missed tests, tutoring and coaching, and whether NAPLAN affects selective or school entry. NAPLAN is not designed to be an admission test, and students are not expected to study.
- NAPLAN demonstration site and past papers: official links and rulesACARA offers a free public demonstration site for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, and past paper tests for 2008 to 2016. Both are for familiarisation, and ACARA bars uploading its tests to other websites, so we link rather than copy.
Each year level
- NAPLAN Year 3: what to expect, including writing on paperIn Year 3, NAPLAN is your child's first. Writing is on paper on day 1, and the other three tests are online: reading 45 minutes, conventions of language 45 and numeracy 45. Writing is 40 minutes.
- NAPLAN Year 5: what to expect in the online testsIn Year 5, all four NAPLAN tests are online: writing 42 minutes, reading 50, conventions of language 45 and numeracy 50. Writing must start on day 1, Wednesday 10 March 2027.
- NAPLAN Year 7: timetable, calculator rules and what to expectIn Year 7, NAPLAN is online: writing 42 minutes, reading 65, conventions of language 45 and numeracy 65. The numeracy test starts with questions where the calculator is not allowed.
- NAPLAN Year 9: timetable, calculator rules and what to expectIn Year 9, NAPLAN is online: writing 42 minutes, reading 65, conventions of language 45 and numeracy 65. The numeracy test starts without a calculator, then an on-screen calculator becomes active.
Results
- NAPLAN proficiency levels explained: Exceeding, Strong, DevelopingNAPLAN reports four proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support. Strong means meeting challenging but reasonable expectations. Developing is not a fail. Here is what each level means.
- How to read your child's NAPLAN report and when results arriveYour child's NAPLAN report comes from the school, from the start of Term 3 in 2026, and shows four proficiency levels and a comparison with the national average. ACARA cannot supply individual reports; ask your school first.
- NAPLAN results season, July 2027: what to expectIn 2026, individual NAPLAN reports were listed from the start of Term 3. For 2027 the same pattern is expected, but no dates are published. Reports come through your child's school, and timing varies by state and territory.
- NAPLAN results season, August 2027: national resultsACARA released the 2026 NAPLAN national results on 5 August 2026. National results for 2027 are expected in August, but no date is published. National results describe the country, not your child; your child's report comes from the school.
Frequently asked questions
When is NAPLAN in 2027?
Does my child need to study for NAPLAN?
Is NAPLAN a pass or fail test?
Sources
- www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers (opens in a new tab)
- www.nap.edu.au/naplan/key-dates (opens in a new tab)
- www.nap.edu.au/naplan/whats-in-the-tests (opens in a new tab)
- www.nap.edu.au/naplan/results-and-reports (opens in a new tab)
- www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-national-protocols-for-test-administration.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- www.nap.edu.au/home (opens in a new tab)