National Assessment Program (NAP)
NAP is a nationally coordinated Program designed to measure and monitor student achievement against national and international standards. The Program encompasses all tests endorsed by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA).
These tests include:
The National Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN),
Sample Assessments (Science Literacy, Civics and Citizenship, and ICT Literacy),
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA),
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
The Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (NAPLAN)
The annual NAPLAN results are reported using five National Achievement scales: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy.
Each year all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 across Australia (in government and non-government schools) will sit a series of tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, punctuation and grammar) and numeracy (working effectively with numbers, space and measurement).
All students in those year levels are expected to participate. Students participate in NAPLAN tests in mid May of each year.
The purpose of the test is:
To provide useful information for schools on individual student performance on a national basis and from this information schools can ascertain how well their students are performing;
To provide a greater consistency, comparability and transferability of results across jurisdictions in a way that was not possible under the previous system.
For further information and a timetable contact
The National Assessment Program Sample Assessments (Science Literacy, Civics and Citizenship, and ICT Literacy)
The national sample assessments test students’ skills and understanding in science literacy, civics and citizenship and ICT literacy.
Only selected groups of students in Years 6 and 10 participate in these sample assessments, which are held on a rolling three-yearly basis.
For more information contact:
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)
Australia is the participating in the international sample program PlSA. This will involve the assessment of 15 year-old students in Years 9, 10, or 11, in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy.
For more information contact:
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
TIMSS is an international mathematics and science study, designed to help countries to improve student learning. It collects educational achievement data at Year 4 and Year 8 to provide information about trends in performance over time.
In 2010, a sample of Australian students in Years 4 and 8 will participate in TIMSS.
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