Jordana Hunter & Daniel Petrie: NAPLAN effort important as Aussie kids playing catch-up with rest of world

If you’re a parent of a school student in Year 3, 5, 7, or 9, your child is probably sitting the NAPLAN test this week, along with about 140,000 other students in WA. Lots of students grumble about NAPLAN — who likes sitting a test? But as a parent, you should welcome this educational ‘health check’ of your child’s reading, writing and maths skills. Of course, NAPLAN doesn’t check all the skills children need for a good life. But the NAPLAN results will give you a read out of how well your child is learning, and how they are tracking compared to other children across the country. NAPLAN is also valuable for education leaders. It gives them a good indication of Australian students’ performance, which can inform decisions about where extra investment or a policy change might be needed. Due to a refresh of the NAPLAN scale, this year also marks the first opportunity since 2021 to compare similar schools, based on students’ learning growth between NAPLAN tests. This will help identify schools that are struggling, as well as those that are doing great things and could be role models for other schools. Over the years, NAPLAN results have pointed to important challenges in our schools. For example, the 2024 NAPLAN results for reading and numeracy showed that almost one third of students in WA were not proficient in these foundational skills. This suggests about 150,000 Pre-primary to Year 12 students across WA are struggling with the foundational skills that are essential to opening up rich opportunities, at school and later on in adult life. Research evidence shows that, with great teaching and the right catch-up support, Australian students can do so much better. But ensuring more students meet the “proficient” standard should be just the beginning. In this era of great change and global competition, Australia needs to aim higher. All children deserve the opportunity to achieve excellence. Children from WA have every right to be among the next generation of industry leaders, competing with the world’s best to create billion-dollar businesses; be world-class researchers, developing breakthroughs in health and technology; or be groundbreaking creative artists and writers, fostering greater understanding and connection. With the opportunities created by an excellent education, your son or daughter could be one of them. Unfortunately, Australia is falling behind in the quest for educational excellence. International test results show Australia trailing far behind high-achievers such as Singapore, but also struggling to keep up with traditional peers such as England. The most recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, in 2023, found that 49 per cent of Singapore’s Year 4 students, and 46 per cent of its Year 8 students, achieved the “advanced” proficiency level in maths. In England, it was 22 per cent of Year 4s and 15 per cent of Year 8s. But in WA, only 12 per cent of Year 4s and 13 per cent of Year 8s reached this level. WA needs a push to reach its full potential. For most students, sitting NAPLAN is no big deal. But some do feel nervous about it. For any parents feeling concerned, it’s important to remember the major benefits NAPLAN delivers. If your child is on edge about NAPLAN, reassure them that it is not a major, high-stakes exam. Sitting NAPLAN simply provides an opportunity for parents and teachers to understand how they can better support each child’s learning journey. One way to think about NAPLAN is that it’s like a regular trip to the dentist — not something most people look forward to, but the anticipation is generally worse than the check-up itself. And picking up any problems early can help avoid bigger problems down the track. NAPLAN can sometimes identify a particular area where a student is struggling, or reveal a particular strength that was not yet appreciated. This information can spur action that helps make school a more positive and enriching experience for that child. Sometimes NAPLAN results across a whole school help education leaders pinpoint areas where teachers need additional professional development or support. This helps all students improve, and can help make teaching more professionally rewarding. And by providing an independent snapshot of their child’s learning, NAPLAN also creates an opportunity for parents to talk to their school about any surprising results. So, if your child is about to sit NAPLAN, reassure them that it’s no big deal — and rest assured that the results will be very valuable for you, your school, and education leaders across the country. Dr Jordana Hunter is the education program director at the Grattan Institute. Daniel Petrie is a senior associate.