Preliminary NAPLAN results released today show Territory students continue to make strong gains and achieve improved results, with our Year 3 and Year 5 students leading the way.
Compared to 2008, when NAPLAN testing commenced nationally, the NT has had significant improvements in Year 3 reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation; and Year 5 reading and spelling.
These positive results for Year 3 and 5 are reflective of the continued investment in the early years, with more Northern Territory children having access to quality early childhood education in the years before they commence school.
Compared to 2019, Year 7 writing improved significantly in the Northern Territory, with increases also seen for Year 3 and Year 9.
These results come off the back of four years of focussed effort by NT government schools in supporting improvement in students' writing.
It is also fantastic to celebrate the fact 100% of eligible schools across the Northern Territory completed NAPLAN Online this year.
NAPLAN tests student ability in five domains: reading; spelling; writing; grammar and punctuation; and numeracy.
The 2021 NAPLAN summary provides preliminary information about student achievement and state/territory results in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The final report, to be released in December 2021, will include a detailed breakdown of results by school, geographical location, cohort and Aboriginality; and will allow for a more meaningful comparison of results.
NAPLAN is a nationwide measure through which parents, teachers, schools, education authorities and the broader community can determine whether young Australians are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in their communities.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Lauren Moss:
"I am proud of the gains our Territory students have made in NAPLAN which reflect the sustained and collaborative efforts of NT teachers, students and families towards improving education outcomes.
"Our Government acknowledges there is always room for improvement. We know we have to do more to support our students' numerical literacy and we are already implementing measures to this end.
"In the meantime, the Territory Labor Government is also focused on longer term education reforms that will see significant and sustainable change. These include our investments in Families as First Teachers; trialling the expansion of pre-school to three-year-olds; backing programs such as RATE that bring Aboriginal educators into classrooms and designing a world-class education engagement strategy."
