NAPLAN is the only national assessment test undertaken by students from years 3, 5, 7 and 9, held once every two years for each student.
The 2023 version of the test has significantly reduced what was considered a complicated scoring system that rates the students in 10 categories. That has been reduced to four proficiency levels.
Those levels have also been given names: exceeding, strong, developing and needs additional support.
Kyabram P-12 College learning specialist Natalie Parkinson said about 250 students were involved in the test.
“The big difference is that is now completely online. Prior to this year it was a written test,” she said.
Ms Parkinson said students were now getting a more appropriate NAPLAN test for their needs.
She said it allowed the school to track student growth and was very similar to the General Assessment Test used at VCE level.
“It is more reflective of the curriculum, given there is a whole new proficiency scale,” she said.
“It is impossible to study for NAPLAN, the same as the GAT.”
The new NAPLAN scores students on numeracy, reading, writing, spelling and grammar and punctuation.
An easy-to-understand chart features a circle and triangle, indicating where the student is performing and the national average.
“It is more authentic to what they were doing in school,” Ms Parkinson said.
NAPLAN, before this incarnation, had a widespread reputation with parents and teachers alike of not being a completely accurate reflection of a student’s learning level.
In fact, in some quarters it was not valued at all.
Ms Parkinson said NAPLAN was on a much more promising trajectory, in regards to its value, providing teachers with some important data and that could be used to design specific learning programs for students.
Aside from looking over the shoulders of students, teachers didn’t get to see the NAPLAN before it was delivered in March this year.
But there is widespread opinion in the staff room that the test is more specific to things relevant to students.
“They are using technology they are exposed to all the time to complete the test. That is a good start,” Ms Parkinson said.
“There was a trial of the digital format last year and this year it went fully digital.”
Parents who have previously ignored NAPLAN results are being encouraged to embrace the 2023 version, which comes with an exhaustive explanation of each achievement level as it pertains to the particular learning discipline.
Kyabram P-12 College primary section principal Billy Barnes said parents would have started receiving the results last week.
“NAPLAN has come a long way considering it was scrapped completely for a year only two years ago,” Mr Barnes said
He said NAPLAN remained only an indication of a student’s proficiency and there was so much more to their education journey.
"One thing this year’s test did tell us was that our grade 5s are thriving in literacy,“ he said.
“Three quarters of them are exceeding in reading.
“Literacy is strong across the board in the school and at least half of our Year 3 and 5 population are exceeding in reading, writing and numeracy.
“That is equivalent of what was previously the top two bands.”
Mr Barnes said students were also closing the gap at secondary level.
He said the NAPLAN test identified high achievers at an early age, with the highest performers in Year 3 usually the same students competing for VCE dux honours.
He said it underlined the fact that being at school was the best place for kids to be.
Ms Parkinson said she and the college leadership team were now crunching data of the primary and secondary school students and incorporating initiatives into the annual improvement plan.
“In the back half of the year we will start implementing some of those learning initiatives,” she said.
