Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. In particular, there are consequences for students not meeting the minimum criteria of band 8 in Maths, Writing and Reading Comprehension for Year 9 NAPLAN. If students don’t ‘pass’ (i.e. attain Band 8 or better in the Year 9 NAPLAN tests) they must sit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) tests every six months in March and September of years 10, 11 and 12 until they do.
If students can’t demonstrate literate and numerate behaviours and understandings to the required standard by Year 12, they will not graduate from school. This could mean they will need to repeat years of schooling and, at the very least, their access to higher qualifications and employment will be at risk.
Parents need to encourage their children to do well in their literacy and numeracy tests (NAPLAN and OLNA) and show everyone that they are meeting national standards. It is understood that some students dislike tests and are even ‘traumatised’ by them, however tests are an important part of life that they cannot be shielded from; you need to sit a test to gain a driver’s license or even to get a job at a fast food outlet. It is best to try hard on NAPLAN tests and then students won’t face the possibility of having to do OLNA tests in years 10, 11 and 12.
