Education

Performance
The department is responsible for monitoring and
accountability. Educational Performance Services (EPS)
provides schools with data from international, national
and statewide assessments to assist schools to tailor
programs to help each student to improve his/her
performance. These literacy and numeracy assessments
include Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS),
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN), Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading
Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Programme for International
Student Assessment (PISA).
The state government remains firmly committed to
transparency and accountability for ongoing school
improvement. The government strongly supports
the effective assessment and reporting of student
achievement, including the diagnostic value of NAPLAN.
National
Assessment
Program –
Literacy and
Numeracy
(NAPLAN)
In May each year, Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students across
Australia are tested on aspects of literacy and numeracy
using a common test in Reading, Writing, Language
Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation)
and Numeracy.
Results from these tests are used at school and state
level to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning
initiatives and programs in place, and to confirm current
and future directions for continued improvement in
literacy and numeracy performance. The NAPLAN
testing and reporting assists the department to address
educational disadvantage and to direct resources to where
they are most needed.
Student results in NAPLAN tests are reported against a
continuous reporting scale for each test type, described by
ten achievement bands that enable individual achievement
to be compared to the national average. The achievement
scale for each year level is described using six of the ten
achievement bands; the first band being the lower level of
knowledge and skills attained; and the top band describing
higher level knowledge and skills. One band is designated
as the national minimum standard (NMS) for each test
and year level.
Source: ACARA – http://www.nap.edu.au
34 Pre-Compulsory and Compulsory Education » Literacy and Numeracy