NAPLAN Practice Tests and Past Papers

We tried to make this collection as neatly organised as possible. The past papers and practice tests are organised by year and source. We named the links as accurately as possible but please do let us know any errors. We’re also putting some quick FAQs about NAPLAN below….  straight to past papers>>

What is NAPLAN?

It’s a nation-wide test that is taken by every student in grade 3, 5, 7 and 9. NAPLAN stands for National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy. The test covers writing, spelling, reading, grammar and numeracy.

Why is it important?

NAPLAN is used by governments, colleges, teachers and educational institutions to assess whether Australian students have the necessary literacy skills and numeracy skills to support them in further education. It provides an indication of how students perform compared to other students and schools around the country, and what areas they could be improving in. It also provides insight into the skills students struggle with and those skills that need further development.

While there are questions surrounding NAPLAN ‘s benefits, it still remains a standard part of all schooling in the country. A lack of basic literacy and numeracy skills can prevent students from understanding and learning more complex content as they advance through their education. This can lead to debilitating knowledge gaps and to more serious problems in senior years. It is essential to provide the appropriate resources and support, not only to help the students prepare for NAPLAN, but also to help them gain lifelong literacy and numeracy skills.

How to help your child prepare?

A common source of concern among parents is precisely how (and how much) to help their child prepare for NAPLAN. Preparing a student for NAPLAN is different to preparing them for other assessments or tests. This is largely because NAPLAN examines everything: a students’ reading, writing, spelling and mathematical abilities. These core skills aren’t something which can really be memorised or “crammed for” — they have to be developed over time. The questions in NAPLAN are typically ones that force the student to think for themselves rather than recalling knowledge.

Even so, there are practical ways to boost your child’s confidence in their own abilities, and prepare them for the unique variety of NAPLAN questions. This includes completing past papers and practice tests, and working through various NAPLAN programs with a tutor which might identify and target knowledge gaps.

Sources of past papers and practice tests

ACARA – It stands for the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. They are a great resource and have compiled all the past exam papers available into a handy resource to help students prepare for NAPLAN. They are full exam papers and take time to do and to mark properly. Great for practice close to the real exam as these past papers are the real thing, not an approximation.

NAP – This stands for National Assessment Program. They provide “official” practice tests to support exam preparation. It’s a great way to familiarise yourself with the layout and different sections of the test. Plus they provide answers which is very helpful!

QCAA – Stands for Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority. This is really a great resource, often overlooked. They provide shorter exam sets for practice. They are effectively drills that can be used quickly to target or practice specific areas without having to do a whole exam.

NAPLAN past papers and practice tests:

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