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The Advertiser
29-07-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
What is happening in school classrooms? Latest NAPLAN results raise alarm
Primary school students across Australia are performing worse in basic reading and writing for the second year in a row, the latest NAPLAN results show. The annual National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) figures for more than 1.3 million students in years three, five, seven and nine were released on July 30. There was little movement overall from the 2024 results, which revealed one in three school pupils nationally were failing to meet basic literacy and numeracy standards. The 2025 tests, conducted across almost 9500 schools in March, found a slight increase in numeracy scores on average nationwide across years five, seven and nine - particularly among better-performing students. "That would be really exciting if that proves to be a trend that we see built on next year," Grattan Institute education program director Jordana Hunter said. "NAPLAN data does bounce around a little bit, year to year." But reading and writing in years three and five continued to decline compared to 2023. And children in regional areas were much more likely to be failing the basic standards. For example, while nearly 70 per cent of students in major cities met year three reading standards, just 60 per cent of their inner regional counterparts did - and less than 53 per cent of those in outer regional areas did. "The key thing that worries us is that, if we look nationally, about one in three students are not meeting that proficient benchmark," Dr Hunter said. "They're falling in either the 'needs additional support' or the 'developing' categories - and that just means they're not on track with their learning. "So they are really struggling to keep up with the curriculum in the classroom, and that has consequences for those young people as they move through school." She said Australia should be aiming to get 90 per cent of students proficient in the basic skills. "The benchmark is not a particularly high bar," Dr Hunter said. This would require more investment in professional development for teachers. "Really, we need to get much more serious about investing in the professional expertise of our teachers. "They're the ones that will make the difference day in, day out," she said. "It's not about class sizes. It's about the professional expertise of our teachers and how well they teach in a school, work together on a whole school approach to teaching." Dr Hunter said there was "a huge opportunity" to improve primary school education, which was undervalued. "We're not intentional enough in primary school; we have taken our foot off the accelerator," she said. "Our expectations aren't high enough and we're actually doing those children a disservice." Australia should not "get used to" one third of school pupils falling behind national standards, Dr Hunter said. "It doesn't have to be this way. "We know there are systems internationally that have significantly improved the outcomes and they've done it. "It's not rocket science." The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reported NAPLAN test participation in 2025 was at 93.8 per cent, the highest level since 2017. Individual school results are set to be released later in the year. Primary school students across Australia are performing worse in basic reading and writing for the second year in a row, the latest NAPLAN results show. The annual National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) figures for more than 1.3 million students in years three, five, seven and nine were released on July 30. There was little movement overall from the 2024 results, which revealed one in three school pupils nationally were failing to meet basic literacy and numeracy standards. The 2025 tests, conducted across almost 9500 schools in March, found a slight increase in numeracy scores on average nationwide across years five, seven and nine - particularly among better-performing students. "That would be really exciting if that proves to be a trend that we see built on next year," Grattan Institute education program director Jordana Hunter said. "NAPLAN data does bounce around a little bit, year to year." But reading and writing in years three and five continued to decline compared to 2023. And children in regional areas were much more likely to be failing the basic standards. For example, while nearly 70 per cent of students in major cities met year three reading standards, just 60 per cent of their inner regional counterparts did - and less than 53 per cent of those in outer regional areas did. "The key thing that worries us is that, if we look nationally, about one in three students are not meeting that proficient benchmark," Dr Hunter said. "They're falling in either the 'needs additional support' or the 'developing' categories - and that just means they're not on track with their learning. "So they are really struggling to keep up with the curriculum in the classroom, and that has consequences for those young people as they move through school." She said Australia should be aiming to get 90 per cent of students proficient in the basic skills. "The benchmark is not a particularly high bar," Dr Hunter said. This would require more investment in professional development for teachers. "Really, we need to get much more serious about investing in the professional expertise of our teachers. "They're the ones that will make the difference day in, day out," she said. "It's not about class sizes. It's about the professional expertise of our teachers and how well they teach in a school, work together on a whole school approach to teaching." Dr Hunter said there was "a huge opportunity" to improve primary school education, which was undervalued. "We're not intentional enough in primary school; we have taken our foot off the accelerator," she said. "Our expectations aren't high enough and we're actually doing those children a disservice." Australia should not "get used to" one third of school pupils falling behind national standards, Dr Hunter said. "It doesn't have to be this way. "We know there are systems internationally that have significantly improved the outcomes and they've done it. "It's not rocket science." The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reported NAPLAN test participation in 2025 was at 93.8 per cent, the highest level since 2017. Individual school results are set to be released later in the year. Primary school students across Australia are performing worse in basic reading and writing for the second year in a row, the latest NAPLAN results show. The annual National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) figures for more than 1.3 million students in years three, five, seven and nine were released on July 30. There was little movement overall from the 2024 results, which revealed one in three school pupils nationally were failing to meet basic literacy and numeracy standards. The 2025 tests, conducted across almost 9500 schools in March, found a slight increase in numeracy scores on average nationwide across years five, seven and nine - particularly among better-performing students. "That would be really exciting if that proves to be a trend that we see built on next year," Grattan Institute education program director Jordana Hunter said. "NAPLAN data does bounce around a little bit, year to year." But reading and writing in years three and five continued to decline compared to 2023. And children in regional areas were much more likely to be failing the basic standards. For example, while nearly 70 per cent of students in major cities met year three reading standards, just 60 per cent of their inner regional counterparts did - and less than 53 per cent of those in outer regional areas did. "The key thing that worries us is that, if we look nationally, about one in three students are not meeting that proficient benchmark," Dr Hunter said. "They're falling in either the 'needs additional support' or the 'developing' categories - and that just means they're not on track with their learning. "So they are really struggling to keep up with the curriculum in the classroom, and that has consequences for those young people as they move through school." She said Australia should be aiming to get 90 per cent of students proficient in the basic skills. "The benchmark is not a particularly high bar," Dr Hunter said. This would require more investment in professional development for teachers. "Really, we need to get much more serious about investing in the professional expertise of our teachers. "They're the ones that will make the difference day in, day out," she said. "It's not about class sizes. It's about the professional expertise of our teachers and how well they teach in a school, work together on a whole school approach to teaching." Dr Hunter said there was "a huge opportunity" to improve primary school education, which was undervalued. "We're not intentional enough in primary school; we have taken our foot off the accelerator," she said. "Our expectations aren't high enough and we're actually doing those children a disservice." Australia should not "get used to" one third of school pupils falling behind national standards, Dr Hunter said. "It doesn't have to be this way. "We know there are systems internationally that have significantly improved the outcomes and they've done it. "It's not rocket science." The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reported NAPLAN test participation in 2025 was at 93.8 per cent, the highest level since 2017. Individual school results are set to be released later in the year. Primary school students across Australia are performing worse in basic reading and writing for the second year in a row, the latest NAPLAN results show. The annual National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) figures for more than 1.3 million students in years three, five, seven and nine were released on July 30. There was little movement overall from the 2024 results, which revealed one in three school pupils nationally were failing to meet basic literacy and numeracy standards. The 2025 tests, conducted across almost 9500 schools in March, found a slight increase in numeracy scores on average nationwide across years five, seven and nine - particularly among better-performing students. "That would be really exciting if that proves to be a trend that we see built on next year," Grattan Institute education program director Jordana Hunter said. "NAPLAN data does bounce around a little bit, year to year." But reading and writing in years three and five continued to decline compared to 2023. And children in regional areas were much more likely to be failing the basic standards. For example, while nearly 70 per cent of students in major cities met year three reading standards, just 60 per cent of their inner regional counterparts did - and less than 53 per cent of those in outer regional areas did. "The key thing that worries us is that, if we look nationally, about one in three students are not meeting that proficient benchmark," Dr Hunter said. "They're falling in either the 'needs additional support' or the 'developing' categories - and that just means they're not on track with their learning. "So they are really struggling to keep up with the curriculum in the classroom, and that has consequences for those young people as they move through school." She said Australia should be aiming to get 90 per cent of students proficient in the basic skills. "The benchmark is not a particularly high bar," Dr Hunter said. This would require more investment in professional development for teachers. "Really, we need to get much more serious about investing in the professional expertise of our teachers. "They're the ones that will make the difference day in, day out," she said. "It's not about class sizes. It's about the professional expertise of our teachers and how well they teach in a school, work together on a whole school approach to teaching." Dr Hunter said there was "a huge opportunity" to improve primary school education, which was undervalued. "We're not intentional enough in primary school; we have taken our foot off the accelerator," she said. "Our expectations aren't high enough and we're actually doing those children a disservice." Australia should not "get used to" one third of school pupils falling behind national standards, Dr Hunter said. "It doesn't have to be this way. "We know there are systems internationally that have significantly improved the outcomes and they've done it. "It's not rocket science." The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reported NAPLAN test participation in 2025 was at 93.8 per cent, the highest level since 2017. Individual school results are set to be released later in the year.
Sydney Morning Herald
29-07-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Queensland gets gold star for NAPLAN participation amid cyclone chaos
Queensland students have received a gold star from a national education authority for the greatest improvement in NAPLAN participation rates, despite uptake remaining the lowest of any state. With Cyclone Alfred tearing a path through the 2025 testing period, forcing affected south-east schools to push back testing by up to four days, almost 260,000 students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9 ended up sitting the nationwide standardised tests. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive Stephen Gniel said Queensland's spike in participation rates was 'a testament to the efforts of its education community'. 'When you consider [the cyclone], the fact that Queensland achieved its highest participation rate across all year levels since 2019, at 89.7 per cent, is an impressive achievement,' he said. Gniel said national participation rates had largely rebounded to pre-COVID levels, with 93.8 per cent of students making at least one test attempt – the highest rate since 2017. Despite an overall 2.4 percentage point increase in average participation rates from 2024 to 2025, Queensland remained the only state with an overall participation rate below 90 per cent. The number of year 9 students in Queensland sitting the test was even lower, with about two in every 10 students skipping NAPLAN, however this was an increase on the state's all-time low in 2022. The Northern Territory recorded the lowest participation rate of all Australian states and territories, but had the highest proportion of students in regional, remote, or very remote locations.
The Age
29-07-2025
- General
- The Age
Queensland gets gold star for NAPLAN participation amid cyclone chaos
Queensland students have received a gold star from a national education authority for the greatest improvement in NAPLAN participation rates, despite uptake remaining the lowest of any state. With Cyclone Alfred tearing a path through the 2025 testing period, forcing affected south-east schools to push back testing by up to four days, almost 260,000 students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9 ended up sitting the nationwide standardised tests. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive Stephen Gniel said Queensland's spike in participation rates was 'a testament to the efforts of its education community'. 'When you consider [the cyclone], the fact that Queensland achieved its highest participation rate across all year levels since 2019, at 89.7 per cent, is an impressive achievement,' he said. Gniel said national participation rates had largely rebounded to pre-COVID levels, with 93.8 per cent of students making at least one test attempt – the highest rate since 2017. Despite an overall 2.4 percentage point increase in average participation rates from 2024 to 2025, Queensland remained the only state with an overall participation rate below 90 per cent. The number of year 9 students in Queensland sitting the test was even lower, with about two in every 10 students skipping NAPLAN, however this was an increase on the state's all-time low in 2022. The Northern Territory recorded the lowest participation rate of all Australian states and territories, but had the highest proportion of students in regional, remote, or very remote locations.
Perth Now
13-05-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Shocking rate of kids skipping school
School attendance levels have dipped for another year, with the number of students attending classes falling below pre-Covid-19 levels. Across Australia, the attendance rate for students in primary schools and high schools was 88.3 per cent, a slight dip from the same period the year before. However, attendance levels – the percentage of students with attendance at or above 90 per cent – show a different story. School attendance levels have dipped for another year. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia According to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), the 2024 attendance levels of students attending at least 90 per cent of their classes across government, Catholic and independent schools were 59.8 per cent – a sharp decline from the 74.9 per cent attendance levels in 2019. School attendance levels vary in each state, though attendance rates are generally higher in big cities compared with regional areas. There's also a significant gap with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attending school compared with non-Indigenous students, though these figures have narrowed slightly by 0.7 percentage points. The pandemic played a role in these figures, but it's not entirely to blame. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia A Department of Education spokesman said the increase in students wagging classes was concerning, and 'every day of school missed is a day of learning lost'. 'Regular school attendance is critical to successful student outcomes and engagement,' they told NewsWire. While the pandemic had a role to play in this figure, they said the 'national school attendance rates have trended downwards over the past decade'. 'The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated this trend,' they said, adding 'while national student attendance rates have improved from the lows of the pandemic, they are yet to return to pre-Covid levels'. 'They are not at an all time low,' they said. Students have not been attending as many classes over the last decade. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia There were several reasons for the sudden decline in attendance levels, including 'anxiety and worry', Australian Primary Principals Association president Angela Falkenberg told NewsWire. 'Schools look at each student and their family to understand the reasons for non-attendance,' she said, explaining schools will complete 'conversations' with kids and parents to explain their absences. While she said it was 'vital' for schools to work with parents and families to ensure children were in class, Ms Falkenberg admitted that this 'may not always be a reality'. 'Some (truancy) can be due to anxiety and worry which can result in poor sleep,' she said. Another reason why students may not be able to attend school comes down to issues at home, including 'family discord, poor mental health, food and housing insecurity and even transport to school'. 'Some might be due to children's friendship struggles,' they said. 'Schools can work with the child on managing conflict (or) joining in a game.' Anxiety, stress and family issues may contribute to children skipping school. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia In April 2024, the Senate Education and Employment References Committee issued an inquiry into the national trend of school refusal and related matters. Following the inquiry, the Department of Education spokesman said the education ministers 'agreed that wellbeing for learning and engagement is one of the priority areas of the agreements, and reforms include initiatives which support student engagement in learning, for example through greater student participation, attendance, inclusion and/or enhanced school-family engagement'.
West Australian
13-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
‘Trending downwards': Shock as school attendance drops below pre-Covid levels
School attendance levels have dipped for another year, with the number of students attending classes falling below pre-Covid-19 levels. Across Australia, the attendance rate for students in primary schools and high schools was 88.3 per cent, a slight dip from the same period the year before. However, attendance levels – the percentage of students with attendance at or above 90 per cent – show a different story. According to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority ( ACARA ), the 2024 attendance levels of students attending at least 90 per cent of their classes across government, Catholic and independent schools were 59.8 per cent – a sharp decline from the 74.9 per cent attendance levels in 2019. School attendance levels vary in each state, though attendance rates are generally higher in big cities compared with regional areas. There's also a significant gap with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attending school compared with non-Indigenous students, though these figures have narrowed slightly by 0.7 percentage points. A Department of Education spokesman said the increase in students wagging classes was concerning, and 'every day of school missed is a day of learning lost'. 'Regular school attendance is critical to successful student outcomes and engagement,' they told NewsWire. While the pandemic had a role to play in this figure, they said the 'national school attendance rates have trended downwards over the past decade'. 'The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated this trend,' they said, adding 'while national student attendance rates have improved from the lows of the pandemic, they are yet to return to pre-Covid levels'. 'They are not at an all time low,' they said. There were several reasons for the sudden decline in attendance levels, including 'anxiety and worry', Australian Primary Principals Association president Angela Falkenberg told NewsWire. 'Schools look at each student and their family to understand the reasons for non-attendance,' she said, explaining schools will complete 'conversations' with kids and parents to explain their absences. While she said it was 'vital' for schools to work with parents and families to ensure children were in class, Ms Falkenberg admitted that this 'may not always be a reality'. 'Some (truancy) can be due to anxiety and worry which can result in poor sleep,' she said. Another reason why students may not be able to attend school comes down to issues at home, including 'family discord, poor mental health, food and housing insecurity and even transport to school'. 'Some might be due to children's friendship struggles,' they said. 'Schools can work with the child on managing conflict (or) joining in a game.' In April 2024, the Senate Education and Employment References Committee issued an inquiry into the national trend of school refusal and related matters. Following the inquiry, the Department of Education spokesman said the education ministers 'agreed that wellbeing for learning and engagement is one of the priority areas of the agreements, and reforms include initiatives which support student engagement in learning, for example through greater student participation, attendance, inclusion and/or enhanced school-family engagement'.
