Back to VCAA Bulletin No. 45 - February 2019
NAPLAN 2019 test dates
NAPLAN paper testing and NAPLAN online testing will take place from Tuesday 14 May to Thursday 16 May, and from Tuesday 14 May to Friday 24 May, respectively. Refer to the NAPLAN Test Timetable webpage for further details.
The tests must be administered in the order, on the dates and within the times specified in the NAPLAN 2019
Handbook for principals. Under no circumstances may a test be conducted before the official test date or time. Note that the test security period has been extended in line with the NAPLAN Online test window and all tests must remain secure until Friday 31 May.
NAPLAN Online transition
This year, as part of the continuing transition to NAPLAN Online, approximately half of Victorian NAPLAN schools are expected to undertake NAPLAN Online tests in May.
The rest of the Victorian NAPLAN schools are expected to transition to NAPLAN Online in 2020. Further information regarding school readiness activities will be provided later in the year for schools transitioning in 2020.
For detailed information regarding NAPLAN Online, including test design and technical requirements, go to the
NAP website.
Training for 2019 NAPLAN Online schools
The VCAA will provide training for NAPLAN coordinators and school staff for 2019 NAPLAN Online schools.
This training, alongside the
NAPLAN Online coordinator guide, will cover the requirements to successfully use the Online National Assessment Platform (the platform) to administer the NAPLAN tests online. The NAPLAN Online Coordinator Guide will be distributed at the training and copies will also be sent directly to schools.
The training sessions will be held between Monday 4 March and Friday 22 March from 9am–12pm or 1–4pm. The sessions will be funded by the VCAA for up to two staff members per school (one full-day Casual Relief Teacher ([CRT] payment per person). More participants are welcome to attend. A maximum of two CRT payments will be provided to each school.
The VCAA strongly recommends that schools take this opportunity to send staff to the funded training. Staff who have previously attended NAPLAN Online training will also benefit, as the training will cover changes made to the platform since the School Readiness Test in 2018, as well as important information for administering the tests in May.
Registrations close Friday 22 February 2019.
NAPLAN 2019 principals' package
The NAPLAN 2019 principals' package has been delivered to schools. The package includes an important information sheet about NAPLAN 2019 and login details to the
Test Administration website.
The package also includes the
Handbook for principals, with versions for both paper and online testing, as applicable. Part A of the handbook contains key information from the
National protocols for test administration and the NAPLAN code of conduct. Part B of the handbook provides information relating to implementing NAPLAN 2019 in Victoria.
Principals must ensure that relevant personnel, including NAPLAN coordinators, have read and understood both sections of the handbook.
If you have not yet received a principals' package, contact the NAPLAN Helpdesk on 1800 648 637.
Requests to vary NAPLAN 2019 test dates
NAPLAN tests (other than catch-up tests) must be administered in the order, on the dates and within the times specified in the timetables provided. Schools with compelling reasons may request permission to participate in the tests in the week after testing (to Friday 24 May for paper testing and to Friday 31 May for online testing). This option is available only for classes or groups of students and not for individual students. As previously advised, schools that book a camp in test week will not be granted approval to vary NAPLAN test dates.
Under no circumstances can a NAPLAN test be conducted before the published test date. Request to Vary Dates forms can be found in the NAPLAN 2019
Handbook for principals. Completed forms must be returned to the VCAA by Friday 22 February.
NAPLAN Years 7 and 9 Numeracy tests use of calculators
The Years 7 and 9 Numeracy tests will be split into two sections: Part A, which requires a calculator, and Part B, in which students are not permitted to use a calculator.
For the calculator-allowed section of the Numeracy test, students completing NAPLAN Online will have access to an onscreen calculator. Students completing NAPLAN paper testing will be allowed to use a physical calculator to complete Part A of the Numeracy test. Additionally, students with a disability who cannot access the NAPLAN Online calculator can continue to access their usual physical calculator.
Schools must ensure that Years 7 and 9 students have access to, and are familiar with, a suitable calculator for the NAPLAN 2019 Numeracy tests. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority has confirmed that multifunction or internet-accessible devices, such as tablets and iPads, are not permitted for NAPLAN 2019.
Detailed instructions on how to administer the Numeracy test session will be printed in the NAPLAN
Test administration handbook for teachers.
NAPLAN Writing test information
In 2019, as in previous years, there will be two prompts for the NAPLAN Writing test: one for Years 3 and 5, and one for Years 7 and 9. The genre for the Writing test will be either narrative or persuasive, and the same genre for all year levels. The genre for the Writing test will not be disclosed before the test day and students will not be able to choose the genre for their response.
The Year 3 Writing test will be conducted using paper tests for all schools, including schools transitioning to NAPLAN Online in 2019.
Further information about the
Writing test is available on the VCAA website.
NAPLAN Test Administration website
The VCAA provides schools with the NAPLAN
Test Administration website to enable a range of administrative tasks to be completed online. The website address is secure and requires a user ID and password to login. The login details are provided to principals in the letter accompanying the NAPLAN 2019 principal's package.
The website is currently available for the enrolment phase. During this phase, schools must complete the following tasks by Friday 22 February:
- a Statement of Compliance
- registering of authorised staff
- review of school contact and address details
- ordering of alternative format test books (large print, black and white, Braille and electronic).
In addition, schools undertaking online testing are asked to complete the following tasks by Friday 8 March:
- Technical Readiness Check
- NAPLAN test schedule.
Independent schools are also required to pre-enrol students by uploading data to the Test Administration website by Friday 15 February.
Detailed instructions to assist schools to complete tasks during the enrolment phase of the website are available on the VCAA website.
Student registration for NAPLAN 2019
Students undertaking NAPLAN 2019 tests must be registered via a pre-enrolment process. Pre-enrolment allows individual student details to be printed on test books and provides significant efficiencies in test administration.
As in previous years, the following processes apply for NAPLAN test pre-enrolment for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9:
- Government schools – through an agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the VCAA, students at government schools will be pre-enrolled in the NAPLAN tests based on their enrolment status on the CASES21 system, as of the 2019 February school census day. This means that government schools do not have to manually upload their enrolment data.
- Catholic schools – the Catholic Education Office Melbourne will collect and provide student registration information to the VCAA on behalf of Catholic schools, as part of the 2019 February school census process.
- Independent schools – independent schools are required to upload data files via the
Test Administration website by Friday 15 February.
NAPLAN alternative paper test formats
Each student has different needs, and adjustments for NAPLAN paper and online testing must be determined on a case-by-case basis. For online testing, students with a disability should be encouraged to take the demonstration tests at their school, using their preferred device, to determine if they can access NAPLAN Online. Where students with a disability cannot access online testing, alternative format paper tests can be provided.
All NAPLAN test materials will be available in large-print and Braille formats. In addition, A4 black-and-white materials are also available. Requests for the interactive PDF, large-print, black-and-white and Braille materials can be ordered online through the NAPLAN Test Administration website.
The following formats are available in large print:
- N18A – A4, approximately three questions per page
- N18 – A3, questions displayed as per standard book
- N24A – A4, approximately two questions per page
- N24 – A3, approximately two questions per page
- N36 – A3, approximately one question per page.
Braille versions of the NAPLAN tests can be requested in either Grade 1 uncontracted or Grade 2 contracted, with single or double spacing.
An interactive PDF version of the tests is also available and enables students to answer questions on screen. This version may be suitable for students with a disability who use a computer as part of their usual adjustments and who are otherwise unable to access the tests through other adjustments for a disability. Note that the interactive PDF version is not NAPLAN Online.
Requests for alternative test formats must be submitted via the NAPLAN
Test Administration website by Friday 22 February.