NAPLAN results explained: proficiency levels and how to read your child's report

Quick answer: NAPLAN results are reported in four proficiency levels for each test area: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support. Strong means your child is meeting challenging but reasonable expectations for their year level. NAPLAN is not a pass or fail test. Your child's report also shows the national average and the range of the middle 60% of students, so you can see where they sit compared with others in the same year.

The four proficiency levels

Each level describes where a student is at the time of testing, in March.

A few points worth knowing:

• Developing is not a fail. It means your child is still building towards the expected standard. Many children move from Developing to Strong between test years.
• Levels are reported separately for each area: reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy. It's common for a child to be Strong in one and Developing in another.
• Staying at the same level isn't standing still. The expectations rise each test year, so a child who is Strong in Year 3 and Strong in Year 5 has kept pace with harder skills.

How to read the report

Your child's individual student report shows three things for each area:

1. Your child's result, placed within one of the four levels.
2. The national average for students in the same year level.
3. The middle 60% of students, shown as a range. If your child's result sits inside that range, they're in the broad middle of their year group. Above it means they're ahead of most students; below it means they're behind most.

The report also includes short descriptions of the skills typically shown at each level, which is a useful starting point for a conversation with your child's teacher.

What the report doesn't tell you

NAPLAN gives you a level for each area, but not the specific skills behind it. A "Developing" in reading could mean your child struggles with vocabulary, with inference, or simply with finishing on time. The report can't separate those.

It's also one test on one day. A child who was unwell, anxious or had a technical problem may score below their usual level. For example, ACARA has noted that some 2026 writing tests were disrupted by connectivity issues. Your child's teacher sees their work all year and is the best person to put the result in context.

Can I compare with earlier years?

Only from 2023 onwards. In 2023 NAPLAN moved to March, introduced new measurement scales for the online test and replaced the old numbered bands and national minimum standard with the four proficiency levels. Results from 2023 onwards can be compared with each other. Results from 2008 to 2022 can't be compared directly with them, so an older sibling's band from 2021 doesn't line up with a younger child's level now.

When do results arrive?

Reports are sent to schools by each state and territory's test authority, and schools pass them on to families. Timing varies by state, but reports have generally reached families in Term 3. Your school will let you know when they're coming home.

Lost the report? Ask your child's school. If the school no longer has a copy, it can request one from the state test authority. ACARA can't issue replacements, and families shouldn't contact the test authority directly.

Does NAPLAN affect selective school entry?

In Queensland, NAPLAN reports are part of the application:

• Brisbane State High School asks for a NAPLAN report as part of academic selective entry. Year 6 applicants submit their Year 5 NAPLAN report. Year 5 applicants (sitting HAST-P) submit their Year 5 NAPLAN report once it becomes available, along with school reports.
• QASMT asks for NAPLAN results where available, and notes that the Year 5 NAPLAN report may be requested once it's completed, alongside the two most recent semester school reports.

Because these applications open early in Year 5, a family's most recent report at the time may be Year 3, with Year 5 added later. Check each school's current checklist, as requirements can change between intakes.

Both schools also run their own entrance tests (HAST-P or HAST at Brisbane State High, and an EduTest-run test at QASMT), so NAPLAN supports an application rather than deciding it. In NSW, the Opportunity Class and Selective High School placements are based on their own placement tests.

Either way, NAPLAN is a useful early signal. If reading or numeracy comes back as Developing in Year 3, that's worth knowing well before a Year 5 selective test.

What to do next, by level

Exceeding or Strong Keep reading widely and keep maths practice regular. If you're considering selective entry, a practice test aimed at that exam will show how your child handles harder, timed questions.

Developing Find out which skills are holding the result back. Ask the teacher, and consider a practice test that breaks results down by skill. Then focus on one or two skills for a few weeks rather than practising everything.

Needs additional support Talk to your child's teacher first. Schools use this level to identify students who need extra help, and there may already be support in place. At home, short, regular practice on the basics (reading aloud together, number facts) is more useful than full practice tests.

Get a skill-by-skill picture

Because a NAPLAN report shows levels rather than skills, a practice test can fill the gap. Our free NAPLAN practice tests are marked with a breakdown by skill, such as inference, vocabulary, fractions or measurement, and every question has a worked explanation.

• Free Year 3 NAPLAN practice test
• Free Year 5 NAPLAN practice test
• Free Year 7 NAPLAN practice test
• Free Year 9 NAPLAN practice test

Practice test results are an independent guide, not an official NAPLAN result or a prediction of one.

Frequently asked questions

Is "Strong" a good NAPLAN result?

Yes. Strong means your child is meeting challenging but reasonable expectations for their year level.

What replaced the old NAPLAN bands?

From 2023, the numbered bands and national minimum standard were replaced by four proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support.

Is Developing a fail?

No. NAPLAN isn't pass or fail. Developing means your child is working towards the expected standard and may need some extra support in parts of that area.

What does "middle 60%" mean on the report?

It's the range covering the middle 60% of students in your child's year level nationally. Inside the range means your child is in the broad middle; above or below shows they're ahead of or behind most students.

When are NAPLAN results released?

Schools receive reports from their state or territory test authority and pass them on. Timing varies by state, and families have generally received reports in Term 3.

Do QASMT and Brisbane State High ask for NAPLAN results?

Yes. Brisbane State High asks for the Year 5 NAPLAN report as part of academic selective entry, and QASMT asks for NAPLAN results where available, with the Year 5 report possibly requested once completed. Both also require recent school reports and their own entrance test.

My child stayed at the same level. Have they gone backwards?

No. The skills expected rise each test year, so staying at the same level means your child has kept up with harder work.

Want to know which skills sit behind the result? Try a free NAPLAN practice test with a skill breakdown. No card required.

Practice Tests & Exams is an independent provider and is not affiliated with ACARA or NAPLAN.

Try the practice tests

Open NAPLAN practice and select your child’s year. Samples are available without signing in. Create an account and sign in for the full free mock. Paid bundles are available for Years 3 and 5. Practice scores are not official NAPLAN proficiency results.