Year 9 NAPLAN runs from Wednesday 10 March to Monday 22 March 2027. It's the last NAPLAN your child sits: writing, reading, conventions of language and numeracy, all online. Many Year 9 students treat it as unimportant, and their results show it. If your child is applying for a selective or academy place for Year 10, though, Year 9 NAPLAN is part of the application.
The four Year 9 tests
| Test | Time | Format | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing | 42 minutes | Online, typed | One narrative or persuasive piece |
| Reading | 65 minutes | Online, adaptive | Complex literary, persuasive and information texts |
| Conventions of language | 45 minutes | Online, adaptive | Spelling, grammar and punctuation |
| Numeracy | 65 minutes | Online, adaptive, two sections | Non-calculator section first, then calculator allowed |
Writing is on 10 March 2027, followed by reading, conventions of language and numeracy.
Why Year 9 NAPLAN still matters
NAPLAN doesn't count towards school grades. But:
- Queensland Academies Year 10 applications (QASMT, QACI and QAHS) require NAPLAN results for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, with Year 9 requested once it's available. Read our Queensland Academies entry guide.
- Mid-secondary selective entry in other states often asks for recent reports and test results.
- It's an independent check before senior subject selection, and schools may use it for placing students in extension classes.
Research on NAPLAN participation has found signs that some Year 9 students disengage from the test. A student who doesn't try gets a result that undersells them, and that result can follow them into an application.
Numeracy
Year 9 numeracy begins with a non-calculator section. Once your child moves to the calculator section, they can't return. Topics include algebra and linear equations, index laws, Pythagoras, trigonometry basics, financial maths, probability and statistics.
The non-calculator section is where Year 9 students lose the most marks, because they've used calculators for years. Practise mental arithmetic, fraction operations and estimation. See our guides to number fundamentals and word problems.
Writing
The task is narrative or persuasive, revealed on the day. Year 9 markers expect writing that would hold up in a high school English class:
- a clear, sustained argument or a controlled story with a deliberate structure
- paragraphs that each do one job
- sophisticated vocabulary used accurately
- varied sentence structures, including complex sentences
- near-perfect punctuation and spelling
The most common problem at Year 9 is writing that's long but shallow: lots of points, none developed. Two well-developed arguments beat five listed ones. Read our Year 7 to 9 persuasive writing guide and our NAPLAN writing prompts.
Reading
Year 9 texts include challenging literary extracts, opinion pieces, poetry and multi-modal texts. Questions focus on inference, tone, how language and structure create meaning, and comparing ideas across texts. See our NAPLAN reading guide by year level and our guide to critical thinking in reading.
Conventions of language
Spelling uses audio dictation and proofreading. Grammar and punctuation at Year 9 cover complex sentence structures, semicolons and colons, dashes and parentheses, and consistent tense and voice. See our language conventions guide.
A simple preparation plan
- Summer holidays: read one opinion article and one longer text a week. Practise mental arithmetic for ten minutes a few times a week.
- February: one typed piece of writing a week under 42 minutes. One non-calculator numeracy set a week.
- Week before: one full practice set in test order, then rest.
If your child is applying for a Queensland Academy, our EduTest Year 9 to 10 practice tests cover the reasoning skills NAPLAN doesn't. See our NAPLAN preparation hub at /naplan and our free NAPLAN practice tests.
Frequently asked questions
When is Year 9 NAPLAN in 2027? Between 10 and 22 March 2027, with writing on 10 March.
Can students use a calculator in Year 9 NAPLAN? Only in the second part of the numeracy test.
Does Year 9 NAPLAN count for anything? It doesn't count towards school grades, but it's required for Queensland Academies Year 10 applications and can be used in other selective and extension applications.
Is Year 9 the last NAPLAN? Yes. NAPLAN is sat in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Sources: National Assessment Program key dates (nap.edu.au); Queensland Academies Year 10 enrolments; SCSA WA NAPLAN information (numeracy sections); Australian Education Research Organisation, NAPLAN participation report (2025).