Test window

The test window for NAPLAN Online is nine days, compared to three days for paper-based NAPLAN. This extended test window allows schools more flexibility in scheduling and accommodates schools which have fewer devices than students. See an infographic which explains the NAPLAN Online test window (PDF 796 kb).

Students who are absent when their class participates in the tests can sit catch-up tests later in the test window.

This section provides some examples of how schools can schedule their NAPLAN Online tests within the online test window. These scenarios are for illustrative purposes only and are not a required or exhaustive list of the types of schedules that could be developed. Note: If schools have questions when planning a test schedule specific to their needs, they should contact the relevant state/territory test administration authority.

Schools are able to use the expanded, flexible test window to schedule tests in a manner that best suits their needs. There are a few parameters that must be followed:

• Schools must schedule the tests to be taken in the following order:
  1.     writing
  2.     reading
  3.     conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation)
  4.     numeracy.

• All classes in a school must complete a domain before classes can move onto the next domain. For instance, all classes at Cook High School must finish the writing test before any of the classes can start the reading test. If students are absent, the classes can still move onto the reading test, even if these absent students have not yet done the writing test. 

• Each student must complete the reading test before they are able to sit the conventions of language test.

 

Technical requirements

To help schools understand the requirements for devices and assess how many students can sit NAPLAN Online tests simultaneously, there is available information on the minimum technical requirements.

The online assessment platform has a capacity planning tool to assist schools with planning their test schedule.

Frequently asked questions

For further information about NAPLAN Online, please visit the NAPLAN Online frequently asked questions page.

If a student's school is doing paper-based NAPLAN, but the student would like to do NAPLAN Online, can they go to an online school to complete the tests?

Students must do NAPLAN tests in the mode of delivery (online or paper) that the rest of their school is doing. If their school is completing paper-based NAPLAN, they cannot attend another school that is delivering NAPLAN online to complete the tests. 

While students can participate in NAPLAN tests as a visiting student in a host school, that host school must be delivering NAPLAN using the same mode as their home school for the student to participate. If their home school is doing NAPLAN online, they will only be able to sit NAPLAN as a visiting student in a host school that is running NAPLAN Online.

Can a school choose to have one year level complete all tests before the other year level starts the tests?

Schools are not able to do this. A school needs to complete each domain before they move onto the next domain. 

If a student is going to be away, can they complete the tests early?

Students are not allowed to complete tests earlier than the rest of the students in their year level at their school. Schools need to follow the National protocols for test administration - NAPLAN Online when scheduling tests.
 

Scheduling examples

See the following example schedules:

Example schedule for a small school

Example schedule for a medium-sized school

Example scenario for a large school

Example schedule for a small school

Springvale Primary School is a small school. It has 10 Year 3 students and 10 Year 5 students. The school has a total of 25 devices available. The school has sufficient bandwidth for all of these devices to be used simultaneously.

The school has decided to run separate sessions for each year level and run just one session a day in the morning. This will require 22 of their devices – 20 for the students and two for the test administrators, one for each session. They will have three devices that they can use as back-ups.

Two rooms have been assigned for the test sessions – blue room and red room.

This is their schedule:

Week 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 3, writing - blue room	Year 3, reading - blue room	Year 3, conventions of language - blue room	Year 3, numeracy - blue room
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 5, writing - red room	Year 5, reading - red room	Year 5, conventions of language - red room	Year 5, numeracy - red room

Any students who were absent during this week will be able to complete catch up tests in the following week of the test window (until Friday).
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Mount Eliza High School has 100 Year 7 students and 100 Year 9 students. The school has 60 devices and sufficient bandwidth for 75 devices to be used simultaneously. The school has decided to run two sessions a day, with two groups of 25 students sitting the tests in each session. This will require 52 devices – 50 devices for the students and two for the test administrators, one in each session. The remaining eight devices can be used as back-ups.

The students have been allocated into the following groups:          

Year 7A – 25 students	Year 9A – 25 students
Year 7B – 25 students	Year 9B – 25 students
Year 7C – 25 students	Year 9C – 25 students
Year 7D – 25 students	Year 9D – 25 students

 

Room 10 and Room 20 have been assigned for the tests.

Their schedule looks like this:

Week 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7A, writing - Room 10	Year 9A, writing - Room 10	Year 7A, reading - Room 10	Year 9A, reading - Room 10
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7B, writing - Room 20	Year 9B, writing - Room 20	Year 7B, reading - Room 20	Year 9B, reading - Room 20
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 7C, writing - Room 10	Year 9C, writing - Room 10	Year 7C, reading - Room 10	Year 9C, reading - Room 10
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 7D, writing - Room 20	Year 9D, writing - Room 20	Year 7D, reading -            Room 20	Year 9D, reading - Room 20

 

Week 2	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Session 1	Year 7A, conventions of language - Room 10	Year 9A, conventions of language - Room 10	Year 7A, numeracy - Room 10	Year 9A, numeracy - Room 10
Session 1	Year 7B, conventions of language - Room 20	Year 9B, conventions of language - Room 20	Year 7B, numeracy - Room 20	Year 9B, numeracy - Room 20
Session 2	Year 7C, conventions of language - Room 10	Year 9C, conventions of language - Room 10	Year 7C, numeracy - Room 10	Year 9C, numeracy - Room 10
Session 2	Year 7D, conventions of language - Room 20	Year 9D, conventions of language - Room 20	Year 7D, numeracy - Room 20	Year 9D, numeracy - Room 20

 

Students should complete reading before conventions of language.
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Example scenario for a large school

Lakeview High School has 300 Year 7 students and 300 Year 9 students. The school has a 1:1 device ratio, supported by a BYOD (bring-your-own-device) policy. The school has sufficient bandwidth for 200 devices to be used simultaneously.

The school has decided to run three sessions a day, with eight groups of 25 students in each session. This approach will allow the school to finish one domain a day. Any students who are absent will be able to do catch up tests in the second week of testing. A student will still need to complete reading before attempting conventions of language.

Each test administrator will require a device to run the test session. The school will need to ensure that they have sufficient devices available for the test administrators. It is recommended that the school also have some back-up devices available for students, in case they are required.

The students have been broken into the following groups:      

Year 7A	Year 9A
Year 7B	Year 9B
Year 7C	Year 9C
Year 7D	Year 9D
Year 7E	Year 9E
Year 7F	Year 9F
Year 7G	Year 9G
Year 7H	Year 9H
Year 7I	Year 9I
Year 7J	Year 9J
Year 7K	Year 9K
Year 7L	Year 9L

The following rooms have been assigned:

Room 1	Room 3	Room 5	Room 7
Room 2	Room 4	Room 6	Room 8

   
This is the schedule the school has developed:

Week 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7A, writing - Room 1	Year 7A, reading - Room 1	Year 7A, conventions of language - Room 1	Year 7A, numeracy - Room 1
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7B, writing - Room 2	Year 7B, reading - Room 2	Year 7B, conventions of language - Room 2	Year 7B, numeracy - Room 2
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7C, writing - Room 3	Year 7C, reading - Room 3	Year 7C, conventions of language - Room 3	Year 7C, numeracy - Room 3
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7D, writing - Room 4	Year 7D, reading - Room 4	Year 7D, conventions of language - Room 4	Year 7D, numeracy - Room 4
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7E, writing - Room 5	Year 7E, reading - Room 5	Year 7E, conventions of language - Room 5	Year 7E, numeracy - Room, 5
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7F, writing - Room 6	Year 7F, reading - Room 6	Year 7F, conventions of language - Room 6	Year 7F, numeracy - Room 6
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7G, writing - Room 7	Year 7G, reading - Room 7	Year 7G, conventions of language - Room 7	Year 7G, numeracy - Room 7
Session 1	Preparation day	Year 7H, writing - Room 8	Year 7H, reading - Room 8	Year 7H,  conventions of language - Room 8	Year 7H, numeracy - Room 8
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 7I, writing - Room 1	Year 7I, reading - Room 1	Year 7I, conventions of language - Room 1	Year 7I, numeracy - Room 1
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 7J, writing - Room 2	Year 7J, reading - Room 2	Year 7J, conventions of language - Room 2	Year 7J, numeracy - Room 2
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 7K, writing - Room 3	Year 7K, reading - Room 3	Year 7K, conventions of language - Room 3	Year 7K, numeracy - Room 3
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 7L, writing - Room 4	Year 7L, reading - Room 4	Year 7L, conventions of language - Room 4	Year 7L, numeracy - Room 4
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 9A, writing - Room 5	Year 9A, reading - Room 5	Year 9A, conventions of language - Room 5	Year 9A, numeracy - Room 5
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 9B, writing - Room 6	Year 9B, reading - Room 6	Year 9B, conventions of language - Room 6	Year 9B, numeracy - Room 6
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 9C, writing - Room 7	Year 9C, reading - Room 7	Year 9C, conventions of language - Room 7	Year 9C, numeracy - Room 7
Session 2	Preparation day	Year 9D,  writing - Room 8	Year 9D, reading - Room 8	Year 9D, conventions of language - Room 8	Year 9D, numeracy - Room 8
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9E, writing - Room 1	Year 9E, reading - Room 1	Year 9E, conventions of language - Room 1	Year 9E, numeracy - Room 1
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9F, writing - Room 2	Year 9F, reading - Room 2	Year 9F, conventions of language - Room 2	Year 9F, numeracy - Room 2
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9G, writing - Room 3	Year 9G, reading - Room 3	Year 9G, conventions of language - Room 3	Year 9G, numeracy - Room 3
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9H, writing - Room 4	Year 9H, reading - Room 4	Year 9H, conventions of language - Room 4	Year 9H, numeracy - Room 4
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9I, writing - Room 5	Year 9I, reading - Room 5	Year 9I, conventions of language - Room 5	Year 9I, numeracy - Room 5
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9J, writing - Room 6	Year 9J, reading - Room 6	Year 9J, conventions of language - Room 6	Year 9J, numeracy - Room 6
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9K, writing - Room 7	Year 9K, reading - Room 7	Year 9K, conventions of language - Room 7	Year 9K, numeracy - Room 7
Session 3	Preparation day	Year 9L, writing - Room 8	Year 9L, reading - Room 8	Year 9L, conventions of language - Room 8	Year 9L, numeracy - Room 8

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