Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

It’s a wrap for NAPLAN 2025 with the testing period now complete. This year, over 4.5 million online tests were taken by more than 1.3 million students in over 9,400 campuses and schools across Australia. A huge thanks to all the students, teachers, and schools for their dedication and effort in managing this year’s #NAPLAN tests – and a special shoutout to those schools who overcame the challenges caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Here’s a selection of some of the fantastic photos of #NAPLAN 2025 moments that schools have shared with us. Our thanks to Eugowra Public School, NSW; Great Ryrie Primary School, Victoria; Playford College SA; International School of WA; Brigidine College St Ives NSW; Launceston Church Grammar School, Tasmania and Borroloola School, NT. Read more https://brnw.ch/21wRGcR

Thanks to Independent Schools Tasmania for inviting Rachael Whitney-Smith, our Curriculum Specialist for Mathematics, to be a guest speaker for their 3-part webinar series: ‘Secondary Mathematics with ACARA’. The first part of this webinar series was for curriculum leaders and high school teachers. It focused on understanding and implementing the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics to support proficiency and a positive attitude towards mathematics. The webinar content areas included: • The mathematical processes, including mathematical modelling, statistical investigation and computational thinking • Algorithmic thinking and probability simulations and experiments • 3-dimensional coordinate systems • Logarithmic scales • Error and networks The other two webinars in this series will be held later in the year. Find out more: https://brnw.ch/21wRBgF Learn more about the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics: https://brnw.ch/21wRBgG #AusCurric #aussieED

Thanks to La Trobe University for having Jane Polley, our Curriculum Specialist, The Arts, along to talk about the contemporary and knowledge rich Australian Curriculum: The Arts. Over 380 arts education students, who are planning to have careers in education and studying a range of degrees, joined one of the two webinars held earlier this month. Jane discussed how the contemporary and knowledge rich Australian Curriculum: The Arts supports teaching and advocacy of the arts. She also covered the rationale and aims, content and achievement standards of the curriculum. Find out more: https://brnw.ch/21wRxTe Jane also shared where teachers can find resources and examples of knowledge and skills of their arts subject on the Australian Curriculum website https://brnw.ch/21wRxTf #AusCurric #artsed #arted #arteducation

The theme for this year’s National Close the Gap Day campaign for First Nations Australians is ‘Agency, Leadership, Reform’. Teachers support student learning about ‘closing the gap’ in the Australian Curriculum: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures Cross-Curriculum Priority and in the Australian Curriculum: Geography Year 10. Students explore First Nations Peoples’ living communities and identities through Country/Place, Culture and People. Find out more: https://brnw.ch/21wRrF1 #closethegap #AusCurric #aussieEd

‘AI in the Australian Curriculum’ was the focus of the keynote presentation from Melanie Hughes, our Curriculum Specialist, Technologies, at the recent Queensland AI Leadership in Education Forum. Melanie spoke to an audience of educators from schools interested in learning more about AI tools and systems. She explained how the 3 dimensions of the Australian Curriculum support teachers to help students learn about generative AI tools, how they work, and their potential limitations and biases. Melanie also outlined how the curriculum content specifically prepares students to become responsible and ethical designers and users of AI systems. Learn more in the Curriculum connection: Artificial intelligence: https://brnw.ch/21wRogC #aussieEd #AusCurric #AIinEd

#HarmonyWeek celebrates our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. Through the Australian Curriculum, teachers can support students to develop their intercultural understanding from Foundation to Year 10. This includes engaging with diverse cultures and having respectful relationships. Find out more: https://brnw.ch/21wRmN9 #AusCurric #aussieEd #EveryoneBelongs

‘Mathematics, Art, and Creativity’ is the theme of this year’s #internationaldayofmathematics celebrating the creativity found in mathematical discovery and art and new ideas. Teachers support student learning of mathematics from Foundation to Year 10 in the Australian Curriculum. Students develop their knowledge, skills and process in Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability that support them in future careers within STEM and other fields. Find out more: https://brnw.ch/21wRjBJ #AusCurric #aussieEd

Our latest report into civics and citizenship knowledge and understanding amongst Australian students includes findings from a student questionnaire. It shows that both Year 6 and Year 10 students expressed concerns about issues affecting Australia, including pollution, climate change, crime, and racism. However, concern about water shortages was far less than compared to the previous report. Explore more of the findings from this questionnaire in the NAP-Civics and Citizenship 2024 Public Report: https://brnw.ch/21wR8o6

Just want to say good luck to the 1.3 million students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 taking part in #NAPLAN assessments starting today.   On behalf of Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) a big thank you to our fantastic teachers and schools across all jurisdictions and sectors for all their efforts to get ready for NAPLAN, especially in those areas impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. And, of course, thank you to all the parents and carers for supporting their child during the NAPLAN test period.   NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but helps education authorities, schools, parents and carers to see how Australian children are reaching important literacy and numeracy goals and are progressing against national standards.   This year, when the results come out, you will be able to compare how the same cohort of students have progressed in their NAPLAN assessment results since 2023 when the annual test changed from being held in March instead of May and set against the new proficiency levels. Read more about this in the media release at https://brnw.ch/21wReJc

#NAPLAN starts tomorrow for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 – good luck to all the students taking part. Just do your best when you do the tests. A big thank you to all the teachers and school staff for all their efforts to get ready for these important assessments. Read our Media Release: https://brnw.ch/21wReJl