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Two in five year 3 students in Queensland have failed to meet national NAPLAN numeracy benchmarks, months after the state began a numeracy screening trial for year 1 children.<\/p>\n
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority warned a similar \u201cclearly concerning\u201d dip in year 3 cohorts across the country was recorded when the National Assessment Program \u2013 Literacy and Numeracy results were released on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
In Queensland, the numeracy skills of 43.3 per cent of year 3 students were classified as either \u201cdeveloping\u201d or \u201cneeds additional support\u201d \u2013 the lowest bands.<\/p>\n
Nationally, 35.9 per cent of year 3 students fell into these categories, while Victoria recorded the strongest results of any state or territory, with more than 70 per cent achieving the national benchmark.<\/p>\n
Brisbane mum Katie Wilson said she felt her year 3 and 5 children performed \u201cOK\u201d in this year\u2019s tests and had been \u201cpretty happy\u201d with their scores.<\/p>\n
Wilson said the pair also found the actual tests easier than they expected after a long period of training at their state school.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s lots of preparation \u2013 so talk around it \u2013 in the lead-up \u2026 but I also feel that that, in a way, causes anxiety,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel said while families should not be stressed about the point-in-time test itself, the year 3 results pointed to a national issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe drop in year 3 numeracy results are clearly concerning,\u201d Gniel said.<\/p>\n
He said the assessment authority was already reviewing its mathematics curriculum from prep through to year 2, and education ministers were rolling out \u201ca range of measures\u201d, including national year 1 numeracy checks.<\/p>\n
In Queensland, year 1 students at 62 schools were screened for their numeracy ability at the start of 2026.<\/p>\n
A Queensland Education Department spokesperson said the screening was expected to find weaknesses in numeracy \u201cas early as possible, so assistance can be provided before learning gaps widen\u201d.<\/p>\n
When asked by this masthead what resources the department had offered to teachers, schools and students, the spokesperson said it was still analysing results from the year 1 screenings and gathering additional data.<\/p>\n
\u201cInformation gathered through the number check pilot [year 1 screening], alongside teacher feedback and research findings, will help inform future decisions about the most effective ways to support numeracy development in Queensland schools,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n