The latest data from the 2026 NAPLAN assessments shows signs of improvement from 2023 in national numeracy levels for Australian students in Years 5, 7 and 9, but also highlights some other areas requiring attention.
The 2026 NAPLAN National Results released today (5 August 2026) by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) show that the national average numeracy scores in Years 5, 7 and 9 are the highest since 2023 when new proficiency levels were introduced.
Continuing an encouraging pattern in numeracy in Years 5, 7 and 9 identified in last year's results, the 2026 NAPLAN results indicate increases in the number of students meeting proficiency standards. There are around 29,000 more students in the "Exceeding" category compared to 2023, and around 1,600 fewer students rated as "Needs additional support". There was also a reportable increase, from 2023 to 2026, in the percentage of Indigenous students achieving "Exceeding" in numeracy at both Years 7 and 9.
The results also show that these gains were not repeated for younger students in Year 3, where the average numeracy score was the lowest since 2023.
Commenting on the latest NAPLAN National Results, ACARA CEO, Stephen Gniel, said:
"As the only national assessment that lets us see whether young Australians are developing critical literacy and numeracy skills, NAPLAN provides valuable information on how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy over time using a national, objective scale.
"What is particularly encouraging in this year's results is the continued improvement in national numeracy, with higher NAPLAN scores on average across Years 5, 7 and 9, especially among the stronger students. Around 29,000 more Australian students are performing at 'Exceeding' – the highest proficiency level – in 2026 compared to 2023.
"It's also pleasing to see continuing progress in numeracy for our Indigenous students, with more achieving 'Exceeding' in numeracy at both Years 7 and 9, and the average numeracy scores in Years 5 and 7 at the highest level since the scale was reset in 2023.
"All these improvements are testament to the exceptional work and commitment of our amazing teachers, principals and school staff around the country, as well as parents and carers and the students themselves.
"The drop in Year 3 numeracy results is clearly concerning. Education ministers are addressing this through a range of measures including the rollout of the national Year 1 numeracy check. ACARA is also playing its part by reviewing the Foundation to Year 2 Mathematics curriculum at the direction of education ministers to ensure our youngest learners get the strong grounding in mathematics and numeracy they need to succeed in their education and later in life."
The overall NAPLAN results in 2026 remained broadly stable at a national level, with no reportable changes in average scores between 2026 and 2025, or between 2026 and 2023. Around 2 out of 3 students achieved at the "Strong" or "Exceeding" proficiency level for their reading, numeracy and writing skills, with one in 10 students at the "Needs additional support" level across all year groups and domains.
The 2026 NAPLAN National Results also highlighted some other areas needing attention:
- Average reading scores in Years 5, 7 and 9 are lower than in 2025.
- There has been a slight increase since 2023 in students needing additional support in reading and writing.
A technical issue with the national NAPLAN platform affected the first day of testing this year. The disruption early in the morning impacted schools largely on the east coast of Australia and affected only the writing test and only students in Years 5, 7 and 9. Despite this, national average scores in writing remained similar to last year. However, given that the disruption varied in its impacts for students and schools, ACARA has included a caveat on the 2026 writing results for students in Years 5, 7 and 9 in the national reporting.
Reinforcing the need for focus on areas needing attention, Mr Gniel added:
"The latest results have also highlighted some other areas that need our collective action, particularly the decline in Years 5, 7 and 9 average reading scores since last year, and the increase in the number of students in the 'Needs additional support' category in reading and writing since 2023.
"It is also disheartening to see disparities persisting over the years in the attainment of students from our regional and remote areas, Indigenous students and those from a disadvantaged background. This needs to be a continuing focus for all in the coming years."
The national participation rates remained high in 2026, with over 95% of students in Years 3, 5 and 7 completing at least one NAPLAN test, along with over 92% in Year 9. However, national participation rates are slightly lower than last year, due to the impact of low participation in Tasmanian government schools due to industrial action, and localised flooding in Northern Territory. Participation elsewhere in Australia remained strong. Queensland once again continued its improving trend, with small increases at all year levels.
Due to the lower participation rate in Tasmania, which was far below ACARA's technical data standard for the accurate reporting of results, education ministers agreed last month not to report Tasmanian state-level NAPLAN 2026 results.
Mr Gniel also took the opportunity of the national results release to remind parents and carers about the importance of the NAPLAN results being used in the right way.
"NAPLAN is not a pass or fail test – and it shouldn't be used as a proxy for school entrance exams. It's a point-in-time test that helps us understand students' strengths and areas for development, and is one aspect of a school's assessment program," he said.
To access the full 2026 NAPLAN National Results, including information about the socio-educational profile of each jurisdiction, please visit: www.acara.edu.au/naplanresults.
