# NAPLAN 2027: Dates and Guide for Teachers and Parents

> NAPLAN 2027 runs 10 to 22 March. Test dates, what changes this year, how the 9 day window works, prep tips and results for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

## NAPLAN 2027: What Teachers and Parents Need to Know

NAPLAN 2027 runs from **Wednesday 10 March to Monday 22 March 2027**. Students in **Years 3, 5, 7 and 9** sit four tests: writing, reading, conventions of language and numeracy. ACARA publishes the dates on the [NAP key dates page](https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/key-dates).

NAPLAN is not a pass or fail test. It is a snapshot of where a student is in literacy and numeracy at one point in the year, reported against national proficiency standards. For teachers it is data to plan with. For parents it shows how a child is tracking.

This guide covers the 2027 dates, what is different this year, how to prepare students without drilling them, and what the results mean. For the 2026 version, see [NAPLAN 2026](/teacher-guides/naplan-2026-guide).

**Free tool:** [NAPLAN practice tests](/tools/naplan-practice) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, online in the real test's format and marked with an explanation for every question. Share a set with your class, practise one area such as fractions or apostrophes, or print it as a paper test.

**By year:** [Year 3 NAPLAN practice tests](/tools/naplan-practice/year-3), [Year 5 NAPLAN practice tests](/tools/naplan-practice/year-5), [Year 7 NAPLAN practice tests](/tools/naplan-practice/year-7) and [Year 9 NAPLAN practice tests](/tools/naplan-practice/year-9). For the real thing, [NAPLAN past papers](/tools/naplan-practice/past-papers) explains where ACARA's released 2008 to 2016 papers are and what has changed since.

## NAPLAN Year 3 Practice Resources

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## NAPLAN 2027 Test Dates

### Test window: Wednesday 10 March to Monday 22 March 2027

The window is **9 school days**: Wednesday 10, Thursday 11 and Friday 12 March, Monday 15 to Friday 19 March, and Monday 22 March. Your school sets its own timetable inside it, so the exact day your class sits each test will vary.

The rules every school follows, from ACARA's [test window page](https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/key-dates/naplan-test-window):

- **Writing comes first.** Writing starts on day 1, **Wednesday 10 March**. Year 3 writes on paper and must do it on day 1. Day 2 is only used for online writing where a school has technical or logistical problems.
- **Then reading, then conventions of language, then numeracy**, scheduled as early in the window as possible and in the morning where possible.
- **At least a 20 minute break** between two tests on the same day.
- **Catch-ups happen inside the window.** Year 3 writing catch-ups must be done by the end of day 4 (Monday 15 March). Years 5, 7 and 9 can catch up writing until the end of day 9 (Monday 22 March).

### The next few years

ACARA has also published the next two windows, which helps if you plan your Term 1 program over more than one year:

| Year | NAPLAN test window |
|------|--------------------|
| 2027 | 10 to 22 March |
| 2028 | 15 to 27 March |
| 2029 | 14 to 26 March |

NAPLAN falls in Term 1 in every state. To see where it sits in your term, check the [2027 term dates](/teacher-guides/school-term-dates-2027) for your state.

## What to Plan For in NAPLAN 2027

The tests themselves are the same as in 2026: the same four domains, online tests for all four year levels, with Year 3 writing on paper, and the same four proficiency levels in the results. Two things are worth planning for.

### Eid al-Fitr is expected on the first day

ACARA expects **Ramadan to start around 8 February 2027** and **Eid al-Fitr to fall around 10 March**, which is day 1 of the window and writing day. The exact date depends on the moon sighting, so it may move by a day. ACARA's [Ramadan and NAPLAN page](https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-schools/ramadan-and-naplan) says:

- Schools that plan to close for Eid must talk to their test administration authority before finalising their timetable.
- Students absent for Eid can sit catch-up tests inside the window. For Year 3 writing, that means by Monday 15 March.
- ACARA's general advice is to run tests first thing in the morning. In 2027 Ramadan is expected to end the day before the window opens, so it matters only if the dates shift.

If you have Muslim students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, it is worth raising this with your NAPLAN coordinator in Term 4 of 2026, before the timetable is set. ACARA notes that from 2028, Ramadan and Eid are expected to finish before the window opens.

### A short week before writing

In VIC, SA, TAS and the ACT, Monday 8 March is a public holiday, which leaves one school day before writing on Wednesday 10 March. Get the practice runs and device checks done the week before.

## NAPLAN Year 5 Practice Resources

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## What NAPLAN 2027 Tests

### Writing

Students get a prompt and write either a **narrative** or a **persuasive** text. The text type is revealed on the day and there is no choice, so students need to be ready for both. Years 3 and 5 get different prompts from Years 7 and 9, and students in the same year may get different prompts depending on the day they sit it. Writing is marked against a 10 criteria rubric covering things like audience, text structure, ideas, vocabulary, cohesion, paragraphing, sentences, punctuation and spelling.

For teaching both text types, see [Persuasive Writing](/teacher-guides/persuasive-writing) and [Narrative Writing](/teacher-guides/narrative-writing).

### Reading

Students read a range of texts and answer questions about them, including multiple choice and drag and drop. Questions go from finding information stated in the text to inferring, interpreting and evaluating.

### Conventions of language

Spelling, grammar and punctuation, tested on their own. Homophones, apostrophes, subject and verb agreement and commas trip up a lot of students, so they are worth a short revision cycle in Term 1.

### Numeracy

Number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability. Years 3 and 5 have no calculator. Years 7 and 9 have a short non-calculator section, then an online calculator for the rest.

### Tailored tests

The online tests adapt as a student goes. Everyone starts with the same set of questions, and the next set is chosen based on how they went. Two students in the same class will often see different questions, and that is normal. ACARA explains it under [tailored tests](https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/whats-in-the-tests).

## How to Prepare Students for NAPLAN 2027

### Teach the curriculum, not the test

The best preparation is good teaching of reading, writing, spelling, grammar and maths all year. NAPLAN tests skills students are already meant to be learning. Weeks of practice tests mostly add anxiety.

### Get them comfortable with the format

- Let students try the [public demonstration site](https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site), which uses the real test interface. One or two sessions is enough.
- For Year 5, build typing stamina before March so the writing test is about ideas, not finding keys.
- Show students how to flag a question and come back to it.

### Practise both writing text types

Because the text type is a surprise, run short timed pieces of both through Term 4 and the start of Term 1. Teach students to spend a few minutes planning before they write. For persuasive writing: a clear position, two or three developed reasons, and a conclusion. For narrative: an orientation, a complication worth solving, and a resolution.

### Use practice tests sparingly

One or two practice tests in the fortnight before the window is plenty. The free [NAPLAN practice tests](/tools/naplan-practice) have two short sets per test for each year, timed at about the real pace. Use what you see to target a skill or two (inference, paragraphing, multi-step problems) rather than running more tests. The [NAPLAN Practice Resources](/teacher-guides/naplan-practice-resources) page has teacher-made practice packs by year level.

### Keep the stakes low

Talk about NAPLAN as a chance to show what they know. Skip phrases like "this is really important". Keep routines normal in test week, and remind students it is fine to skip a hard question and come back.

## NAPLAN Writing Practice Resources

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## NAPLAN Results and Proficiency Levels

Results are reported in four proficiency levels, the same in every year level:

| Proficiency level | What it means |
|-------------------|---------------|
| **Exceeding** | Above what is expected at this point in the year |
| **Strong** | Meets the expected standard. This is where students should be |
| **Developing** | Working towards the expected standard |
| **Needs additional support** | Not yet at the expected standard and needs targeted support |

Schools get early results within a few weeks of the test. Individual student reports, showing the level in each domain and where the student sits on the national scale, go home from around the start of Term 3, and your school will tell you when.

For a plain guide to reading a report, see [Understanding NAPLAN Results](/teacher-guides/understanding-naplan-results).

## For Parents: NAPLAN 2027

- **Keep it normal.** Sleep, breakfast and a calm morning matter more than any practice book.
- **Read together.** Regular reading at home is the best preparation for every NAPLAN test, including numeracy word problems.
- **Skip expensive NAPLAN coaching.** Drilling for the test rarely changes results much and can make children anxious.
- **If your family observes Ramadan**, talk to the school early about test timing and catch-up sessions, since Eid is expected on the first day of the window.
- **Exemptions and withdrawal** are possible. Students with significant disability may be exempted, and parents can withdraw a child in writing. Talk to the school first, as anxiety can usually be handled another way.

When the report comes home, look at the proficiency level first. "Strong" means on track. "Developing" is not a fail. If your child needs support, ask the teacher what you can do at home.

## Frequently Asked Questions About NAPLAN 2027

### When is NAPLAN 2027?

NAPLAN 2027 runs from **Wednesday 10 March to Monday 22 March 2027**, a window of 9 school days. Writing is on the first day, Wednesday 10 March. Schools set their own timetable inside the window.

### Is NAPLAN 2027 different from 2026?

The tests are the same: four domains, online tests for all four year levels, with Year 3 writing on paper, and the same proficiency levels. The main difference is timing. Eid al-Fitr is expected around 10 March, the first day of the window, so schools that plan to close for Eid must check with their test administration authority, and absent students can sit catch-ups inside the window.

### What happens if NAPLAN falls on Eid?

Schools that plan to close for Eid must talk to their test administration authority before setting their timetable. Students who are absent can sit catch-up tests inside the window. Year 3 writing catch-ups must be finished by the end of day 4, which is Monday 15 March 2027.

### Is the NAPLAN 2027 writing task persuasive or narrative?

Nobody knows in advance. The text type is revealed on the day and students cannot choose, so practise both narrative and persuasive writing.

### Can Year 5 use a calculator in NAPLAN?

No. Years 3 and 5 numeracy has no calculator. Years 7 and 9 have a short non-calculator section and then an online calculator for the rest of the test.

### When are NAPLAN 2027 results released?

Schools get early results within a few weeks of the test. Individual student reports go home from around the start of Term 3, and your school will tell you when. See [Understanding NAPLAN Results](/teacher-guides/understanding-naplan-results) for how to read them.

### When is NAPLAN 2028?

ACARA has published the 2028 window as **15 to 27 March 2028**, and 2029 as 14 to 26 March.

### Are there free NAPLAN practice resources?

Yes. The [NAPLAN public demonstration site](https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site) is free, and teachers share [free NAPLAN practice resources](/s?keywords=NAPLAN&price=0%2C0) on TeachBuySell. More are on the [NAPLAN Practice Resources](/teacher-guides/naplan-practice-resources) page.

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