Each March, families across Australia hear a lot about NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. But what does it really mean for your child in 2026?
First, NAPLAN serves an important purpose. It provides a consistent, nationwide snapshot of how students are progressing in foundational skills. For schools, it offers useful data to identify strengths, highlight areas for improvement and guide evidence-based teaching strategies. For families, it can be a helpful reference point in understanding how their child is tracking against national benchmarks.
In that sense, NAPLAN matters. However, it’s equally important to understand what NAPLAN is not.
NAPLAN is not a measure of your child’s intelligence, potential or overall ability. It does not assess creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, resilience or empathy.
“NAPLAN gives us useful data, but it’s only one part of a much bigger learning picture,” says Lisa Crampton, Head of Primary Learning at CSPD. “Parents should see it as a check-in point, along with other school-based assessments, rather than a judgement. What matters most is consistent growth over time and how well a school supports the whole child.”
So what can parents do?
Lisa’s advice is simple: keep it calm and keep it balanced.
“Encourage your child to do their best, make sure they’re well-rested, and remind them that one test doesn’t define them. Students experience explicit literacy and numeracy instruction every day in our classrooms within a multi-tiered system of support that ensures students receive any additional support they need quickly.”
At Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, we use NAPLAN as a tool to shed light on our progress in lifting each students’ literacy and numeracy skills.
In 2026, NAPLAN will continue to play a role in Australian education. But in the bigger picture, it remains just one chapter in a much larger story - your child’s lifelong journey of learning and growth.
At Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, we believe every child has the potential for greatness. Across our 80 primary and secondary schools in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, students are supported to thrive not only in academic achievement but in character, purpose and belonging.
Find a school and register for an Open Day near you
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
-
04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π CTK Supports Caritas Australiaβs Big Walk for Water! π§ This Lent, Christ the King Primary is Uniting Against Poverty as part of Project Compassion. Our goal is to raise $1500 to support communities around the world with access to clean water, healthcare, and safe shelter. Every donation helps bring dignity, hope, and real change. π β‘οΈ Donate here: Project Compassion Fundraiser As part of our faith in action, weβll also be hosting a Big Walk for Water on Friday, 13 March 2026, 9:30β11:00am. The morning includes a Liturgy in St Mary MacKillop Hall followed by a walk around the school, helping students understand the daily challenges millions face to access clean water. Thank you for helping us Unite Against Poverty this Lent! π
04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π EXCITING NEWS! π Today (4 March) is Dollar Match Day for Caritas Australiaβs Project Compassion! π From 10:00am AEDT, every online donation made to our fundraising page will be DOUBLED β up to a national cap of $50,000! π That means: π° $50 becomes $100 π° $100 becomes $200 π° $200 becomes $400 Matched funds are provided by a generous supporter (not the school), and all donations go directly to Project Compassion. Matching applies to individual online donations up to $1,000 and runs until the $50,000 cap is reached β so be quick! β³ Thereβs never been a better time to Unite Against Poverty and make double the difference for vulnerable communities around the world. πβ¨ Donate here π https://www.projectcompassion.org.au/fundraisers/christthekingprimaryschoolnorthrocks
Latest news More news
10 Mar 2026
NAPLAN: What Parents Really Need to Know
Each March, families across Australia hear a lot about NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. But what does it really mean for your child in 2026?
04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π CTK Supports Caritas Australiaβs Big Walk for Water! π§ This Lent, Christ the King Primary is Uniting Against Poverty as part of Project Compassion. Our goal is to raise $1500 to support communities around the world with access to clean water, healthcare, and safe shelter. Every donation helps bring dignity, hope, and real change. π β‘οΈ Donate here: Project Compassion Fundraiser As part of our faith in action, weβll also be hosting a Big Walk for Water on Friday, 13 March 2026, 9:30β11:00am. The morning includes a Liturgy in St Mary MacKillop Hall followed by a walk around the school, helping students understand the daily challenges millions face to access clean water. Thank you for helping us Unite Against Poverty this Lent! π
04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π EXCITING NEWS! π Today (4 March) is Dollar Match Day for Caritas Australiaβs Project Compassion! π From 10:00am AEDT, every online donation made to our fundraising page will be DOUBLED β up to a national cap of $50,000! π That means: π° $50 becomes $100 π° $100 becomes $200 π° $200 becomes $400 Matched funds are provided by a generous supporter (not the school), and all donations go directly to Project Compassion. Matching applies to individual online donations up to $1,000 and runs until the $50,000 cap is reached β so be quick! β³ Thereβs never been a better time to Unite Against Poverty and make double the difference for vulnerable communities around the world. πβ¨ Donate here π https://www.projectcompassion.org.au/fundraisers/christthekingprimaryschoolnorthrocks
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π£ Join Us for Sunday Parish Mass! To celebrate Catholic Schools Week, Christ the King Primary warmly invites all families to Sunday Parish Mass on 8 March 2026 at 10am. πβ¨ Come together with our Parish community as we celebrate our Christ-centred school, where Catholic values, care for the whole person, and a love of learning guide us every day. Please RSVP by Thursday 5 March via the Compass Post. We can not wait to celebrate with you! π
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
π£ Join Us for Sunday Parish Mass! To celebrate Catholic Schools Week, Christ the King Primary warmly invites all families to Sunday Parish Mass on 8 March 2026 at 10am. πβ¨ Come together with our Parish community as we celebrate our Christ-centred school, where Catholic values, care for the whole person, and a love of learning guide us every day. Please RSVP by Thursday 5 March via the Compass Post. We can not wait to celebrate with you! π
27 Feb 2026
From Facebook
π§ β¨ Da Vinci Decathlon β¨π§ Students from Year 6 β Kamil, Zac, Abby, Tom, Eloise, Lola and Oliver, along with Eliana from Year 5, had a wonderful day of challenge and competition at the Da Vinci Decathlon hosted by Santa Sophia Catholic School. Although they didnβt place in the top three, they did our school proud with their enthusiasm, application and motivation throughout the day. π Students competed in a range of disciplines including Coding, Maths, English, Science, Art, Poetry, Ideation and Creative Direction β showcasing teamwork, creativity and critical thinking. Congratulations to all students on their fantastic efforts! π #cspd2026 #catholicschoolsparramattadiocese #parracatholic #CTKCommunity #ChristTheKing #CTKNorthRocks #DaVinciDecathlon #AcademicChallenge #StudentAchievement #ProudSchool #CriticalThinking #Teamwork #CatholicEducation #PrimarySchoolLife
26 Feb 2026
From Facebook
πβ¨ Last Thursday our Year 6 students attended the ENCOUNTER formation event at John XXIII Catholic College. We are so proud of the way they represented our school community, entering the day with reverence, enthusiasm and respect. Students had a wonderful opportunity to engage in prayer, reflection and contemporary Catholic music led by Gen Bryant. It was a meaningful and faith-filled day for all involved! πβοΈ #cspd2026 #catholicschoolsparramattadiocese #parracatholic #CTKCommunity #ChristTheKing #CTKNorthRocks
26 Feb 2026
From Facebook
Zone Swimming Update Congratulations Bella on making it through to the next level, Parramatta Diocese in both freestyle and backstroke:) ππ»ππ»
26 Feb 2026
From Facebook
πββοΈπ¦ Hills Zone Swimming Carnival π¦πββοΈ Our students proudly represented Christ the King at the Hills Zone Swimming Carnival! π It was fantastic to see their determination, sportsmanship and team spirit on display this morning. Whether competing in the pool or cheering on their teammates, our students gave their very best. We are so proud of their efforts and the way they represented our school community! ππ
25 Feb 2026
From Facebook
πβ Week 4: Maths Activity & Shrove Tuesday π₯ Kindy had a fantastic Week 4 filled with learning and celebration! In Maths, students were actively engaged in hands-on activities, building their skills and confidence while having fun. ββ¨ We also celebrated Shrove Tuesday, learning about its meaning as we prepare for Lent, and enjoying some delicious pancakes together! π₯π A wonderful week of learning, faith and fun!
24 Feb 2026
From Facebook
CTK Begins the Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday βοΈππ Thank you to all of our families who joined us for our Ash Wednesday Mass and Liturgy last week βοΈ Our students showed great reverence throughout, and we are very proud of the respectful way they participated π π #cspd2026 #catholicschoolsparramattadiocese #parracatholic #CTKCommunity #ChristTheKing #CTKNorthRocks
23 Feb 2026
From Facebook
We were so fortunate to welcome back former student Mitchell Moses to Christ the King last week! It was a proud moment for our community to see one of our own inspiring the next generation with his dedication and success. Thank you for taking the time to visit, Mitchell β we loved having you back. Go the Eels! ππ