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2026 NAPLAN results show literacy and numeracy gaps in Australian schools

By The Media Fact Checker teamUpdated 4 hours ago3 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

The 2026 NAPLAN results reveal persistent literacy and numeracy gaps among Australian students, with one-third failing to meet benchmarks and 10% requiring additional support. Queensland students ranked second-last nationally, with year 3 students scoring the lowest numeracy results since 2023 and year 9 students showing declines in reading and writing. Nationally, numeracy scores improved slightly for years 5, 7, and 9, with 29,000 more students exceeding benchmarks, but year 3 numeracy scores dropped to their lowest since 2023. Disparities remain stark between urban and regional students, Indigenous students, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with only 23% of very remote students exceeding in reading and numeracy compared to 70% in major cities. Education Minister Jason Clare emphasized explicit teaching methods, phonics, and small-group tutoring as effective strategies, while ACARA noted ongoing disparities and called for continued focus on equity. The Guardian highlighted technical issues during testing and industrial action affecting participation rates, while the ABC focused on Queensland’s specific declines and participation improvements.

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Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • 1.2 million students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9 took the 2026 NAPLAN tests in March
  • Queensland students ranked second-last among states and territories in NAPLAN 2026 results
  • Queensland’s year 3 students scored an average numeracy score of 387.6 in 2026, down from 393.1 in 2025
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored an average numeracy score of 555.8 in 2026, slightly below 2025’s 556.3 but above 2023’s 554
  • One-third (about 33%) of Australian students did not meet literacy and numeracy benchmarks in 2026, unchanged from 2025
  • About 10% of students needed additional support in literacy and numeracy, according to 2026 NAPLAN results
  • Queensland’s NAPLAN participation rate was 92.2%, with year 7 state schools achieving their highest participation rate since 2014 (92.4%) and year 9 since 2017 (85.7%)
  • National numeracy scores improved for years 5, 7, and 9 since 2023, with 29,000 more students exceeding benchmarks in 2026
  • Year 3 students recorded their lowest numeracy scores since 2023 in 2026
  • Female students outperformed male students in literacy, while male students outperformed female students in numeracy
  • Students from Language Backgrounds Other than English (LBOTE) outperformed their peers in NAPLAN 2026
  • Students from higher socio-educational backgrounds and urban areas scored significantly higher than those from regional or remote areas
  • Education Minister Jason Clare highlighted explicit teaching methods, phonics, and small-group tutoring as effective in improving results
  • ACARA noted disparities persist for Indigenous students, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and regional/remote areas

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

ABC News
  • Queensland students achieved worse average reading scores than last year across all year groups
  • Queensland year 5 students improved in writing, spelling, and numeracy compared to 2025, while year 7 improved in numeracy
  • Year 3 and 9 students in Queensland scored worse than last year in every subject
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland state schools achieved their highest year 7 participation rate since 2014 (92.4%) and highest year 9 rate since 2017 (85.7%)
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation
  • Queensland’s year 9 students scored worse in writing, reading, and grammar and punctuation compared to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results
  • Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3
  • Queensland’s year 3 numeracy score dropped from 393.1 in 2025 to 387.6 in 2026
  • Queensland’s year 5 and 7 numeracy scores improved slightly but were within the margin of error
  • Queensland’s year 3 students only achieved comparable reading scores to 2025
  • Queensland’s year 5 cohort had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than Western Australia
  • Queensland’s year 7 and 9 students had a larger proportion of students needing additional support than all other states except the Northern Territory
  • Queensland’s year 5, 7, and 9 participation rates increased compared to 2025
The Guardian
  • Tasmanian state-level results were not reported due to industrial action and flooding in the Northern Territory
  • A technical issue disrupted writing papers for years 5, 7, and 9 on the first day of testing in March
  • ACARA included a caveat for results instead of implementing marking adjustments due to the technical issue
  • National average scores in writing remained similar to last year but with a caveat
  • Average reading scores in years 5, 7, and 9 went backwards compared with 2025
  • Average reading scores were stable for year 3 students
  • The average proportion of students exceeding and strong at reading was 66.3%, down from 68.2% last year
  • Victoria had the highest average scores across year levels and domains, followed by the ACT and New South Wales
  • The ACT is the only jurisdiction to have reached full funding of public schools
  • The remaining states and territories fell below the Australian average in the majority of year levels and study areas
  • The federal government’s $20 billion injection to the public system includes requirements for year 1 phonics and numeracy checks and evidence-based teaching practices
  • ACARA is reviewing the foundation to year 2 mathematics curriculum at the direction of education ministers
  • Just 23% of students at very remote schools exceeded in reading and numeracy compared with 70% of students at major city schools
  • ACARA noted that disparities persist for Indigenous students, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and regional/remote areas

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • The ABC states Queensland’s year 5 numeracy scores fell within the margin of error of last year’s results, while the Guardian notes national numeracy scores improved for years 5, 7, and 9 since 2023
  • The ABC reports Queensland’s year 3 students saw a drop in strong proficiency levels in writing, spelling, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation, while the Guardian states average reading scores were stable for year 3 students
  • The ABC states Queensland’s year 9 numeracy score of 555.8 was within the margin of error of 2025’s 556.3, while the Guardian notes year 3 students recorded their lowest numeracy scores since 2023
  • The Guardian mentions a technical issue disrupted writing papers for years 5, 7, and 9 on the first day of testing, which is not mentioned in the ABC articles
  • The Guardian states ACARA included a caveat for results instead of implementing marking adjustments due to the technical issue, which is not mentioned in the ABC articles

Source Articles

ABC

Qld students lag behind national average on NAPLAN literacy and numeracy testing

About 1.2 million students sat for NAPLAN testing in March, which assesses Australian year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students' proficiencies across numeracy, reading, writing, spelling, and grammar and punctuation.

6 hours ago
ABC

'National tragedy': Experts warn of concerning NAPLAN knowledge gaps

NAPLAN test scores have revealed one-third of Australian students are not meeting "challenging but reasonable" expectations in literacy and numeracy.

6 hours ago
GUARDIAN

Reading and writing worsens in Australian schools as one in three students fail to meet Naplan benchmarks

Education minister Jason Clare says the results showed ‘real challenges’ but numeracy scores were heartening Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Reading and writing scores are going backwards for almost every age group in Australia’s national standardised school tests, with one in three students still failing to meet Naplan benchmarks. This year’s tests were taken in March by 1.2 million students across years 3, 5, 7

10 hours ago