VCAA provides the following information about NAPLAN 2016
"NAPLAN
NAPLAN Online
The VCAA would like to thank all
schools that expressed interest in the NAPLAN Online Pilot in 2017. The
VCAA will provide further information on the pilot and associated
activities (including the trial to be conducted in mid-August) to
participating schools in Term 2.
NAPLAN Helpdesk
The VCAA operates a Helpdesk
service to assist principals and NAPLAN coordinators with queries
related to all aspects of NAPLAN 2016: 1800 648 637 or
vcaa.naplan.help@edumail.vic.gov.au. Schools are encouraged to contact the Helpdesk if they require assistance with any aspect of NAPLAN.
Student participation in NAPLAN
With regard to student participation in the NAPLAN, the National Protocols for Test Administration state that:
- NAPLAN is a national assessment and all students are expected to participate
- NAPLAN should be accessible to all students to demonstrate their actual skills and knowledge.
With
this in mind, it is very important that all eligible Year 3, 5, 7 and 9
students are given the opportunity to participate in the tests and that
the program is actively promoted in school communities.
Detailed information regarding allowable disability adjustments and student eligibility is provided in Part A of the
NAPLAN 2016 Handbook for Principals.
Principals should ensure that parents of students who require
disability adjustments are informed about, and have agreed to, the
nature of the adjustments provided.
Principals are also reminded
that final decisions regarding student exemption or withdrawal from the
NAPLAN rest with parents and carers. Under no circumstances should a
student be exempted or withdrawn from the NAPLAN without parental
consent and signed approval.
Fully signed Records of Exemption
and Student Withdrawal forms, and records of parental consent for
disability adjustments, must be kept at the school for at least 12
months and made available to the VCAA upon request.
Catch-up tests for students who are absent on test days
Principals
are encouraged to facilitate catch-up tests for individual students who
are absent on the day of one or more tests, but who return to school on
or before the Friday of test week. Arrangements should be made for
these students to sit catch-up tests after the scheduled test times on
the Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of test week.
Students
who are absent on all test days should not, however, be expected to
complete all of the tests on Friday 13 May 2016 and should be marked as
absent for the tests they were unable to complete.
NAPLAN Administration website
On Monday 11 April 2016, the
NAPLAN Administration website was updated with student enrolment information, and released to schools to complete the following tasks:
- produce personalised exemption and withdrawal forms
- request the use of a scribe and/or assistive technology
- add details of new students
- print student attendance forms.
Schools that record attendance on printed forms will need to transfer the attendance details onto the website after the tests.
Please
note that all principals are required to confirm that student
attendance, exemption, withdrawal, withheld results and disability
adjustment details have been accurately recorded on the website by
Thursday 19 May 2016. Please note that the prompt completion of this
confirmation process is essential for ensuring NAPLAN results are
processed as quickly as possible.
An
Online Attendance Guide with detailed instructions for NAPLAN coordinators can be accessed via the ‘Help’ function on the website.
Delivery of 2016 NAPLAN test packages
Delivery
of the NAPLAN 2016 test packages to schools will begin in the week
commencing Tuesday 26 April 2016. Staff who have been authorised by the
principal to take delivery of the tests should be briefed about the
pending arrival of the test packages and sign for them on arrival. If
test packages have not been received by Tuesday 3 May 2016, please
contact the NAPLAN Helpdesk immediately.
Test packages will
include test books for all NAPLAN tests, Reading magazines, Writing
stimulus materials and Test Administration Handbooks. The package will
also include information pamphlets (which should be distributed to
parents prior to the commencement of the NAPLAN tests), a Test Materials
Security log and a packing slip.
Secure test materials will be
packed separately in tamper-evident bags within the test package and
schools should document the receipt, tracking, storage, distribution and
collection of the test materials in the Test Materials Security log.
The packing slip should be used to check that the correct quantity of
materials has been provided. If insufficient quantities of materials are
delivered, the principal or NAPLAN coordinator should immediately
request extra NAPLAN test material via the
NAPLAN Administration website. Please submit requests for extra NAPLAN test materials to the VCAA by Wednesday 4 May 2016.
Schools
may retain any unused test books that do not have pre-printed student
details on the front cover. All used and unused test books with student
details printed on the front cover must be returned to the VCAA.
Genre for the NAPLAN 2016 Writing Test
Schools
are reminded that Year 3 and 5 students will receive a different topic
from Year 7 and 9 students for the NAPLAN 2016 Writing test. This
decision has been made to ensure the continued maximum engagement and
fairness for all students.
The genre for the NAPLAN 2016 Writing
test will be either narrative or persuasive genre, and it will be the
same genre for all year levels. The genre for the Writing test will not
be disclosed prior to the test period and students will not be able to
choose the genre in which they write their response.
The NAP website includes further details about the
Writing test and relevant
FAQs.
NAPLAN test observation visits
Each year, in
order to facilitate the standard administration of the NAPLAN tests, the
VCAA conducts a series of test observation visits to selected schools
throughout Victoria.
NAPLAN test observers visit schools on one
or more days during the testing period to observe the conduct of the
tests, and to provide advice and assistance to schools to ensure
compliance with all test administration requirements. NAPLAN test
observers do not participate in the administration of the tests and
later complete a written report for the VCAA.
Feedback from
principals and NAPLAN test observers in the past has been very positive
and the VCAA thanks schools in advance for their cooperation in this
activity."
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
