August 2025

NAPLAN 2025 National Results overview

The 2025 NAPLAN National Results have been released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and show a broadly consistent national picture compared to the previous 2 years.

This year, there were encouraging gains in numeracy outcomes, particularly in Years 5, 7 and 9. Nationally, more students achieved at the “Exceeding” proficiency level in numeracy than in the previous year, with an increase of over 20,000 additional students reaching this high benchmark.

Another emerging trend is the increase since 2023 in the percentage of Indigenous students achieving “Exceeding” in writing and numeracy at both Years 7 and 9.

National participation rates also rebounded, with Years 3 and 5 hitting their highest rates in over a decade, the Year 7 national participation rate the highest since 2017, and the Year 9 national participation rate exceeding the 90% mark for the first time since 2019.

This strong participation shows that both families and schools value NAPLAN as a vital tool for understanding where progress is being made and where more work is needed to lift outcomes for all young people.

While these improvements are worth calling out, the data reveals ongoing equity challenges facing Australian schools. Indigenous students across Australia and other students from regional, remote and other disadvantaged communities continue to be overrepresented in the “Needs additional support” category. This highlights the need for our continued support and attention to ensure every student, regardless of location or background, can thrive.

Find out more about the 2025 NAPLAN National Results. 

Kathryn Tully is passionate about making a difference in Australian classrooms. With over 3 decades of experience in education, our new Executive Director of Curriculum is leading the way in shaping a national curriculum that supports teachers and empowers students.

In her recent profile in Education Matters, Kathryn talks about the power of collaboration with educators, embracing innovation and digital tools, and putting students and teachers at the heart of curriculum design.

“Getting it right means giving every student the chance to be the best they can be.”

Read more about Kathryn’s inspiring journey and vision. 

Democracy in a Box launch

Teaching our young people about Australia’s history, as well as our democracy, our political system and civic processes, is so important. Our recent report into the issue – National Assessment Program: Civics and Citizenship (PDF 1.8 MB) – showed that while students valued this area of learning, their knowledge and understanding has fallen.

So, it was great for ACARA – represented by Rachelle Willington, our Curriculum Specialist for Humanities and Social Sciences – to be a part of the official launch of Democracy in a Box. The new Civics and Citizenship education resource has been developed by Dr Stephanie Smith (above left) from the Museum of Australian Democracy.

Held at Hermit Park State School, the event brought together national leaders including Speaker of the House of Representatives, The Hon Milton Dick (above right) and former Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce, with Australian political journalist Barrie Cassidy as MC.

Democracy in a Box is designed to bring Australia’s democratic story into regional and remote classrooms in an interactive and practical way. Designed for Years 5 and 6, it is aligned to the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences F–6 and includes picture books, chapter books, teacher resources, activities and classroom supplies – all in a compact, mobile set of drawers.

Watch Dr Steph Smith unbox Democracy in a Box on YouTube.

Find out more about Democracy in a Box.

Celebrating Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week

Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week – which runs from 1 to 5 September 2025 – is the perfect chance to celebrate the outstanding contributions our amazing teacher aides make in schools across our country.

The week-long celebration gives schools the opportunity to recognise teacher aides’ dedication, care and support. Their efforts help students thrive and make a lasting impact on teachers, families and school communities.

Learn more about how you can celebrate Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week.