NAPLAN proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing explained
Checked 19 October 2026 by XReady
In short
NAPLAN sorts each result into one of four levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing or Needs additional support. Strong is the benchmark, set at a demanding but fair standard. The tests describe progress, not passing or failing.
The four levels
Every student's result in an area is placed on one of four levels (external link), set separately for each year level:
- Exceeding. The child is ahead of the expectation for this stage.
- Strong. The child is on target: the expectation is demanding but fair for this stage of schooling (external link).
- Developing. The child is still working towards that expectation.
- Needs additional support. The child has not yet reached the learning expected for this stage and will probably benefit from extra help to keep progressing.
If your child's report shows Needs additional support in an area, a calm first step is to ask the teacher what help is available and what they see in class.
What the levels are not
NAPLAN is not a pass or fail test (external link). The levels place a result against a national standard, which rests mostly on what children have been taught in earlier years. A level is a snapshot built from a few tests on a few days. It does not override your child's classroom work or their teacher's view.
Why the same level can still be progress
The expectations rise with each tested year (external link). A child rated Strong in both Year 3 and Year 5 has cleared a harder bar the second time. Read repeated levels with that in mind rather than as no change.
Reading the typical-skills lists
The national site publishes plain descriptions (external link) of what students at each level can generally do, for each area and year. They are summaries of typical skills, not checklists for one child. A student near the top of a level shows more of the skills or more complex understanding than one near the bottom.
Short versions of these descriptions appear on the individual report your child brings home.
Five areas, one set of scales
There are five areas: reading, writing, numeracy, spelling, and grammar with punctuation. New measurement scales arrived in 2023 (external link), when testing moved online and into Term 1. Reports from 2023 on can be compared with each other, but not directly with results from 2008 to 2022.
What to do with a result
Use it to start a conversation. Ask the teacher whether it matches what they see, which area deserves attention, and what progress they have noticed. The next guide, on reading the report and results timing, shows where each number sits, and the NAPLAN FAQ covers missed tests and selective entry. If your child likes a bit of low-pressure practice, XReady's free sample papers are NAPLAN-style and optional.
Checked 19 October 2026 against the National Assessment Program site.
Common questions
- Is Developing a bad NAPLAN result?
- No. Developing means a child is working towards the expectation for that point in time. It is a prompt to chat with the teacher about next steps, not a fail.
- What does Strong mean?
- It is the benchmark level, where a result matches a standard that is demanding but fair for that stage of schooling.
- My child got the same level in Year 3 and Year 5. Have they stalled?
- Not necessarily. Reaching a level asks more of a child in each tested year, so holding the same level can still reflect real progress.
- Can I compare this year's result with one from 2019?
- Not directly. The scales were reset in 2023, so results from 2023 onwards compare with each other, and earlier results compare with each other.
Keep reading
- Understanding your child's NAPLAN report and results timingHow a NAPLAN individual student report is laid out, what the dot, triangle and shaded box mean, when reports arrive and what to do if one goes missing.
- NAPLAN FAQ: opting out, missed tests, tutors and selective entryShort answers to common NAPLAN questions: withdrawing a child, missed tests, whether a tutor is needed, and whether it affects selective entry.
- NAPLAN for parents: dates, format and what to expect in 2027A plain guide to NAPLAN for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9: the 10 to 22 March 2027 window, test order, timings, and how little your child needs to do.
Sources, checked 19 October 2026
- National Assessment Program: Proficiency level descriptions (external link) National Assessment Program (ACARA). Checked 19 October 2026.
- National Assessment Program: Results, reports and performance FAQs (external link) National Assessment Program (ACARA). Checked 19 October 2026.
- NAPLAN 2027 information for parents and carers (ACARA) (external link) National Assessment Program (ACARA). Checked 19 October 2026.
Not affiliated with ACARA or the NSW Department of Education.