NSW public school teachers will be armed with the new reading and numeracy assessment to help schools identify a student’s current abilities as well as what they can do to improve teaching and learning to ensure no student is left behind during the pandemic.

Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the new ‘check-in’ assessment package, which is an optional online reading and numeracy assessment for students in Years 5 and 9, is expanding to Year 3.

“The response from schools to the check-in package has been fantastic, with more than 1290 schools registering so far, which is why we are expanding it to capture Year 3 students,” Ms Mitchell said.

“This assessment package allows schools to assess student learning following the period of learning from home due to COVID-19.”

“Feedback from the assessment tool will contribute to the NSW Government’s Curriculum overhaul, which will see a renewed focus on literacy and numeracy.”

The check-in assessments can supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing in reading and numeracy and to help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs.

“The assessment package will be supported with resources and professional learning to assist schools to administer the assessments, analyse assessment feedback and plan for teaching,” Ms Mitchell said.

“The online assessment delivers results in two days and is accompanied by links to teaching strategies that will enable teachers to focus on ‘where to’ next for students.”

Importantly, our educators will be able to assess how cohorts of students are progressing in the overall education system operating within each school that participates.

The check-in assessment is on demand, giving schools the flexibility to schedule the assessment to best suit their school and student’s needs.