Assessment dates
Annual assessment scheduled dates for schools according to school term.
The assessment schedule includes all mandatory assessments that schools are required to undertake.
The information below provides assessments schools may undertake during the calendar year, including:
- mandatory state and national assessments
- item trials and field studies requiring sample schools
- optional department assessments.
Note:
These dates are correct at time of publishing and may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Check the relevant web page for more information relating to each assessment.
Term 1 – 2026
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
First full 5 weeks of school (2 February to 6 March Eastern) (9 February to 13 March Western) |
Best Start Kindergarten Assessment | Mandatory. Kindergarten (all). |
Weeks 2 to 6 (2 February to 10 March) |
NAPLAN familiarisation activities | Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. |
Weeks 3 to 5 (9 to 27 February) |
Supplementary Year 7 assessment | Optional. Suitable for individual students who did not complete Year 6 Check-in assessments in Semester 2 in the previous year. |
From Week 4 TBC |
HSC minimum standard | Assessment window opens late February and is available until late November for Year 12 students and mid-December for students in Years 10 and 12. |
Weeks 7 to 9 (11 to 23 March) |
NAPLAN | Mandatory. Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 (all). |
Term 2 – 2026
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Weeks 1 to 3 TBC |
VALID Science Trial | EOI schools only. |
Weeks 1 to 3 TBC |
Check-in Writing Trial | EOI schools only. |
Week 2 (1 to 2 May) |
Selective High School Placement Test | Individual students only. |
Weeks 2 to 3 (27 April to 8 May) |
TIMSS Field Trial | Selected schools only. Years 5 and 9. |
Week 3 (8 to 9 May) |
Opportunity Class Placement Test | Individual students only. |
Weeks 3 to 6 (6 to 26 May) |
NAP-SL Main Study | Selected schools only. Years 6 and 10. |
Weeks 4 to 6 (11 to 29 May) |
Year 1 Number Screening Check | Mandatory. Year 1 (all). |
Weeks 5 to 8 (18 May to 12 June) |
NAPLAN Item Trial | Selected schools only. Select students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. |
Term 3 – 2026
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Weeks 1 to 6 (21 July to 28 August) |
Check-in assessment (secondary) | Mandatory. Years 7, 8 and 9 (all). Week 6 is the finalisation week. |
Weeks 4 to 6 (10 to 28 August) |
Year 1 Phonics Screening Check | Mandatory. Year 1 (all). |
Weeks 6 to 10 (24 August to 25 September) |
Check-in assessment (primary) | Mandatory. Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (all). Week 10 is the finalisation week for reading, numeracy and Year 6 writing. |
Weeks 7 to 8 (31 August to 11 September) |
VALID Science 10 | Opt-in schools. Year 10. |
Term 4 – 2026
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Weeks 1 to 4 TBC |
HSC (written exams) |
Year 12 (all). |
Weeks 2 to 5 (19 October to 13 November) |
PIRLS Main Study | Selected schools only. Year 4. |
Weeks 3 to 4 (26 October to 6 November) |
VALID Science 8 | Opt-in schools. Year 8. NSW government and non-government schools. |
| October to November 2026 | NAP-CC Field Trial | Selected schools only. Years 6 and 10. |
Note: For National Assessment Program (NAP) sample assessments, ACARA requires a representative sample of students in metropolitan and rural and remote locations. Sample sizes are typically small. Selected schools will be contacted directly.
Past assessment dates
Term 1 – 2025
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First full 5 weeks of school | Best Start Kindergarten Assessment | Mandatory. Kindergarten. |
| Weeks 2 to 6 | NAPLAN familiarisation activities | See NESA for preparation and training details. |
Weeks 3 to 5 (10 to 28 February) |
Supplementary Year 7 assessment | Optional. Suitable for individual students who did not complete Year 6 Check-in assessments in Semester 2 in 2024. (Formerly known as Transition to Year 7 Assessment). |
| Assessment window opens in Week 4 and is available through the year for Years 10 to 12. | HSC minimum standard | See NESA for details. |
Weeks 7 to 9 (12 to 24 March) |
NAPLAN | Mandatory. Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. |
Term 2 – 2025
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 to 3 (28 April to 16 May) |
PIRLS Field Trial | Sample schools only. Select students in Year 5. |
Week 1 (2 to 4 May) |
Selective High School Placement Test and Opportunity Class Placement test | |
Weeks 2 to 4 (5 to 23 May) |
National Assessment Program – Information and Communication Technology Literacy (NAP-ICTL) | Sample schools only. Select students in Years 6 and 10. |
Weeks 4 to 7 (19 May to 13 June) |
NAPLAN Item Trial | Sample schools only. Select students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. |
Term 3 – 2025
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Weeks 1 to 6 (22 July to 29 August) |
Check-in assessment | Mandatory. Years 7, 8 and 9. |
Weeks 3 to 8 (4 August to 12 September) |
PISA Main Study | Sample schools only. Select students in Years 9 and 10. |
Weeks 4 to 6 (11 to 29 August) |
Year 1 Phonics Screening Check | Mandatory. Year 1. |
Weeks 6 to 10 (25 August to 26 September) |
Check-in assessment | Mandatory. Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. |
Weeks 7 to 8 (1 to 12 September) |
VALID Science 10 | Optional. Year 10. |
Term 4 – 2025
| Dates | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| October to November | NAP-SL Field Trial | Sample schools only. Years 6 and 10. |
Weeks 3 to 4 (27 October to 7 November) |
VALID Science 8 | Optional. Year 8. NSW Government and non-government schools. |
| 16 October to 10 November | HSC (written exams) | Check NESA for languages oral exams and practical and performance exams dates. |