Year 1 Number Screening Check
The Year 1 Number Screening Check is a short assessment that tells teachers how students are progressing in number sense.
About the Year 1 Number Screening Check
The department is trialling a Year 1 Number Screening Check to identify students at risk of not meeting stage outcomes and determine where students’ learning may require additional support and intervention.
The short, department-developed check will be administered by classroom teachers with each student individually. Student responses will be mapped to the NSW K-10 Mathematics Syllabus outcomes and indicators from the National Numeracy Learning Progression, with student information from the check available in PLAN2 upon lodging the assessment.
The check will complement existing strategies to identify students' progress in developing foundational numeracy skills.
Trialling the assessment
A small trial conducted with 19 schools in 2024 showed positive initial results. Participating teachers indicated they could identify focus areas for teaching using the screener results and screener materials were effective and easy to use.
A larger trial with 165 schools is scheduled for Term 2, 2025. These schools were selected based on several characteristics to ensure the Year 1 Number Screening Check is developed using a cohort representative of NSW public schools. Approximately 7,000 NSW public school students will participate in this trial.
Participation
It is anticipated that all Year 1 students in NSW department schools will complete the Year 1 Number Screening Check each year from 2026.
Assessment window
Dates will be confirmed in Term 4, 2025.
More information
More information will be available from Term 4, 2025
In the news
Number Screening Check trial begins in 165 NSW public schools (26 May 2025)
Number screening check to be trialled in 150 NSW Public Schools