If you've just received your child's NAPLAN 2026 individual student report and want to know how their results compare to students in the same year level across Australia and your own state, this post has the full picture. It contains the complete NAPLAN 2026 results for every year level and domain, broken down by state and territory, sourced directly from the ACARA 2026 national results dataset released on 5 August 2026.
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KEY ARTICLE INSIGHTS:
The ACT and Victoria consistently record the highest NAPLAN 2026 average scores across most year levels and domains
Queensland ranked second last nationally in the 2026 NAPLAN results across most domains, with Year 3 and Year 9 students scoring worse than 2025 in every subject
Western Australia is a standout in Year 9, recording above-national-average NAPLAN results across every domain
Grammar and punctuation has the lowest proportion of students on track of any domain across every year level nationally in 2026
Tasmania's NAPLAN 2026 results are suppressed due to industrial action affecting participation rates
Table of Contents
Jump straight into your child's year level using the links below:
How to Read These NAPLAN 2026 Results Tables
Each table in this post shows five columns of data from the 2026 NAPLAN national results:
Avg Score: The state average score on the NAPLAN scale. NAPLAN scores are not out of 100. They sit on a scale from 0 to 1,000 and increase across year levels, so a Year 3 average of 402 and a Year 9 average of 562 in the same domain are not directly comparable
NAS (%): The percentage of students in Needs Additional Support, the lowest NAPLAN proficiency level. These students are not yet meeting expected outcomes and targeted intervention is recommended
Developing (%): The percentage of students working towards expectations but not yet meeting them
Strong (%): The percentage of students who have met the expected national standard. This is a good NAPLAN result
Exceeding (%): The percentage of students performing above expectations for their year level
🔵 Please note that Tasmania's 2026 NAPLAN results are marked s.p. (suppressed) across all domains and year levels due to low participation caused by industrial action. Northern Territory results marked with # should be interpreted with caution due to the small student population size.
For an easy explanation of what each proficiency level means for your child, see What Is a Good NAPLAN Score in 2026? For help understanding your child's individual student report, see How to Read Your Child's NAPLAN Report.
Source: ACARA NAPLAN 2026 National Results dataset. All figures rounded to one decimal place.
NAPLAN 2026 Year 3 Results by State
Year 3 is the first NAPLAN sitting. The 2026 Year 3 NAPLAN results give parents and teachers an early picture of how children are tracking in literacy and numeracy at the start of primary school. One important detail for Year 3: the writing test is completed on paper rather than online, unlike all other year levels and domains. This is worth keeping in mind when comparing Year 3 NAPLAN writing results to other domains or to writing results in other year levels.
Nationally in 2026, Year 3 grammar and punctuation has the lowest proportion of students on track of any domain at any year level, with only 53.9% achieving Strong or Exceeding. If your child's Year 3 grammar and punctuation NAPLAN result is below expectations, they're in a larger group than most parents realise.
📖 NAPLAN 2026 Year 3 Reading Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 409.7 | 9.8 | 19.8 | 46.8 | 21.8 |
Victoria | 418.1 | 7.2 | 18.5 | 48.4 | 23.1 |
Queensland | 386.0 | 15.2 | 23.8 | 44.3 | 15.0 |
South Australia | 391.1 | 12.5 | 24.0 | 45.7 | 14.9 |
Western Australia | 390.5 | 14.0 | 22.7 | 45.5 | 16.0 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 325.5 | 36.6 | 21.6 | 29.9 | 8.4 |
ACT | 420.0 | 8.1 | 17.5 | 47.2 | 25.4 |
Australia | 402.5 | 11.3 | 21.0 | 46.2 | 19.4 |
✏️ NAPLAN 2026 Year 3 Writing Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 421.2 | 5.2 | 15.8 | 66.4 | 10.7 |
Victoria | 424.8 | 3.6 | 13.8 | 70.5 | 9.3 |
Queensland | 397.7 | 10.4 | 21.4 | 59.6 | 6.9 |
South Australia | 404.2 | 6.4 | 19.8 | 66.0 | 4.9 |
Western Australia | 399.1 | 8.6 | 19.1 | 67.4 | 3.0 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 334.2 | 31.5 | 20.3 | 41.9 | 2.7 |
ACT | 413.5 | 4.7 | 17.4 | 69.2 | 6.9 |
Australia | 412.0 | 6.7 | 17.3 | 65.9 | 8.0 |
🔤 NAPLAN 2026 Year 3 Spelling Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 417.2 | 9.2 | 22.2 | 45.7 | 21.1 |
Victoria | 417.2 | 7.7 | 23.3 | 46.9 | 19.3 |
Queensland | 385.2 | 15.8 | 28.9 | 41.9 | 11.8 |
South Australia | 398.6 | 11.0 | 27.4 | 45.0 | 13.5 |
Western Australia | 393.6 | 13.7 | 27.2 | 43.2 | 14.1 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 317.2 | 38.3 | 23.2 | 27.1 | 7.7 |
ACT | 411.0 | 8.8 | 24.9 | 47.5 | 17.0 |
Australia | 404.8 | 11.2 | 25.0 | 44.6 | 17.0 |
📝 NAPLAN 2026 Year 3 Grammar and Punctuation Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 419.6 | 14.3 | 25.7 | 44.4 | 13.9 |
Victoria | 423.1 | 11.7 | 26.4 | 46.2 | 12.8 |
Queensland | 390.6 | 21.0 | 30.2 | 39.6 | 7.6 |
South Australia | 393.2 | 18.1 | 32.1 | 40.4 | 6.4 |
Western Australia | 396.4 | 19.5 | 28.9 | 40.8 | 8.9 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 319.4 | 43.9 | 24.1 | 24.7 | 3.7 |
ACT | 421.0 | 12.4 | 26.3 | 47.6 | 11.9 |
Australia | 408.3 | 16.3 | 27.7 | 42.9 | 11.0 |
🔢 NAPLAN 2026 Year 3 Numeracy Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 408.8 | 10.0 | 23.4 | 51.8 | 13.1 |
Victoria | 416.9 | 7.2 | 21.6 | 54.3 | 14.3 |
Queensland | 387.6 | 14.3 | 29.0 | 48.3 | 6.8 |
South Australia | 392.0 | 12.2 | 28.1 | 49.8 | 7.0 |
Western Australia | 393.4 | 13.2 | 26.7 | 49.8 | 8.5 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 332.9 | 37.7 | 24.6 | 31.0 | 3.2 |
ACT | 413.4 | 8.3 | 21.8 | 55.1 | 13.1 |
Australia | 402.6 | 11.0 | 24.9 | 51.1 | 11.0 |
💡 What do these Year 3 NAPLAN 2026 results mean for your child?
If your child's 2026 NAPLAN results show them in Developing or Needs Additional Support, there is time to address those gaps before the Year 5 sitting. Queensland Year 3 NAPLAN results are particularly concerning in grammar and punctuation (21.0% NAS compared to the national 16.3%) and spelling (15.8% NAS compared to 11.2% nationally). If your child attends school in Queensland and came back below expectations in either area, targeted primary school tutoring in Term 4 is a worthwhile investment before the Year 5 sitting as well as personalised English and Maths tutoring.
NAPLAN 2026 Year 5 Results by State
Year 5 is the second NAPLAN sitting and the first opportunity to observe literacy and numeracy progress since Year 3. The 2026 Year 5 NAPLAN results show some positive signs nationally, particularly in numeracy where results improved compared to 2023. Queensland Year 5 NAPLAN results showed improvement in writing, spelling and numeracy compared to 2025, which is encouraging even though performance remains below the national average across all domains.
📖 NAPLAN 2026 Year 5 Reading Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 492.1 | 7.1 | 18.7 | 53.0 | 19.6 |
Victoria | 497.6 | 5.0 | 17.3 | 55.0 | 20.3 |
Queensland | 478.6 | 9.4 | 21.8 | 53.1 | 14.3 |
South Australia | 479.4 | 8.2 | 22.0 | 53.5 | 13.5 |
Western Australia | 479.8 | 9.6 | 20.8 | 52.9 | 15.1 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 421.4 | 31.4 | 21.4 | 36.7 | 7.4 |
ACT | 500.3 | 5.1 | 16.1 | 56.3 | 21.5 |
Australia | 487.5 | 7.7 | 19.5 | 53.4 | 17.6 |
✏️ NAPLAN 2026 Year 5 Writing Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 486.9 | 9.4 | 21.7 | 54.2 | 13.2 |
Victoria | 496.8 | 6.0 | 18.5 | 59.0 | 14.1 |
Queensland | 470.6 | 14.4 | 24.8 | 48.7 | 10.6 |
South Australia | 472.7 | 11.2 | 26.2 | 51.0 | 8.9 |
Western Australia | 472.1 | 11.2 | 24.5 | 54.7 | 8.1 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 395.3 | 37.7 | 22.1 | 33.3 | 3.8 |
ACT | 480.5 | 8.9 | 24.2 | 56.8 | 9.1 |
Australia | 481.8 | 10.3 | 22.3 | 53.9 | 11.7 |
🔤 NAPLAN 2026 Year 5 Spelling Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 498.0 | 7.0 | 17.6 | 49.9 | 23.8 |
Victoria | 495.3 | 6.4 | 19.1 | 50.7 | 21.5 |
Queensland | 475.2 | 11.2 | 23.3 | 48.7 | 15.4 |
South Australia | 485.3 | 7.9 | 21.2 | 51.1 | 17.2 |
Western Australia | 486.3 | 9.1 | 20.1 | 49.8 | 19.5 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 410.8 | 33.8 | 19.6 | 32.8 | 10.8 |
ACT | 495.6 | 6.5 | 19.1 | 51.3 | 22.1 |
Australia | 488.8 | 8.4 | 19.9 | 49.7 | 20.1 |
📝 NAPLAN 2026 Year 5 Grammar and Punctuation Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 506.8 | 10.8 | 21.0 | 46.9 | 19.7 |
Victoria | 508.3 | 9.0 | 21.5 | 48.7 | 18.4 |
Queensland | 482.6 | 15.2 | 26.0 | 45.5 | 11.8 |
South Australia | 484.0 | 13.4 | 26.7 | 46.7 | 10.5 |
Western Australia | 490.6 | 13.9 | 23.5 | 46.7 | 14.4 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 410.5 | 38.7 | 21.4 | 30.4 | 6.4 |
ACT | 507.6 | 9.0 | 20.8 | 51.5 | 17.6 |
Australia | 497.1 | 12.2 | 23.0 | 46.9 | 16.1 |
🔢 NAPLAN 2026 Year 5 Numeracy Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 501.2 | 7.0 | 18.4 | 56.7 | 16.4 |
Victoria | 504.4 | 5.2 | 17.5 | 59.2 | 15.8 |
Queensland | 480.8 | 9.3 | 23.1 | 57.6 | 8.6 |
South Australia | 482.4 | 8.3 | 23.1 | 57.0 | 8.9 |
Western Australia | 488.5 | 9.1 | 20.6 | 56.8 | 12.0 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 424.8 | 32.5 | 22.1 | 38.5 | 4.0 |
ACT | 501.2 | 5.0 | 17.3 | 63.2 | 13.5 |
Australia | 493.7 | 7.6 | 19.9 | 57.4 | 13.2 |
💡 What do these Year 5 NAPLAN 2026 results mean for your child?
Year 5 is the first time you can track your child's NAPLAN progress against their Year 3 result. Victoria leads nationally in Year 5 NAPLAN numeracy with 59.2% of students Strong or Exceeding and an average score of 504.4. If your child is in Queensland and below expectations in NAPLAN writing (14.4% NAS compared to the national 10.3%), addressing that gap now gives you two full years before the Year 7 sitting. Our primary school tutoring can help target the specific literacy and numeracy gaps identified in your child's 2026 NAPLAN results.
NAPLAN 2026 Year 7 Results by State
Year 7 is the third NAPLAN sitting and the first in high school. The 2026 Year 7 NAPLAN results fall at a significant transition point and often reflect how well students have adapted to the increased demands of secondary school. Nationally the 2026 Year 7 NAPLAN numeracy results are among the most encouraging, with NSW and Victoria both averaging 558.2 and the ACT recording 60.1% of students achieving Strong or Exceeding.
📖 NAPLAN 2026 Year 7 Reading Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 542.1 | 9.6 | 19.6 | 45.6 | 23.5 |
Victoria | 545.2 | 7.8 | 18.8 | 48.3 | 23.1 |
Queensland | 522.0 | 13.7 | 24.1 | 44.6 | 16.4 |
South Australia | 524.8 | 12.0 | 23.6 | 46.4 | 16.0 |
Western Australia | 530.7 | 11.5 | 21.1 | 47.5 | 18.7 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 466.3 | 33.4 | 22.3 | 32.5 | 8.7 |
ACT | 550.6 | 7.1 | 16.9 | 48.6 | 25.7 |
Australia | 535.1 | 10.7 | 20.9 | 46.2 | 20.6 |
✏️ NAPLAN 2026 Year 7 Writing Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 541.9 | 11.0 | 22.0 | 46.1 | 19.2 |
Victoria | 552.7 | 7.7 | 20.4 | 48.3 | 21.7 |
Queensland | 513.2 | 19.3 | 27.3 | 39.2 | 12.9 |
South Australia | 527.9 | 13.7 | 26.0 | 43.5 | 14.8 |
Western Australia | 532.8 | 11.8 | 24.6 | 46.8 | 15.6 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 454.4 | 36.9 | 23.1 | 29.3 | 7.6 |
ACT | 540.0 | 10.0 | 23.0 | 48.8 | 16.5 |
Australia | 535.2 | 12.5 | 23.4 | 44.9 | 17.5 |
🔤 NAPLAN 2026 Year 7 Spelling Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 551.2 | 6.3 | 15.8 | 48.1 | 28.3 |
Victoria | 544.8 | 6.7 | 17.8 | 48.4 | 25.0 |
Queensland | 529.1 | 9.8 | 21.4 | 48.9 | 18.7 |
South Australia | 537.0 | 7.7 | 19.5 | 50.0 | 20.9 |
Western Australia | 543.1 | 7.6 | 17.3 | 49.2 | 24.7 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 475.1 | 30.2 | 19.6 | 34.4 | 12.7 |
ACT | 549.0 | 5.8 | 16.3 | 49.6 | 26.6 |
Australia | 541.6 | 7.7 | 18.1 | 48.4 | 24.1 |
📝 NAPLAN 2026 Year 7 Grammar and Punctuation Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 545.0 | 13.5 | 21.3 | 42.7 | 20.8 |
Victoria | 542.8 | 12.7 | 22.0 | 44.5 | 18.7 |
Queensland | 523.1 | 18.9 | 24.6 | 40.5 | 14.7 |
South Australia | 523.9 | 17.3 | 25.4 | 42.2 | 13.1 |
Western Australia | 531.3 | 16.1 | 22.9 | 43.3 | 16.4 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 443.8 | 42.2 | 22.0 | 26.7 | 5.9 |
ACT | 544.4 | 11.1 | 21.5 | 47.9 | 17.7 |
Australia | 535.2 | 15.4 | 22.8 | 42.6 | 17.6 |
🔢 NAPLAN 2026 Year 7 Numeracy Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 558.2 | 7.7 | 17.8 | 53.0 | 19.8 |
Victoria | 558.2 | 6.6 | 17.3 | 55.7 | 18.4 |
Queensland | 532.8 | 11.6 | 22.7 | 52.7 | 11.7 |
South Australia | 533.3 | 10.6 | 22.9 | 53.7 | 10.9 |
Western Australia | 544.1 | 9.6 | 19.6 | 54.9 | 14.6 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 472.6 | 32.2 | 22.4 | 37.6 | 4.6 |
ACT | 555.7 | 6.2 | 16.3 | 60.1 | 15.8 |
Australia | 547.9 | 9.0 | 19.4 | 53.8 | 16.1 |
💡 What do these Year 7 NAPLAN 2026 results mean for your child?
Year 7 NAPLAN results matter because they give you a clear picture of where your child stands at the very start of high school before senior schooling demands increase. Queensland's Year 7 NAPLAN writing result is a particular concern, with 19.3% of students in Needs Additional Support compared to the national figure of 12.5%. If your child is in Year 7 in Queensland and writing or reading came back below expectations, getting high school tutoring support now gives them two full years before the Year 9 sitting. Our Year 7 Maths tutoring can also help students who are Developing in numeracy build stronger foundations before Year 8 and 9.
NAPLAN 2026 Year 9 Results by State
Year 9 is the final NAPLAN sitting. The 2026 Year 9 NAPLAN results are the last formal national snapshot of your child's literacy and numeracy skills before they enter their senior years. Western Australia is the standout performer in Year 9, recording above-national-average NAPLAN results across every single domain. Queensland Year 9 students scored worse than 2025 in writing, reading and grammar and punctuation, which is a significant concern for students heading into QCE.
📖 NAPLAN 2026 Year 9 Reading Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 565.2 | 10.8 | 24.5 | 45.0 | 17.9 |
Victoria | 571.7 | 7.9 | 23.5 | 48.0 | 18.4 |
Queensland # | 548.2 | 15.1 | 28.2 | 42.6 | 12.8 |
South Australia | 550.8 | 13.4 | 28.1 | 43.3 | 12.5 |
Western Australia | 571.2 | 7.5 | 23.1 | 51.2 | 17.0 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 503.4 | 33.2 | 25.4 | 30.6 | 8.2 |
ACT | 578.5 | 8.6 | 19.2 | 48.2 | 22.4 |
Australia | 562.2 | 11.1 | 25.1 | 45.7 | 16.3 |
✏️ NAPLAN 2026 Year 9 Writing Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 575.8 | 11.5 | 25.8 | 38.9 | 22.1 |
Victoria | 586.8 | 8.8 | 22.6 | 41.0 | 25.4 |
Queensland # | 552.7 | 19.3 | 28.2 | 33.1 | 18.2 |
South Australia | 564.9 | 14.5 | 26.9 | 36.2 | 19.8 |
Western Australia | 578.8 | 9.3 | 25.9 | 42.3 | 21.3 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 490.4 | 37.3 | 24.3 | 24.6 | 11.3 |
ACT | 579.7 | 9.8 | 25.1 | 41.8 | 21.7 |
Australia | 572.0 | 12.8 | 25.6 | 38.2 | 21.6 |
🔤 NAPLAN 2026 Year 9 Spelling Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 574.9 | 6.5 | 17.5 | 53.2 | 21.1 |
Victoria | 571.6 | 6.8 | 18.5 | 53.2 | 19.3 |
Queensland # | 559.4 | 9.5 | 22.1 | 52.5 | 14.6 |
South Australia | 561.3 | 8.2 | 21.8 | 53.0 | 14.4 |
Western Australia | 571.7 | 6.6 | 17.9 | 55.4 | 18.8 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 517.9 | 29.0 | 19.8 | 37.8 | 10.9 |
ACT | 576.6 | 6.2 | 16.4 | 53.8 | 21.9 |
Australia | 568.5 | 7.7 | 19.2 | 53.0 | 18.3 |
📝 NAPLAN 2026 Year 9 Grammar and Punctuation Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 560.1 | 14.4 | 27.6 | 38.7 | 17.5 |
Victoria | 561.9 | 13.0 | 28.5 | 39.2 | 17.2 |
Queensland # | 542.4 | 19.5 | 29.6 | 35.6 | 13.9 |
South Australia | 541.5 | 18.1 | 31.0 | 36.1 | 12.1 |
Western Australia | 560.5 | 12.6 | 28.3 | 41.7 | 16.0 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 470.8 | 41.4 | 25.5 | 23.4 | 7.1 |
ACT | 565.5 | 12.4 | 25.9 | 42.1 | 17.9 |
Australia | 554.2 | 15.6 | 28.6 | 38.1 | 15.9 |
🔢 NAPLAN 2026 Year 9 Numeracy Results by State and Territory
State / Territory | Avg Score | NAS % | Developing % | Strong % | Exceeding % |
NSW | 582.4 | 9.9 | 20.9 | 51.3 | 16.2 |
Victoria | 583.6 | 8.3 | 20.7 | 53.6 | 15.2 |
Queensland # | 555.8 | 15.1 | 25.0 | 49.5 | 9.0 |
South Australia | 557.2 | 13.3 | 25.5 | 50.0 | 8.5 |
Western Australia | 582.6 | 8.0 | 19.5 | 57.8 | 13.5 |
Tasmania | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. | s.p. |
Northern Territory # | 502.1 | 34.6 | 23.5 | 34.8 | 4.4 |
ACT | 582.6 | 8.9 | 18.2 | 57.5 | 13.8 |
Australia | 573.9 | 11.0 | 22.0 | 52.0 | 13.3 |
💡 What do these Year 9 NAPLAN 2026 results mean for your child?
Year 9 is the last NAPLAN sitting and the results land at a critical moment. Students heading into Year 10 and then QCE need strong literacy and numeracy foundations. If your child's 2026 Year 9 NAPLAN results are below the national average, particularly in reading or numeracy, getting targeted support before Year 10 is genuinely worthwhile. For Queensland Year 9 students specifically, NAPLAN results in writing (19.3% NAS), reading (15.1% NAS) and grammar and punctuation (19.5% NAS) are all significantly above the national averages. High school tutoring and ATAR tutoring support now can help build the foundations needed for QCE success.
Which States Are Outperforming Others in NAPLAN 2026?
Here is a summary of the clearest patterns across the 2026 NAPLAN results by state and territory.
Year Level | Domain | Highest Performing State | Lowest Performing State (excl. NT) |
Year 3 | Reading | ACT (420.0) | Queensland (386.0) |
Year 3 | Numeracy | Victoria (416.9) | Queensland (387.6) |
Year 3 | Grammar and Punctuation | Victoria (423.1) | Queensland (390.6) |
Year 5 | Reading | ACT (500.3) | Queensland (478.6) |
Year 5 | Numeracy | Victoria (504.4) | Queensland (480.8) |
Year 7 | Reading | ACT (550.6) | Queensland (522.0) |
Year 7 | Writing | Victoria (552.7) | Queensland (513.2) |
Year 7 | Numeracy | NSW and Victoria (558.2) | Queensland (532.8) |
Year 9 | Reading | ACT (578.5) | Queensland (548.2) |
Year 9 | Numeracy | Victoria (583.6) | Queensland (555.8) |
Year 9 | All domains | Western Australia | Queensland |
The clearest patterns from the 2026 NAPLAN national results by state:
ACT and Victoria lead nationally. The ACT records the highest average NAPLAN score in reading across every year level in 2026. Victoria leads or equals the highest in numeracy across most year levels. Both states consistently record the lowest NAS rates nationally across most domains.
NSW performs above the national average across most year levels and domains and is a standout in spelling, recording 551.2 in Year 7 spelling and ranking first nationally in that domain.
Western Australia is the Year 9 standout. While WA Year 3 NAPLAN results show some concern in numeracy, by Year 9 WA students are outperforming the national average in every single domain. This suggests literacy and numeracy gaps close significantly in WA as students progress through school.
Queensland consistently ranks second last across most year levels and domains in the 2026 NAPLAN results. Year 3 and Year 9 Queensland students scored worse than 2025 in every subject. Queensland Year 7 NAPLAN writing has a particularly high NAS rate of 19.3% compared to the national figure of 12.5%.
South Australia tracks similarly to Queensland across most year levels, sitting below the national average in most domains but above Queensland in most cases.
Important Things to Keep in Mind When Comparing NAPLAN State Results
State-level 2026 NAPLAN data is useful but it needs context.
Here are the most important things to keep in mind before drawing conclusions:
State averages reflect more than school quality. A state's average NAPLAN score is influenced by many factors beyond what happens in classrooms, including the proportion of students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, the proportion of students in remote and very remote areas, population size and the proportion of students from language backgrounds other than English. States with larger proportions of remote and disadvantaged students will naturally record lower NAPLAN averages regardless of the quality of individual schools.
A Strong NAPLAN result in Queensland is the same as a Strong result in NSW. The four NAPLAN proficiency levels are national standards. A child achieving Strong in Queensland has met exactly the same national benchmark as a child achieving Strong in any other state. The state average is context for understanding trends, not a measure of your individual child's performance.
The Northern Territory NAPLAN data should be interpreted with caution. The NT has a small student population and a high proportion of students in very remote communities, which significantly affects state averages. NT figures are marked # throughout these tables.
Tasmania's 2026 NAPLAN results are not available. Industrial action affected participation rates and Tasmania's data is suppressed across all year levels and domains in 2026. This means national averages in this post are calculated without Tasmanian student data included.
School-level NAPLAN data won't be available until December 2026. The tables in this post show state-level averages from the national dataset. If you want to see how your child's specific school performed relative to similar schools, that data will be published on My School in December 2026.
2026 NAPLAN results are not comparable to results before 2023. The NAPLAN scale was reset in 2023 when the four proficiency levels replaced the old ten-band numerical scale. Any comparison to NAPLAN results from 2022 or earlier is not valid.
A specific caveat applies to 2026 NAPLAN writing results for Years 5, 7 and 9. A technical disruption affected the NAPLAN online platform on the first day of testing in March 2026. ACARA has included a specific caveat on writing results for Years 5, 7 and 9 students on individual student reports. If your child's writing result looks out of place compared to their usual classroom performance, this disruption may be a factor worth discussing with their teacher.
Are your child's NAPLAN 2026 results below the national average?
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did Queensland perform in NAPLAN 2026?
Queensland ranked second last nationally across most year levels and domains in the 2026 NAPLAN results. Reading was a particular concern with Queensland students across all year groups achieving worse average scores than in 2025. Year 3 and Year 9 students in Queensland scored below 2025 levels in every subject. Queensland's Year 3 NAS rate in grammar and punctuation was 21.0% compared to the national average of 16.3% and Year 7 writing NAS was 19.3% compared to the national figure of 12.5%.
Which state did best in NAPLAN 2026?
The ACT consistently recorded the highest average NAPLAN scores in reading across all four year levels in 2026. Victoria led or equalled the highest average in numeracy across most year levels. NSW performed above the national average across most domains and year levels with a particular strength in spelling. Western Australia was the standout performer in Year 9, recording above-national-average NAPLAN results across every single domain.
How do NAPLAN 2026 results compare to previous years?
The 2026 NAPLAN national results are broadly stable compared to 2023 and 2025. Numeracy improved in Years 5, 7 and 9 with roughly 29,000 more students reaching Exceeding in numeracy compared to 2023. Year 3 numeracy dipped to its lowest average since the 2023 scale reset. NAPLAN reading scores fell slightly in Years 5, 7 and 9 compared to 2025. Results from before 2023 are not directly comparable because the NAPLAN scale was reset in that year when the four proficiency levels were introduced.
Why are Tasmania's NAPLAN 2026 results missing?
Tasmania's 2026 NAPLAN results are suppressed across all year levels and domains due to industrial action that affected student participation rates. This means Tasmania's NAPLAN data is not available for this reporting year and is marked s.p. throughout these tables.
What does the # symbol mean next to some states in the NAPLAN 2026 tables?
The # symbol indicates that NAPLAN results should be interpreted with caution due to a small student population. It appears next to Northern Territory results throughout all tables and next to Queensland in some Year 9 domain tables. Small population sizes can make state averages less statistically reliable and more susceptible to year-on-year variation.
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