Each March, families across Australia hear a lot about NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. But what does it really mean for your child in 2026?
First, NAPLAN serves an important purpose. It provides a consistent, nationwide snapshot of how students are progressing in foundational skills. For schools, it offers useful data to identify strengths, highlight areas for improvement and guide evidence-based teaching strategies. For families, it can be a helpful reference point in understanding how their child is tracking against national benchmarks.
In that sense, NAPLAN matters. However, it’s equally important to understand what NAPLAN is not.
NAPLAN is not a measure of your child’s intelligence, potential or overall ability. It does not assess creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, resilience or empathy.
“NAPLAN gives us useful data, but it’s only one part of a much bigger learning picture,” says Lisa Crampton, Head of Primary Learning at CSPD. “Parents should see it as a check-in point, along with other school-based assessments, rather than a judgement. What matters most is consistent growth over time and how well a school supports the whole child.”
So what can parents do?
Lisa’s advice is simple: keep it calm and keep it balanced.
“Encourage your child to do their best, make sure they’re well-rested, and remind them that one test doesn’t define them. Students experience explicit literacy and numeracy instruction every day in our classrooms within a multi-tiered system of support that ensures students receive any additional support they need quickly.”
At Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, we use NAPLAN as a tool to shed light on our progress in lifting each students’ literacy and numeracy skills.
In 2026, NAPLAN will continue to play a role in Australian education. But in the bigger picture, it remains just one chapter in a much larger story - your child’s lifelong journey of learning and growth.
At Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, we believe every child has the potential for greatness. Across our 80 primary and secondary schools in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, students are supported to thrive not only in academic achievement but in character, purpose and belonging.
Find a school and register for an Open Day near you
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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07 Aug 2025
St Canice's Brekky Club
All students are invited to join the St Canice's Brekky Club. Brekky Club will now run on Thursdays – 7th, 21st, and 28th August.
30 Jul 2025
Little Lyrebirds Playgroup
Little Lyrebirds Playgroup is a FREE event for all little ones aged 0 - 6. Held at St Canice's Primary School every Wednesday of the school term, 9am-10:30am. Everyone is welcome.
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04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Today, St Canice's Primary School proudly held our first Community Open Day for 2026! The weather cleared just in time for us to head outdoors and enjoy a delicious BBQ breakfast and plenty of fun. There were bubbles, chalk drawings, and our Little Lyrebirds Playgroup had a wonderful time at their teddy bear picnic 🧸✨ All students performed beautifully alongside Ms Frazer, and Aunty Carol warmly welcomed us all into the new school year. Families were then invited into classrooms to experience and be part of the rich learning that happens every day at St Canice’s. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about what we can offer, please contact us at https://www.stcaniceskatoomba.catholic.edu.au/
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Are you looking for a welcoming, inclusive, and fee-free primary school in Katoomba? 🌿✨ At St Canice’s Primary School, located on Katoomba Street, we provide a supportive learning environment where all classroom supplies and excursions are included at no cost to families — because quality education should be accessible to everyone in our community. 👶 Little Lyrebirds Playgroup We also host Little Lyrebirds, a free playgroup for children aged 0–6, every Wednesday from 9:00–10:30 am during school terms, right here on our school grounds. It’s a wonderful way to connect, play, and become part of our community. 📅 Open Day – Wednesday, 4th March | 9:30–11:00 am Come along to meet our teachers, explore our classrooms, and discover what St Canice’s can offer your family. 📞 Call us on 4780 6800 🌐 Visit www.stcanices@parra.catholic.edu.au We can’t wait to welcome you to the St Canice’s community! 💙
MORE NEWS
10 Mar 2026
NAPLAN: What Parents Really Need to Know
Each March, families across Australia hear a lot about NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. But what does it really mean for your child in 2026?
04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Today, St Canice's Primary School proudly held our first Community Open Day for 2026! The weather cleared just in time for us to head outdoors and enjoy a delicious BBQ breakfast and plenty of fun. There were bubbles, chalk drawings, and our Little Lyrebirds Playgroup had a wonderful time at their teddy bear picnic 🧸✨ All students performed beautifully alongside Ms Frazer, and Aunty Carol warmly welcomed us all into the new school year. Families were then invited into classrooms to experience and be part of the rich learning that happens every day at St Canice’s. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about what we can offer, please contact us at https://www.stcaniceskatoomba.catholic.edu.au/
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Are you looking for a welcoming, inclusive, and fee-free primary school in Katoomba? 🌿✨ At St Canice’s Primary School, located on Katoomba Street, we provide a supportive learning environment where all classroom supplies and excursions are included at no cost to families — because quality education should be accessible to everyone in our community. 👶 Little Lyrebirds Playgroup We also host Little Lyrebirds, a free playgroup for children aged 0–6, every Wednesday from 9:00–10:30 am during school terms, right here on our school grounds. It’s a wonderful way to connect, play, and become part of our community. 📅 Open Day – Wednesday, 4th March | 9:30–11:00 am Come along to meet our teachers, explore our classrooms, and discover what St Canice’s can offer your family. 📞 Call us on 4780 6800 🌐 Visit www.stcanices@parra.catholic.edu.au We can’t wait to welcome you to the St Canice’s community! 💙
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
🌊🐋 Our Whale, Our Promise – Canice’s Journey Continues! 🐋🌊 In 2017, St Canice’s proudly exhibited a spectacular 7-metre baby humpback whale sculpture at the International Sculptures in the Rainforest Exhibition at Scenic World. This incredible whale was created by our talented students and staff using recycled and upcycled materials collected from the local tip, student homes, and our wider community. ♻️💙 ✨ Sea urchins from old curtain rings and cable ties ✨ Seaweed made from plastic bags turned into “Plarn” (Plastic Yarn) ✨ Barnacles from crocheted squares ✨ Sea waves from recycled plastic lids Through this project, we made a pledge as a school to care for our land and minimise plastic use wherever possible. What we do on land has a direct impact on our oceans — and on magnificent marine life like whales. As part of our commitment, St Canice’s raised funds to symbolically adopt a humpback whale named Canice, supporting the important conservation work of the Whales of Guerrero Research Project. Did you know? Every humpback whale is unique! Their tail (fluke) patterns are like fingerprints, allowing researchers to identify and track them across the oceans. 🌎 We’re excited to share that Canice was recently spotted on 21 January in Mexico! You can follow Canice’s journey via Happywhale and see where our whale travels next. We are so proud of the creativity, environmental leadership, and global awareness shown by our students. Together, we continue to make a difference — from our school grounds to the oceans of the world. 💚🌏 #stcaniceskatoomba💙 #Sustainability #WhaleConservation #ReducePlastic #CareForCreation
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
📸 School Photo Day is TOMORROW - Tuesday 3rd March! All students are required to wear their full summer uniform for their photos — sport uniform is not to be worn. To order your child’s school photo, please follow the link sent to you via your Compass Parent Portal from MSP. We look forward to seeing all those bright smiles! 😊
27 Feb 2026
From Facebook
Stage 1 have been enjoying some very fun activities in History. We have been learning all about mummies in Ancient Egypt! We have wrapped some toys to make them into mummies, made a sarcophagus very special with some gold and jewels and even made some canopic jars for organs after mummification (just pretend, phew!) We have also learned some ancient stories about the Sun God, Ra. We have been retelling the stories with puppets and masks. Great work Stage 1!
24 Feb 2026
From Facebook
📸 School Photo Day – Tuesday 3rd March! School photo day at St Canice's is happening next week on Tuesday 3rd March. All students are required to wear their full summer uniform for their photos — sport uniform is not to be worn. To order your child’s school photo, please follow the link sent to you via your Compass Parent Portal from MSP. We look forward to seeing all those bright smiles! 😊
24 Feb 2026
From Facebook
🌟 Opening School Mass & Year 6 Leader Commissioning 🌟 Parents, Carers and Community members, A reminder that you are warmly invited to join us for our Opening School Mass and the Commissioning of our Year 6 Leaders tomorrow, Wednesday 25th February at 9:30am in the Church. This is a special celebration as we gather together as a school community and officially recognise our Year 6 students as leaders for 2026. We would love for you to join us for this important occasion. We look forward to seeing you there! 🙏✨
24 Feb 2026
From Facebook
Our School Leaders at the Project Compassion Launch 💛 On Thursday 12th February, our School Captains attended the Project Compassion Launch at St John XXIII. They travelled with Mrs Godsell and met and worked alongside Miss Thea, our Student Animator here at St Canice’s. The day was both inspiring and eye-opening. Our leaders listened to powerful stories about the challenges many people face around the world, and how they continue to remain hopeful despite their struggles. It left us feeling incredibly grateful and privileged. We learnt about Sisilia, a 13-year-old girl from Tanzania, who walks three times a day to collect clean drinking water for her family. Her story helped us understand just how different daily life can be for children in other parts of the world. Later, we worked in groups to reflect on Sisilia’s story and discuss ways we could help her and others like her. We also had the opportunity to meet students from other schools — and even met Bishop Vincent! Overall, it was a wonderful experience learning more about Project Compassion and how we can make a difference for people in need. Please keep an eye out for updates as we work with Project Compassion to support people like Sisilia and take action to create positive change. 🌏✨
23 Feb 2026
From Facebook
What a fantastic day at St Canice’s! 🌧️➡️🌤️ Today we held our annual Cross Country event 🙌 — and what a brilliant day it was! Take a look at some of the action shots in our photos 📸 Our students demonstrated incredible sportsmanship as they navigated the course around the school grounds. From speedy sprints to determined finishes, there were fun games, lots of cheering, and plenty of smiles as everyone celebrated their achievements. 🏃♀️🏃♂️🎉 A huge thank you to all the staff involved in the planning and preparation — your hard work made the day such a success. We also extend a big thank you to our wonderful parents and carers who came along to support and help make the day so special. 💛 A special shout-out to those who generously volunteered their time to help with timing and keeping the day running smoothly — we couldn’t have done it without you! Well done to all our amazing participants — we are so proud of you! 👏✨ #stcaniceskatoomba💙
19 Feb 2026
From Facebook
🎉🌭 St Canice’s Primary School Community Open Day & Welcome BBQ 🌭🎉 You’re warmly invited to join us at St Canice's Primary School for a fun-filled morning of community, connection and celebration! 📅 Wednesday 4th March ⏰ 9:30am – 11:00am 📍 St Canice’s Primary School Whether you’re a current family, new to the school, or considering joining our community, this is the perfect opportunity to explore our school, meet our wonderful staff, and connect with other families. ✨ What’s happening: • School tours • Meet & greet with teachers • Information about programs and activities • Delicious Welcome BBQ • Fun for the kids! Bring the whole family and come along for a relaxed and welcoming morning. We can’t wait to see you there! #StCanicesPrimary #CommunityOpenDay #WelcomeBBQ #SchoolCommunity #stcanicesprimaryschool #cspdparramatta
18 Feb 2026
From Facebook
⛪✨ Opening School Mass & Commissioning of Year 6 Leaders ✨⛪ You are warmly invited to join St Canice's Primary School for our Opening School Mass and the Commissioning of our Year 6 Leaders. 📅 Wednesday 25th February ⏰ 9:30am 📍 St Canice's Church This special celebration marks the beginning of our school year and recognises our Year 6 students as they step into their leadership roles within our school community. All families, parishioners and friends are welcome to attend as we gather in faith and celebrate this important milestone together. We look forward to sharing this meaningful occasion with you. 🙏💛 #StCanicesPrimary #OpeningSchoolMass #Year6Leaders #FaithInAction #stcaniceskatoomba💙🩵
17 Feb 2026
From Facebook
☀️ A Beautiful Day to Play Outside at St Canice’s! 🌿 What a gorgeous day to be outdoors! Our students at St Canice’s have been making the most of the sunshine — enjoying fresh air, active play, and time together with friends. There’s nothing better than laughter echoing across the playground and happy faces soaking up a beautiful day. 💛 #StCanices #PlaygroundFun #ActiveKids #SchoolLife #stcaniceskatoomba💙🩵
17 Feb 2026
From Facebook
🥞 Stage 2 Pancake Tuesday Celebration! 🥞 Our Stage 2 students celebrated Pancake Tuesday together! Shrove Tuesday is traditionally the day before the season of Lent begins. Long ago, families used up rich ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar before a time of fasting — and what better way to use them than by making pancakes! 🥞✨ We’re looking forward to a wonderful day of learning, tradition, and tasty pancakes with our students. #PancakeTuesday #Stage2Fun #SchoolCommunity #stcaniceskatoomba #cspdparramatta