The biggest news from NAPLAN 2026? The results aren’t really better or worse

By Sally Larsen, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of New England

National NAPLAN results for 2026 are released today. This is the test of Australian students’ literacy and numeracy skills in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (which runs the test) has pointed to a “concerning” drop in Year 3 numeracy. It has hailed “signs of improvement” for other year levels in maths. It also reports that average reading scores in Years 5, 7 and 9 are lower than in 2025.

But the most remarkable takeaway from this year’s NAPLAN? None of…

Read complete article

~	Respectful maternity care starts with improving hospital culture: lessons from rural South Africa

~	Ghana’s housing problem goes beyond numbers – it’s also about quality

~	Fifa’s failed equity plan and football’s growing welfare crisis

~	Bones are much more dynamic than scientists once believed – they even have a daily rhythm

~	Uganda: Opposition Politician Tortured, Faces Abusive Charges

~	“I know what it feels like to be a refugee and how change can happen”

~	Pakistan: Authorities must restore Imran Khan’s rights as detention reaches third anniversary

~	Are summer holidays good for children? It’s time researchers asked them

~	AI-generated fashion models: innovation, illusion or a step too far?

~	Ted Lasso returns: why its story of kindness owes so much to ‘orphan girl’ fiction