Each year new results are released regarding the statistics of literacy and numeracy levels of both primary and secodary school students, the following report indicates these findings from 2011.

The National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy tests are conducted in May each year for all students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. All students in the same year level are assessed on the same test items in the assessment domains of Reading, Persuasive Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. Each year, over one million students nationally sit the NAPLAN tests, providing students, parents, teachers, schools and school systems with important information about the literacy andnumeracy achievements of students. In 2011, for the first time, the Writing assessment was basedon a persuasive task. In previous years students were assessed using a narrative task. The change in the Writing genre was implemented to ensure a broader range of what is required in the curriculum is assessed.