This report details findings from the early childhood element of the 2022 Literacy and Numeracy project conducted by the Australian Education Research Organisation.

This paper is the second in a series of analytical insights papers, which provide accessible, up-to-date analysis of educational datasets. It’s the first in a series that uses the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO)’s new Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy in Australia (LLANIA) dataset to explore educational questions.

This paper draws on the latest National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) data to discuss student participation and engagement with the tests – factors which impact the quality and usefulness of the results. The paper highlights important considerations for interpretation of student results and future implementation of NAPLAN.

This preliminary study aimed to test the feasibility of processes and methods of data-gathering, the reliability of youth self-report measures, and to identify the direction of effects for an evaluation of a longer-term pilot of the curriculum.