Year 1 test ‘not Naplan’

FEDERAL Education Minister Simon Birmingham has insisted a proposed phonics skills check for Year 1 students will be “nothing like a Naplan test”.

Senator Birmingham yesterday said the check would be used to ensure students were developing essential skills, and the results of the assessment would not be released to the public.

“This is an age-appropriate, light-touch assessment between teacher and pupil, but ensuring that it’s done in a nationally consistent way,” he said.

“I know that some schools are already doing a brilliant job in this area, but we want every school across every state of Australia to undertake the type of early skills check that guarantees the educational success of their children.”