Where to find the official NAPLAN past papers
ACARA, the body that runs NAPLAN, keeps the old paper tests on its website. They’re free to download as PDFs.
| Years | What’s there | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 to 2016 | Reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, with an answers PDF for each year level | ACARA: 2012 to 2016 papers |
| 2008 to 2011 | The same four tests for each year level, with answers | ACARA: 2008 to 2011 papers |
| Online format | Example tests that show how the online test works, with answer keys | NAPLAN public demonstration site |
Numeracy: Years 3 and 5 have one paper per year. Years 7 and 9 have two, a calculator paper and a non-calculator paper. Checked November 2026.
Why there are no NAPLAN past papers after 2016
ACARA doesn’t release tests after 2016. It says those tests are used for other projects to keep improving the National Assessment Program. So any “2023 NAPLAN paper” or “2025 NAPLAN paper” you see online isn’t an official test. At best it’s someone’s practice test in the NAPLAN style.
How today’s NAPLAN differs from the old papers
| Past papers (2008 to 2016) | NAPLAN now | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Paper, pencil, bubbles to fill in | Online, on a computer or tablet |
| Questions | The same questions for everyone | Tailored: later sets get easier or harder depending on how they go |
| Question types | Multiple choice and written answers | Also drag and drop and other on-screen tasks |
| When | May | March (10 to 22 March 2027 in 2027) |
| Results | Bands 1 to 10 | Four proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing, Needs additional support |
The Australian Curriculum has also been revised since the old papers were written, so a few questions may cover maths that’s now taught in a different year.
How to use NAPLAN past papers well
- Start with one recent paper. 2016 is the closest to today’s content. Don’t print all nine years.
- Time it. Sit it in one go. In Years 7 and 9, do the non-calculator paper without a calculator, as in the real test.
- Mark it together. Use the answers PDF, then sort the wrong ones by strand: number, algebra, measurement, space, or statistics and probability.
- Learn the method, not the answer. The answer key only gives the answer. For each wrong one, find a worked example of the same skill and try a fresh question.
Free NAPLAN practice tests for 2027, with worked solutions
Our NAPLAN-style numeracy tests are written for today’s test: 20 questions across every strand, marked instantly online, with a worked solution for every question. Or print the PDF.
Year 3 NAPLAN numeracy
Year 5 NAPLAN numeracy
Year 7 NAPLAN numeracy
Year 9 NAPLAN numeracy
These are Tuterly’s own NAPLAN-style questions, not official NAPLAN questions. NAPLAN is run by ACARA, and Tuterly isn’t affiliated with ACARA.