What is the OLNA?

The Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) is designed to assist students to meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) minimum literacy and numeracy standards for graduation. The OLNA has three components: Reading, Writing and Numeracy.

Depending on their Year Nine NAPLAN results, a student may be required to complete one, two or three of the components. This will be determined by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). There have been significant changes in the reporting of NAPLAN results for 2023 onwards. New proficiency standards with 4 levels of achievement for each year level will replace the previous 10-band structure.

Who will inform you that you need to sit for the OLNA?

SCSA (School Curriculum and Standards Authority) informs the school if a student needs to do the OLNA testing each year, and confirms which component/s the student needs to sit for (Reading, Writing and Numeracy). The school will then convey the information to each parent/guardian. Students can get more information from their Leader of Wellbeing, Leader of Learning Support – Sarah Pagett, and the English and Mathematics Leaders of Learning / Teachers.

When is the OLNA?

There are two OLNA testing windows in any given academic year for Year 11 and 12 students. There are 1 – 2 testing opportunities for Year 10 students. Most Year 10 students will sit for the testing once in that year. Only those that missed the testing in Year 9 will sit for the OLNA twice in that year. There is one testing opportunity in Semester Two for Year 9 students. This means that there are six opportunities in total for students to pass the OLNA prior to graduation. Upon leaving high school, individuals can complete the OLNA as an independent candidate.

How is the OLNA Structured?

Each component of the OLNA is assessed on a different day in examination conditions at school. Students may be required to complete one, two or three of the tests, depending on their Year 9 NAPLAN results. A breakdown of each assessment is outlined below:

How should students prepare for the OLNA?

There are a range of supports available to assist students in preparing for the OLNA-

1. All students who are required to complete the OLNA have access to revision materials via https://olna.com.au/. Log-in details will be sent to the @newman email address for the relevant students. It is suggested that students dedicate 30 minutes—ideally twice a week—to completing activities via the website. This will ensure students are familiar with the format of the assessments and question styles. Students are encouraged to request feedback on their revision attempts from teachers.
2. Students are encouraged to seek further support from a range of Teachers and Mentors at Homework Club, which runs four days a week (Monday to Thursday) from 3:15pm to 5:00pm. Targeted OLNA workshops will also run two weeks before each testing period at Homework Club.
3. As a reflection of Newman College’s Vision for Learning, students are encouraged to adopt a growth mindset by working collaboratively with their Teachers to tackle challenges in their learning. This includes completing all work and homework tasks to a high standard and taking feedback on board to grow their skills.