Official NAPLAN past papers are free to download from ACARA for every year from 2008 to 2016, covering Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 and all four tests, with answers. They’re the closest thing to the real test your child can practise with. This page explains which past papers are available, where to find them by year level, and how to use them well now that NAPLAN is taken online.
Which NAPLAN past papers are available
ACARA publishes the paper tests from 2008 to 2016. It hasn’t released any NAPLAN tests from 2017 onwards, because those questions are used in the ongoing development of the online assessment. That means the past papers on offer are all from the paper era.
| Test years | Year levels | What’s included | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 to 2016 | 3, 5, 7, 9 | Reading (with reading magazine), writing prompt, language conventions, numeracy, answers | ACARA 2012 to 2016 papers |
| 2008 to 2011 | 3, 5, 7, 9 | Reading (with reading magazine), writing prompt, language conventions, numeracy, answers | ACARA 2008 to 2011 papers |
In Years 7 and 9, numeracy has separate calculator and non-calculator papers. ACARA also publishes large-print and black-and-white versions of the 2016 tests for students with vision impairment.
Past papers by year level
- Year 3: available on the ACARA pages above. Year 3 still sits writing on paper, so past writing prompts are especially useful for handwriting practice.
- Year 5: see our NAPLAN past papers Year 5 guide for a test-by-test breakdown.
- Year 7: available on the ACARA pages above, including calculator and non-calculator numeracy papers.
- Year 9: available on the ACARA pages above, including calculator and non-calculator numeracy papers.
How to use past papers for practice
- Start untimed. The first time, let your child work through a paper without the clock, so they learn the question types.
- Then add timing. Later papers can be done to the current test times: for example, 50 minutes for Year 5 reading and numeracy.
- Mark together. Use the answer booklet, and talk through mistakes rather than just counting them.
- Look for patterns. If several mistakes are in fractions or punctuation, that’s the topic to practise next.
- Don’t overdo it. One paper every few weeks is plenty. ACARA advises against heavy test preparation.
Past papers and the online test
Today’s NAPLAN is online and tailored: questions get harder or easier depending on how your child is going, and some questions use drag-and-drop or typed answers. Paper tests can’t reproduce that, and test times have changed since 2016. Past papers are still excellent for practising the skills and question styles, but pair them with online practice so the format isn’t a surprise.
Two good options for online practice are ACARA’s public demonstration site, which shows the online tools, and our free NAPLAN practice tests, which you can take on screen with instant feedback.
Past papers FAQs
Are NAPLAN past papers free?
Yes. ACARA publishes the 2008 to 2016 papers and answers free of charge on its website.
Why can’t I find NAPLAN papers after 2016?
ACARA doesn’t release tests from 2017 onwards because the questions are used in the continued development of the online assessment.
Are past papers harder than the current test?
Not necessarily. The content is broadly similar, but the current test adapts to each student, so your child may see easier or harder questions than a fixed paper.
Related guides
- NAPLAN Past Papers Year 5
- Free NAPLAN Practice Tests
- NAPLAN Writing: A Parent’s Guide to the Writing Test
- What Is NAPLAN? A Plain-English Guide for Parents
Past papers are published by ACARA. Links go to ACARA’s website. MyNaplan does not host or sell ACARA past papers.