More than 7,000 Year 1 students across 165 NSW public schools will take part in a new Number Screening Check over the next two weeks, as part of a trial to screen students’ grasp of numbers and provide teachers with the opportunity for early intervention.  

The screening check is part of the NSW Government’s plan to lift numeracy outcomes, and is also a key component of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement signed with the Commonwealth in March, which delivered full funding for NSW public schools.

NSW is developing its own number screening check and will be sharing its resources with other states once the trial is completed.

The teacher-led check takes 10-15 minutes to complete for each student and assesses core foundational learning skills key to later success in maths and numeracy.

Teachers will use the results to provide students with targeted assistance in areas such as counting, ordering numbers, addition and subtraction.

The check tracks student progress and examines their understanding in three main areas:

• Numbers - knowledge of whole numbers, for example being shown the numeral 13, recognising it and saying ‘thirteen’.
• Number relations - knowledge of relations between whole numbers, for example, 5 comes before 6, which comes before 7.
• Number operations - knowledge of how numbers can be taken apart and put back together, for example, adding 2 and 4 makes 6.

An earlier pilot tested the content, structure and mechanics of the screener across 19 schools, with initial feedback showing participating schools are already using insights from the number check to plan for targeted teaching.

The expanded trial will help further refine and validate the check ahead of its rollout to all public schools in NSW.

The Year 1 Number Screening Check supports the existing Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, providing teachers with an early view of an individual student’s capabilities.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said, “The Minns Labor Government is determined to lift outcomes for students after the Liberals presided over years of declining results amid a teacher shortage crisis they denied and ignored.

“The Year 1 Number Screening Check will be a key resource for teachers, enabling them to assess essential numeracy skills and intervene early to help lift education outcomes for our young learners.

“By identifying at-risk students early, we can ensure that they receive the necessary support in time to get them back on track and reach their full potential.”

Stanmore Public School principal Ben Heinecke said, “We know students who develop strong maths and numeracy skills early are better equipped to achieve success throughout school and into later life. 

“These checks are a great way to help us identify students who require support in time for our teachers to make a difference.”