NAPLAN and privacy

NESA is the Test Administration Authority for NAPLAN tests in NSW. Learn more about how NESA collects and uses personal information for NAPLAN testing and reporting.

On this page

NESA's role in NAPLAN testing

NESA manages the administration and delivery of NAPLAN testing in NSW, including collection of students' personal information from schools. This information is collected and used during the testing and reporting periods for NAPLAN. The information collected is only accessed by authorised staff and contractors.

NESA follows NSW privacy laws when collecting and using this information.

You can learn more about these tests by visiting NAPLAN testing.

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority

NESA will make student information collected from NAPLAN online available to the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

ACARA is established under the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority Act 2008 (the Act). The Act authorises ACARA to collect and use personal information for purposes including education policy development.

Information that NESA provides to ACARA will be de-identified. NESA will not give the information to any other person or agency without your permission unless we are authorised or required by law.

You can read the detailed information in the ACARA privacy policy.

Education Services Australia

Education Services Australia (ESA) is a national, not-for-profit company owned by all Australian education ministers. ESA operates the NAPLAN online assessment platform and will have access to personal information collected from NAPLAN.

This access is authorised by an information-sharing arrangement, under Section 16 of the Education Standards Authority Act 2013.

You can read the detailed privacy information in the ESA privacy policy.

Privacy legislation NESA follows

The information collected for literacy and numeracy testing allows NESA to carry out their functions under the Education Standards Authority Act 2013.

NESA collects and handles personal information according to the following legislation:

NESA's Privacy Management Plan contains more information about how you can:

  • access your personal information
  • request correction of your personal information
  • complain about an alleged breach of the privacy legislation.

NAPLAN privacy

Schools in all Australian states and territories complete the NAPLAN tests online.

The personal information about students and their parents will be used as part of NAPLAN  testing and readiness tests. Students' and parents’ information is required for the student to participate in NAPLAN.

 

Data NESA collects

NESA will collect the following data from schools for students participating in NAPLAN:

  • student's name
  • identifier as allocated by school/sector
  • gender
  • date of birth
  • year level
  • country of birth
  • Indigenous status
  • language background
  • parents' education and occupation
  • school identification number and sector
  • student's responses to the online test questions.

In some cases, health information is collected in relation to disability adjustments.

Data will only be accessed by:

  • authorised NESA staff
  • authorised school and Department of Education staff
  • sectorial authorities and
  • contractors used in the delivery of NAPLAN.

Some of this information may not apply to children registered for home schooling. Please read the information for parents of children registered for home schooling.

How NESA uses the data

The data may be used to:

  • conduct NAPLAN testing
  • provide reports relating to NAPLAN testing
  • undertake research and compile statistics.

NESA, ACARA and ESA will not disclose personal information about your child to any other person or agency unless authorised by law.

Privacy Impact Assessment report

A Privacy Impact Assessment report on the NSW Government’s involvement in NAPLAN Online is available.

The report makes reference to the personal information proposed to be handled by the NSW Government, through NESA (formerly BOSTES) and the Department of Education.

Who to contact about NAPLAN privacy

Contact your child's school if you would like to access or change the personal information of you or your child.

You can contact NESA's NAPLAN team by phone or email if you have concerns about privacy:

If your concern is about accessing personal information held by NESA, you can contact NESA's Privacy Officer by email or post:

NAPLAN and privacy for home schooling

NESA collects personal information from parents and carers of children registered for home schooling, who wish to participate in NAPLAN.

Providing this information is voluntary. However, if the information is not provided, NESA will be unable to deliver the NAPLAN tests for your child accurately and on time.

Data NESA collects

This personal information NESA collects includes:

  • home schooling details– address and NESA home schooling number
  • contact person details – name, email and phone number
  • your child’s details – name, date of birth, gender, year level and any required disability adjustments.
How NESA uses the data

The information collected is only accessed by authorised staff and contractors.

It is used and disclosed to deliver the NAPLAN tests and print your child’s results reports.

NESA will not disclose personal information about your child to any other person or agency unless authorised by law.

Contact information about NAPLAN privacy and home schooling

You can contact NESA's NAPLAN team by phone or email if you have concerns about home schooling privacy:

NAPLAN and privacy for parents

NESA collects the personal information of a student's parents.

Data NESA collects

The personal information collected from NSW schools includes the following information about a student's parents:

  • level of education
  • occupation type
  • language background.
How NESA uses the data

De-identified information will be given to the ACARA for reporting purposes.

The information will only be accessed by:

  • authorised NESA staff
  • authorised school and Department of Education staff
  • sectoral authorities
  • contractors used in the delivery of NAPLAN.

NESA will not disclose personal information about parents to any other person or agency unless you give NESA permission or NESA is authorised by law.

Contact information about NAPLAN privacy for parents

Contact your child's school first if you have concerns about you and your child's privacy.

You can also view NESA's Privacy Management Plan to understand how to change personal information.

NAPLAN and privacy for schools

NESA supports schools' privacy compliance with NAPLAN testing requirements by encouraging principals to ensure that their parent communities are aware of the purposes for which NAPLAN data will be used.

Personal and health information is collected and handled by NESA in accordance with the PPIP Act and HRIP Act.

Personal information as defined in section 4 of the PPIP Act and in some instances, health information as defined in section 6 of the HRIP Act, is collected and stored by Pearson Australia and ESA for the purpose of facilitating the administration and delivery of NAPLAN tests in NSW.

Data NESA collects

To conduct the NAPLAN tests, NESA collects from schools the names and achievement data of all students who undertake the tests for:

  • Year 3
  • Year 5
  • Year 7
  • Year 9.

NESA also collects information on a student's:

  • gender
  • language background
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status
  • date of birth.

In some cases, health information is collected in relation to test adjustments.

Schools across Australia are required to collect background characteristic information for all students participating in NAPLAN. On behalf of all NSW schools, NESA is responsible for the management and supply of this information for national reporting purposes.

The following information must be supplied for each student:

  • parental school education
  • parental non-school education
  • main language spoken at home (student)
  • main language spoken at home
  • parental occupation
  • country of birth.

Some of this information may not apply to children registered for home schooling. Please read the information for parents of children registered for home schooling.

How NESA uses the data

NESA uses the student information provided by schools to pre-print individual student details on the front cover of the test booklets for Year 3 writing and alternative format tests and to report to parents on their child's performance.

This data is also provided to the school to help principals analyse the effectiveness of their school programs and identify individual students' strengths and areas where additional support may be required.

NESA provides student results data to ACARA so that it can prepare national reports related to the outcomes of the NAPLAN tests. This is authorised by an information-sharing arrangement, under section 16 of the NESA Act.

No individual student will be identifiable in the information released for national reporting purposes. The principal will ensure that all student details and results are confidential.

The personal information collected by NESA is used to:

  • register students for the NAPLAN tests
  • pre-print individual student details on the front cover of Year 3 writing test booklets and alternative format test materials
  • maintain a register of NAPLAN school contacts for communication and administrative purposes
  • facilitate the administration of the tests, recording of student test participation and determination of test results
  • report to parents on their child's performance
  • report to school principals and where appropriate sectoral authorities on test outcomes.

This information will be disclosed to:

  • authorised NESA staff
  • authorised school and Department of Education staff
  • sectoral authorities and contractors used in the delivery of NAPLAN.

You may request access to your personal and/or health information held by NESA, and correct it if the information is inaccurate. In some circumstances, access to personal information will need to be sought under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.

Contact information about NAPLAN privacy for schools

You can contact NESA's NAPLAN team by phone or email if you have concerns about privacy:

Download as PDF Print this page
Top of page