Breakaway Education’s Wilton Education Hub has been bustling with the start of 2026. While it feels like the school year has only just begun, we are already more than half way through Term 1 and students in grade 3, 5, 7 and 9 are gearing up to complete their NAPLAN across the next two weeks.
For students at Breakaway Wilton, there are several students in grade 3 facing their first ever exam experience. And while NAPLAN itself may not be the most important thing for students, it is still stressful for them, especially if it’s their first time working in exam conditions.
Our focus for NAPLAN preparation for students is to prepare them so that they enter the test feeling confident in their abilities and as calm as possible, because we recognise that a young person who is overwhelmed by anxiety, struggles to fully focus within an exam situation.
With some of our students, this has consisted of looking through the online demonstration site to help familiarise themselves with the layout of the exam, and how to effectively use a computer device to complete set papers.
For other students, it has been going through NAPLAN books and past papers and working through more abstract applications of their skills, to help them feel comfortable with the style of questions they may encounter.
With all students facing exams, we also like to take time to equip students with a range of skills that assist them focus within the exam and calm themselves down during the test period to be able to answer questions in their most relaxed state. For some students, this may be to prioritise sips of water while they are working, for others, it may be taking deeper breaths to help calm their nerves.
For all students however, making sure they know that the NAPLAN is only looking at what they can do on one day within an entire year of learning is something we should all be doing.
The things we have been focusing on has been helping to set up our young people for positive experiences for exams, which will be helpful for them for the remainder of their school journey.
Written by Tish (Wilton Education Hub- Breakaway Education) and Alysha (Director – Breakaway Education).
