OLNA
The OLNA is an online literacy and numeracy assessment. It is designed to enable students to successfully meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) requirement of demonstrating the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy.
Minimum standard of literacy and numeracy
To successfully meet the literacy and numeracy requirement, students must demonstrate the skills regarded as essential to meet the demands of everyday life and work in a knowledge-based economy. These skills are described in Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework.
These skills must be demonstrated in:
- Literacy (reading and writing)
- Numeracy.
Prequalification
Students who have achieved Band 8 or higher in any of the three components of reading, writing and numeracy in their Year 9 NAPLAN are acknowledged as having demonstrated proficiency in using a range of ACSF Level 3 skills in that component and will not be required to sit the corresponding OLNA test.
The tests
The reading and numeracy tests each comprise 45 multiple‐choice questions. Students have 50 minutes to complete each of these tests. The writing test is a typed response of up to 600 words. Students have 60 minutes to complete the writing test. The table below provides a quick guide to each test.
| Numeracy | Reading | Writing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 45 | 1 | |
| Question type | Multiple-choice | Typed response (up to 600 words) | |
| Time | 50 minutes | 60 minutes | |
| Disability Adjustments | A variety of adjustments are available | ||
2023 Testing window dates
| Test Period | Writing | Numeracy and Reading | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 27 - 28 February | 27 February - 10 March |
Year 11# Year 12 |
| Term 2 Window A | 1 - 2 May | 1 - 12 May |
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 |
| Term 2 Window B | 12 - 13 June | 12 - 23 June |
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 |
| Term 3 Window A | 24 - 25 July | 24 July - 4 August |
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 |
| Term 3 Window B | 4 - 5 September | 4 - 15 September |
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 |
| Term 4 | 23 - 24 October | 23 October - 3 November |
Year 9* Year 10 |
* Students who are in Year 9 when they are given their first opportunity to sit the OLNA will have this count as their first sit as a Year 10 student.
# Students who are in Year 11 are required to sit in this round.
Post-Year 12 sits
Post-Year 12 students can apply to sit the test for each component that they have not demonstrated the standard in. Applications can be made via the WACE after Year 12 page.