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) literacy and numeracy standards.
WACE literacy and numeracy standard
To successfully meet the WACE literacy and numeracy standard, 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 through NAPLAN
Students may prequalify through the reading, writing and numeracy tests of the Year 9 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Further information can be found via the Prequalification through NAPLAN page.
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 | ||
2024 Testing window dates
Semester | Test Period | Writing | Numeracy and Reading | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Term 1* | 26–27 February | 26 February–8 March | Year 11†, 12 |
Term 2 Window A* | 22–23 April | 22 April–3 May | Year 10, 11†, 12 | |
Term 2 Window B | 10–11 June | 10–21 June | Year 10, 11†, 12 | |
2 | Term 3 Window A | 22–23 July | 22 July–2 August | Year 10, 11, 12 |
Term 3 Window B | 2–3 September | 2–13 September | Year 10, 11, 12 | |
Term 4 | 21–22 October | 21 October–1 November | Year 9‡, 10 |
*Monday, 4 March and Thursday, 25 April are public holidays in Western Australia. The OLNA will not be available on these dates.
†Year 11 students are required to sit in one of the Semester 1 windows.
‡Optional sit: Year 9 students who sit in Term 4 will have this count as their first sit as a Year 10 student.
2025 Testing window dates
Semester | Test Period | Writing | Numeracy and Reading | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Term 1* | 26–27 February | 26 February–14 March | Year 11†, 12 |
Term 2 Window A | 5–6 May | 5–16 May | Year 10, 11†, 12 | |
Term 2 Window B | 16–17 June | 16–27 June | Year 10, 11†, 12 | |
2 | Term 3 Window A | 28–29 July | 28 July–8 August | Year 10, 11, 12 |
Term 3 Window B | 8–9 September | 8–19 September | Year 10, 11, 12 | |
Term 4 | 27–28 October | 27 October–7 November | Year 9‡, 10 |
*Monday, 3 March is a public holiday in Western Australia. The OLNA will not be available on this date.
†Year 11 students are required to sit in one of the Semester 1 windows.
‡Optional sit: Year 9 students who sit in Term 4 will have this count as their first sit as a Year 10 student.
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 are to be made via the WACE after Year 12 page.