OLNA stands for the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment. In order to demonstrate the required literacy and numeracy standards for the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), some students are expected to sit this assessment. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (Authority) awards the WACE at the end of Year 12 to students who have met all the requirements. You can find more about the requirements on the Authority website at www.scsa.wa.edu.au under Years 11 and 12 > The WACE > WACE Requirements.
Some students prequalify for the literacy and numeracy requirement through their performance in the Year 9 NAPLAN test. We will inform you whether your child needs to the sit the OLNA, which is held in March and September each year, starting in Year 10. This means students will have up to six opportunities before the end of Year 12 to meet the requirement.
The OLNA has three components—reading, writing and numeracy. The reading and numeracy components comprise 45 multiple‐choice questions; the writing component is an extended response of up to 600 words. Students are allowed 50 minutes for the reading and numeracy components and 60 minutes for the writing. The table below provides an overview of the components.
Numeracy | Reading | Writing | |
Number of Questions | 45 | 1 (600 word limit) | |
Question type | Multiple-choice | Open-ended | |
Mode | Online point and click | Typed online | |
Time | 50 minutes | 60 minutes | |
Delivery | Randomised forms | Randomised forms | |
Adjustments | Extra time, pause, coloured background and higher quality images | ||
To prepare our students for the types of questions they can expect and to familiarise them with the online assessment platform, we provide access to practice and example tests on a secure website. The link to the secure website for the practice and example tests is available on the Authority website at www.scsa.wa.edu.au under Years 11 and 12 > Assessment > OLNA > Practice and Example Tests.
For students with disability, we have guidelines to help determine the appropriate adjustments for equal access. Information about disability adjustments is available on the Authority website under Years 11 and 12 > Assessment > Disability Adjustment Guidelines
Students who do not demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard by the time they exit senior secondary schooling can apply to the Authority to re-sit the OLNA at any age.
If you want to know more, go to the Authority’s website and look under Years 11 and 12 > Assessment > OLNA. There you will find more information, answers to frequently asked questions and a brief video. You can also send questions to olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.