Performance » Numeracy » Year 6 Numeracy:
Benchmarking Year 6 numeracy performance: Are standards being met?
Table RNF6.9 shows the distribution of year six overall numeracy scores against the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale. This scale converts a student’s overall numeracy score into a level ranking from zero to eight.
The expected minimum overall numeracy performance for year six students is proficiency level five. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level.
The average overall numeracy score for year six students in 2021 was 530.59 (SD = 63.45). This corresponds to proficiency level six in the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale (level six is assigned to scores 525–550).
On average, year six students throughout the region are achieving above the minimum expected standard in numeracy.
Figure GHI#1: PILNA
Assessment strands
- Numbers
- Operations
- Measurement & geometry
- Data & chance
Overall numeracy score
- 0
- 375
- 425
- 450
- 475
- 500
- 525
- 550
- 575
- 600
- 625+
- 600
Proficiency Scale Levels
Expected minimum performance
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 3 Year 4
- 4
- 5 Year 6
- 6
- 7
- 8a
- 8b
Year 4
Mean score: 478.91
Year 6
Mean score: 530.59
The average numeracy score does not tell us the whole story. The proportion of students who are meeting the minimum expected standard is also important.
Approximately 72% of students, nearly three out of four, performed at or above this expected level (levels 5–8). Conversely, approximately 28% of students, more than one in four, performed below the expected proficiency level (levels 0–4).
In other words, most year six students are meeting the minimum expected level for numeracy (72%), but there is a significant proportion of year six students (28%) who are yet to meet the minimum expected proficiency level.
When looking at the distribution of year six numeracy proficiency scores in 2021 by gender (Table RNF6.10) differences can be seen for girls and boys. Approximately 77% of girls performed at or above the expected proficiency level (levels 5–8) compared to approximately 67% of boys.
Figure RNF6.1 shows year six scores on the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale over time. Accompanying this is Figure RNF6.11, showing the proportion of year six students meeting the minimum overall numeracy standard over time.
A lower proportion of year six students met the minimum expected level of overall numeracy performance in 2021 than in 2018, but this proportion is still higher than in 2012 and 2015 (2012 = 57%, 2015 = 68%, 2018 = 83%, 2021 = 72%).
