Victoria is bringing in a new Year 1 Numeracy Check, a short maths check that sits alongside the Year 1 Phonics Check. If your child is in Prep (Foundation) now, they may meet it next year. Here is what the Victorian Department of Education has published so far, what hasn’t been announced yet, and some calm, playful ways to build early number sense at home.
What is the Year 1 Numeracy Check?
The Year 1 Numeracy Check is a short screening check of early number skills. The Department says it “focuses on key numeracy skills that enable successful mathematics learning” and gives teachers insights into children’s “accuracy and fluency”.
It was built for the Department by ACER (the Australian Council for Educational Research). Its job is to help teachers notice, early in Year 1 (Grade 1 at many schools), which children might need a bit more help with maths. It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis, and not a test your child can pass or fail.
If you’ve read our guide to the Year 1 Phonics Check, the idea will feel familiar: a quick check, early, so that support can start sooner.
Is the Year 1 Numeracy Check compulsory?
The Department of Education’s assessment policy says: “The Year 1 Numeracy Check is being piloted in 2026 and will be mandatory for all Victorian government primary schools from 2027.” Specialist schools will be able to use it too.
A few things are worth knowing:
- It applies to government schools. Nothing official says Catholic or independent schools must use it. If your child goes to one, ask the school what it plans to do.
- 2027 details aren’t out yet. The Department says more information will be provided once the pilot is finished.
- Plans can change. The Victorian state election is on 28 November 2026. The 2027 start is the Department’s current policy, and we’ll update this page as details are published.
What happened in the 2026 pilot
Victorian government schools trialled the check in two rounds in 2026: one in Term 2 (May) and one in Term 3, from 26 August to 11 September. More than 400 schools took part in the Term 3 round.
The Department describes it as taking “a maximum of 15 minutes per assessment”. In the pilot, children first did a short online activity on their own, in a small group, usually on a tablet with headphones. Then each child had a short one-to-one interview with their teacher, using cards, paper, a pencil and counters. The 2027 version may look a little different.
| What we know | Not announced yet |
|---|---|
| It is called the Year 1 Numeracy Check, built by ACER for the Department. | When in 2027 it will happen (which term or weeks). |
| It was piloted in Terms 2 and 3 of 2026. | The final 2027 format and number of questions. |
| The Department says it is mandatory in Victorian government primary schools from 2027. | Any benchmark or “expected” score, like the Phonics Check’s 28 out of 40. |
| In the pilot it took up to about 15 minutes: a small-group online activity, then a one-to-one interview. | Whether, and how, results will be shared with families. |
| Teachers see the results and use them to plan support. | Whether Catholic and independent schools will use it. |
Last checked 17 October 2026.
What does the Numeracy Check look at?
The Department’s description is broad: key early numeracy skills. ACER’s pilot materials talk about “foundational number sense skills”, and the sample pilot reports grouped questions under number representation, number relations and number operations.
In everyday words, the pilot looked at things like:
- recognising written numbers (numerals)
- counting a collection of objects
- seeing how many are in a small group without counting (called subitising)
- comparing numbers: which is more?
- simple adding and taking away.
These came from pilot examples, not a published list, so think of them as a guide to the kind of skills involved rather than a syllabus.
It isn’t the national “Year 1 Number Check”
You may see a similar name online. The Mathematics Hub, an Australian Government–funded site, offers a free, optional “Year 1 Number Check” that teachers anywhere can use one-on-one. It is a different tool. Victoria’s check is its own, built by ACER for Victorian government schools.
Victoria isn’t alone. Its check is part of a national agreement to bring in early-years numeracy checks, and the federal Education Minister said in August 2026 that all public schools in NSW and SA are rolling out numeracy checks this year, while most other states and territories are piloting them. If you live outside Victoria, your state’s check will have its own name and format, so ask your school.
What Year 1 maths covers in Victoria
The check is about early number sense, and that sits inside the bigger picture of Year 1 maths. The Victorian Curriculum 2.0 calls Year 1 “Level 1”. A few of its number goals:
| Code | What children learn |
|---|---|
| VC2M1N01 | “recognise, represent and order numbers to at least 120 using physical and virtual materials, numerals, number lines and charts” |
| VC2M1N02 | “partition one- and two-digit numbers in different ways”, including into tens and ones |
| VC2M1N04 | “add and subtract numbers within 20, using physical and virtual materials, part-part-whole knowledge to 10 and a variety of calculation strategies” |
| VC2M1A01 | pattern sequences “formed by skip counting, initially by twos, fives and tens”, including with Australian coins |
Can my child practise for the Numeracy Check?
There’s no need to drill. The check is meant to show teachers what your child can already do, so cramming would only hide the picture. The best preparation is the same thing that builds strong maths anyway: lots of short, happy number play, a few minutes at a time.
- Count real things. Count the forks as you set the table, or the steps to the front door. Touch each one as you count, and ask “So how many altogether?”
- Quick looks. Roll a die, or hold up some fingers for a second, and ask “How many?” Then check by counting. Our post on subitising has six quick games.
- Number hunts. Spot numerals on letterboxes, buses and price tags. Ask “What number comes next? What comes before?”
- Which is more? Two handfuls of pasta: which has more? How do you know? Then try two written numbers.
- Make 10. Ten pegs on a coat hanger: slide some to one side. “Here are 6. How many on the other side?” See number bonds to 10 for more games.
- Little stories. “Three birds on the fence, two more land. How many now?” Act it out with toys first.
What happens after the check?
Teachers can see each child’s results straight after they finish. The Department says the results help schools identify children “who may require additional supports”, through the tiered support that Victorian schools use. ACER’s pilot material describes the results as “screening indicators, not diagnoses”, and says further assessment is needed to understand a child’s strengths and needs.
The Department hasn’t said how results will be shared with families. For now, the best step is simple: ask your child’s teacher how they use the check, and what you can do at home. In the pilot, children who were away during the testing window didn’t need to make it up.
KidStudy isn’t connected with the Department or ACER. Our maths rounds are friendly practice, not the official check.
Questions parents ask
What is the Year 1 Numeracy Check?
It is a short screening check of early number skills for Year 1 children in Victoria, built by ACER for the Department of Education. It helps teachers spot early which children might need extra help with maths. It is not a pass or fail test.
Is the Year 1 Numeracy Check compulsory in Victoria?
The Department’s policy says it is being piloted in 2026 and will be mandatory for all Victorian government primary schools from 2027. Specialist schools can choose to use it. Nothing official says Catholic or independent schools must use it.
When is the check done, and how long does it take?
The 2026 pilot ran in Term 2 and in Term 3 (26 August to 11 September). The Department says it takes up to 15 minutes. The timing for 2027 hasn’t been announced yet.
What does the Numeracy Check look at?
Early number sense. In the pilot that included recognising numerals, counting collections, subitising (seeing small amounts without counting), comparing numbers and simple adding and taking away.
Can my child practise for the Numeracy Check?
There’s no need to drill. Short, playful number games at home, like counting real things, quick looks with dice and making 10 with pegs, build the same skills and are more fun.
Will I see my child’s results, and is it like NAPLAN?
It isn’t like NAPLAN. It is a quick screening check that teachers use to plan support. The Department hasn’t said how results will be shared with families yet, so ask your child’s teacher.
Sources
- Assessment of Student Achievement and Progress Foundation to 10: policy, Victorian Department of Education
- Year 1 Numeracy Check, Victorian Department of Education (Arc)
- No Student Left Behind In Literacy And Numeracy, Premier of Victoria, 11 June 2026
- The Year 1 Numeracy Check Pilot, ACER
- Year 1 Number Check, Mathematics Hub
- NAPLAN results show real improvement in numeracy, Australian Government Minister for Education, August 2026
- Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0: Mathematics, VCAA
- Mathematics and numeracy at home, Victorian Government
