Best Start Kindergarten Assessment

The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is an optional NSW Department of Education literacy and numeracy assessment for schools. It is one type of assessment designed to identify each student’s literacy and numeracy skills at the beginning of Kindergarten.

The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is mapped to the Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions. The NSW English and Mathematics syllabuses map to the indicators in the Learning Progressions.

The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is administered by a teacher with a child one on one, focusing on what that child can do. It is suggested that the assessment be completed within the first five weeks of school.

Costs

There is a cost for NSW independent schools to access the Best Start Kindergarten Assessment. The 2021 costs are detailed below. The NSW Department of Education will invoice schools for payment.

The online Best Start Kindergarten Assessment:

  • is available at a cost of $2 per student
  • is supported by software that captures student information to support planning
  • automatically transfers information to PLAN2, mapping to the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions
  • enables teachers to view student skills as soon as the assessment is lodged.

More information

Confirmation of participation in Best Start Kindergarten 

The opt-in process for Best Start Kindergarten 2021 is now closed. Information regarding participation in 2022 will become available during the year.