What is the Year 1 Numeracy Check?
The Year 1 Numeracy Check is a statewide, mandated one-to-one assessment for all Year 1 students in South Australia starting in 2026. It is designed to help teachers understand each child’s mathematical thinking so they can tailor teaching and support as early as possible.
What does the check assess? Teachers assess students’ progress in four key number domains:
1. Counting
2. Place value
3. Strategies for addition and subtraction
4. Strategies for multiplication and division
These domains align with foundational mathematics understandings in the early years and map onto a growth point framework that describes how children progress in number sense and mathematical reasoning.
Why is this important?
The Numeracy Check gives teachers:
• detailed insights into each child’s mathematical thinking
• information to support targeted planning
• a snapshot of cohort numeracy understanding to guide whole-site improvement.
It was introduced after trials and research showed many students were mathematically vulnerable early in their schooling. Improving early numeracy outcomes is a priority within the SA education system, with professional learning and tools provided to support teachers to use the check effectively.
Why does it matter for students with learning difficulties?
Early screening helps identify students who may be struggling with number concepts long before gaps become entrenched.
Early and explicit identification means:
• targeted supports and interventions can be put in place sooner
• teachers and families can collaborate on evidence-based strategies
• confidence with early number concepts (e.g., counting strategies, number relationships) can be strengthened before students fall further behind.
Many schools use growth point progressions to monitor development in each domain and plan teaching that targets gaps effectively.
Where does SPELD SA fit in?
SPELD SA supports children and adults with specific learning difficulties and offers a range of services and resources that can complement school assessment and instruction, including:
• Numeracy Clinics - one-to-one, individualised numeracy intervention for students from age 5 up, focusing on foundational number sense and mathematics understanding.
• Professional development for educators - courses on evidence-based numeracy teaching, inclusive practice, and identifying and responding to learning difficulties in maths.
• Resources and guidance to support families and professionals working with students who struggle with number concepts and maths confidence.
These services are important because many students identified through the Numeracy Check will benefit from Tier 2 or Tier 3 instructional supports that go beyond regular classroom practice. SPELD SA can help families and schools’ access targeted intervention and teacher upskilling in evidence-based numeracy pedagogy.
Why early action matters
Data from the Department’s trial of the Numeracy Check showed that more than 30% of students were identified as “mathematically vulnerable” at early stages of learning, especially in counting and multiplicative thinking.
This highlights the importance of:
✔ early identification and monitoring of number understanding
✔ explicit instruction and intervention for foundational skills
✔ professional learning for educators in evidence-based numeracy teaching
✔ family engagement to support learning beyond school.
Interventions that strengthen number sense, counting fluency and conceptual understanding help build the foundation for all later mathematics learning.
Key Takeaways
• The Year 1 Numeracy Check is a statewide screening tool all SA schools will use in 2026.
• It assesses foundational numeracy domains individually with students, giving teachers early insight into student understanding.
• Early identification is especially helpful for students with specific learning difficulties, as timely intervention supports better long-term outcomes.
• SPELD SA’s clinic support and teacher professional learning can work alongside school efforts to build number confidence and competence.
