A new chapter in early maths assessment: The PAT Early Numeracy Screener

With growing concern about declining maths literacy in older students, attention is turning to the early years of schooling. Research consistently shows that students who fall behind in foundational numeracy rarely catch up without targeted support. There is now strong recognition of the need to identify emerging learning gaps early and respond with timely, evidence-based support.

In response, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is developing a new PAT Early Numeracy Screener — a short, research-informed assessment designed to help teachers identify Year 1 students at risk of difficulties in learning mathematics. The tool is being developed to integrate with ACER’s PAT ecosystem and aligns with the Commonwealth’s Better and Fairer Schools Agreement 2025–2034, which calls for early identification and intervention in key learning areas.

The development of the numeracy screener builds on ACER’s experience with hybrid assessment models combining teacher observations, reflections, and working one-to-one with students to provide a rich and accurate picture of early learning. The screener platform will connect assessment, reporting and intervention with professional development and resources designed to support further learning. These insights are informing the design of the numeracy screener, ensuring it provides evidence-informed insights while remaining practical to administer.

The role of the PAT Early Numeracy Screener

Screeners are a specific type of assessment with a very focused purpose: they quickly identify who may be at risk and in need of further diagnostic assessment or closer monitoring

The PAT Early Numeracy Screener is being designed as a 10–15 minute hybrid assessment that combines student-led digital tasks with teacher-led interviews using classroom materials. This dual approach is necessary to balance efficiency with depth, giving teachers opportunities to observe student thinking while also gathering structured data. The final design will be refined in response to teacher feedback.

The screener focuses on 3 critical strands of early numeracy:

• number representation: including how students recognise and express numbers

• number relations: including how students compare, order, and relate numbers

• number operations: including how students perform basic operation tasks.

Evidence shows that difficulties in number representation, number relations, and number operations in the early years are key risk factors for future challenges in mathematics. Students who have not developed these foundational understandings by Year 1 are significantly more likely to experience ongoing difficulties without targeted intervention.

Designed for teachers, informed by teachers

Working closely with teachers to develop the product uncovered a strong call for a hybrid model screener that combines student-led activities with teacher-led interview questions. Teachers told us that this approach is engaging for children and practical to implement, reinforcing its suitability for classroom use.

Importantly, the screener is being designed with accessibility and inclusion in mind to ensure all learners can access the tool and can demonstrate what they know and can do.

Support to improve learning

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are most effective when teachers have access to clear, timely and reliable information to inform their professional judgement. The PAT Early Numeracy Screener is designed to provide that information by highlighting students who may benefit from closer attention, based on evidence-informed indicators of early numeracy development.

By supporting early identification and providing clear pathways to further information, the screener aims to reduce unnecessary workload and help teachers focus their efforts where they can make the greatest impact. Together, this approach strengthens how early numeracy learning is supported in the first years of school, while keeping teachers firmly in control of instructional decisions.

PAT Early Numeracy Screener development timeline

The screener content trial will commence in March, with a pilot planned later in 2026 and rollout expected in 2027. By 2028, it is anticipated that numeracy screeners will be mandatory in Australian schools under the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement.

ACER’s expert team in assessment design, psychometrics, reporting and delivery will work closely with the profession to ensure the tool is robust, scalable, and classroom-ready.

If your school would like to take part in the content trial, please register your expression of interest today.