Thousands of school students will be needing an early night’s sleep with NAPLAN testing kicking off this week.

The nation-wide assessment will rank students’ abilities in reading, writing and numeracy.

Edwina Seselja reports.

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Lessons were put on hold to welcome a special visitor.

The Education Minister, Kate Jones visited Patrick’s Road State School ahead of tomorrow’s NAPLAN testing.

Cadence Down, Year five student: “Well I’m a little nervous but we’ve been having a lot of preparation so I think I’ll do well.”

The tests, held over three days, assess students’ reading, writing and maths skills

Danielle Priday, Principal: “The results are really powerful as a measure or a tool for us to see how we’re performing with our teaching of literacy and numeracy. Literacy and numeracy is obviously our business.”

The results will show how Queensland kids compare to the rest of the country.

Kate Jones, Minister for Education: “We don’t want to add any pressure to our students going into NAPLAN. We know that the work and effort they have put in the classroom has prepared them well for the NAPLAN tests this week.”

While these year five students aren’t too worried.

Rhys Canham, Year five student: “I’m feeling good and I think it will be great and it won’t be that scary.”

Thomas Worrall, Year five student: “I’ve been working really hard in class.”

Some parents are.

Danielle Priday, Principal: “I think sometimes our parents worry a bit more about how their children will perform in NAPLAN.”

With three days of testing starting tomorrow the key message for students sitting for NAPLAN is not to stress and try your best.

Having already done the hard yards in class, it seems a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast is all that’s left to do.

Edwina Seselja, QUT News.