Literacy and numeracy skills are the foundation of every child’s education.

Getting it right in the early years sets a student up for life – building their love of learning from day one.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll today announced the Year 1 Numeracy Check pilot is underway across Victorian public and specialist schools.

A Phonics Reassessment is also being introduced for Year 2 students who didn’t reach the benchmark.

These checks give teachers clear, early information about where every student is at in reading and numeracy.

That ensures better support, sooner, for every child.

The Year 1 Numeracy Check has been piloted across Term 2 to help teachers identify and support students at risk of difficulties with numeracy.

More than 400 schools will participate in the Numeracy Check pilot during Term 3.

It will then be mandated in all public primary schools from next year – remaining optional for specialist schools.

Following the successful introduction of the mandatory Year 1 Phonics Check in 2026, the optional reassessment gives students who missed the mark in Year 1, or were absent, another opportunity to be supported.

Victorian students already top the nation in NAPLAN and only Labor is determined to keep lifting outcomes for every child.

Labor has backed teachers with the resources, lesson plans and time they need to deliver for every student.

Jess Wilson’s Liberals want to cut $40 billion from the state budget.

But when most of the budget is health and education – you can’t make $40 billion in cuts without cuts to hospitals and schools.