Standards-Aligned Assessment for Quadratic Functions (NT, NT (Australian Curriculum)-Aligned)

Quadratics are a natural place for assessment to go wrong: a test can look rigorous while only ever measuring whether students can apply a formula. In the Northern Territory, where mathematics sits within the Australian Curriculum under the NT Department of Education, your Years 7–9 assessment needs to capture the full range – fluency, problem-solving and reasoning – and map that evidence cleanly to the achievement standards for reporting. This article walks through designing tasks and marking guides that do exactly that, anchored by our Quadratic Functions and Parabolas resource.

Start from the proficiency strands

Before writing questions, decide what proportion of the task targets each proficiency the Australian Curriculum names: understanding, fluency, problem-solving and reasoning. A common failing is a test that is 90% fluency – factorising and solving – with almost no reasoning. Aim for a deliberate spread and write success criteria your NT students can read, such as: expands and factorises accurately; connects a parabola's features to its equation; solves a real problem by modelling it with a quadratic; and justifies the reasonableness of a solution.

Design a multi-part task

Assess across the proficiencies with a structured task rather than a single question type.

• Fluency: targeted items on expanding, factorising and solving.
• Understanding: match equations to graphs and identify intercepts, turning point and axis of symmetry.
• Problem-solving: a modelling context – projectile height, area optimisation or a fenced enclosure – where students choose the method.
• Reasoning: a "prove or explain" item, such as why a parabola opens up or down, or why a quadratic can have zero, one or two solutions.

This structure lets a developing NT student succeed on the earlier parts while stretching your strongest students on modelling and justification.

Write a marking guide that maps to reporting

Use a rubric or marking scheme with criteria that trace directly to the achievement standard, worded behaviourally so grade boundaries are defensible. Instead of "good problem-solving", write "selects and applies an appropriate method to model an unfamiliar situation and interprets the result in context". Award reasoning marks for justification, not just a correct final number – this is what pushes teaching beyond procedure. Moderate as a faculty by marking a common sample blind and comparing; disagreements usually reveal vague descriptors you can sharpen before reports are written. Making these expectations explicit now also builds the modelling and justification habits students will need for the NTCET.

Use rich contexts and connected topics

Strong quadratics assessment leans on authentic modelling. Local NT contexts – the arc of a thrown object, the area of a mango-farm paddock, the path of a ball – make the maths feel real and support the Numeracy general capability. Because quadratics draw on prior number skills, our Trigonometric Functions – Sine and Cosine resource is useful for shoring up the proportional reasoning some students still need, while our Probability – Fundamentals and Tree Diagrams resource offers a companion topic for practising the same reasoning-focused assessment design in a different strand.

Close the loop for every learner

Give students the rubric and a worked exemplar before the task, and run a checkpoint so no one is surprised at grading. Scaffolds and sentence stems support EAL/D students in the reasoning items and build the Literacy capability, while the modelling task develops Critical and Creative Thinking. Where a modelling context involves land, water or seasonal patterns, there is a respectful opportunity to draw on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge of Country and pattern, approached as authentic content. Assessment designed this way gives your NT students a clear target and gives you evidence that reports honestly against the achievement standards.

Related reading from the Teacher Hub

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