Australian Curriculum Year 5 Practice

Year 5 is a pivotal year: students work with large numbers, fractions with different denominators, perimeter and area formulas, probability, and advanced reading comprehension. This is the core preparation year for Year 7 scholarship exams.

48 skills across Maths and English, aligned with the Australian Curriculum.

Year 5 Maths topics

Mathematics strands and sub-topics covered at the Year 5 level of the Australian Curriculum.

Number

10 skills total

Algebra

2 skills total

Measurement

4 skills total

Space

3 skills total

Statistics

3 skills total

Probability

2 skills total

Year 5 English topics

English strands and sub-topics covered at the Year 5 level of the Australian Curriculum.

Language

Language for interacting with others (2 skills)
Text structure and organisation (2 skills)
Language for expressing and developing ideas (5 skills)

9 skills total

Literature

Literature and contexts (1 skill)
Engaging with and responding to literature (1 skill)
Examining literature (2 skills)
Creating literature (1 skill)

5 skills total

Literacy

Texts in context (1 skill)
Interacting with others (1 skill)
Analysing, interpreting and evaluating (3 skills)
Creating texts (2 skills)
Phonic and word knowledge (3 skills)

10 skills total

Sample Year 5 skills

A selection of the 48 skills your child will practise, each with a content descriptor code.

Code	Skill	Area
AC9M5N01	Decimal place value Interpret, compare and order numbers with more than 2 decimal places, including numbers greater than one, using place value understanding; represent these on a number line	Mathematics — Number
AC9M5N05	Add and subtract fractions Solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions with the same or related denominators, using different strategies	Mathematics — Number
AC9M5N10	Algorithms for divisibility Create and use algorithms involving a sequence of steps and decisions and digital tools to experiment with factors, multiples and divisibility; identify, interpret and describe emerging patterns	Mathematics — Number
AC9M5M03	12- and 24-hour time Compare 12- and 24-hour time systems and solve practical problems involving the conversion between them	Mathematics — Measurement
AC9M5ST01	Mode and data distributions Acquire, validate and represent data for nominal and ordinal categorical and discrete numerical variables, to address a question of interest or purpose using software including spreadsheets; discuss and report on data distributions in terms of highest frequency (mode) and shape, in the context of the data	Mathematics — Statistics
AC9E5LA01	Language for social contexts Understand that language is selected for social contexts and that it helps to signal social roles and relationships	English — Language
AC9E5LA05	Complex sentences for effect Understand that the structure of a complex sentence includes a main clause and at least one dependent clause, and understand how writers can use this structure for effect	English — Language
AC9E5LE01	Historical and cultural contexts Identify aspects of literary texts that represent details or information about historical, social and cultural contexts in literature by First Nations Australian, and wide-ranging Australian and world authors	English — Literature
AC9E5LY01	Texts reflecting time and place Describe the ways in which a text reflects the time and place in which it was created	English — Literacy
AC9E5LY06	Publish texts with features Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive, developing ideas using visual features, text structure appropriate to the topic and purpose, text connectives, expanded noun groups, specialist and technical vocabulary, and punctuation including dialogue punctuation	English — Literacy

How PrepHQ helps with Year 5

We believe learning should feel good. PrepHQ gives students the tools to build genuine understanding and confidence.

Targeted practice

Questions aligned to Year 5 Australian Curriculum standards across Maths and English. Each session focuses on the areas where your child needs the most support.

Clear explanations

Every question comes with a detailed, step-by-step explanation. Your child learns why an answer is correct, not just what it is.

Progress tracking

See which skills are improving and which need more attention. PrepHQ focuses future sessions on the areas that matter most.

Encouraging approach

Practice should build confidence, not pressure. PrepHQ uses encouraging language and celebrates progress at every step.

Start practising Year 5

Give your child the confidence that comes from real understanding. Create a free account and try your first practice session today.

Related resources

Year 4 Practice

Australian Curriculum practice for Year 4.

Year 6 Practice

Australian Curriculum practice for Year 6.

ACER Preparation

Prepare for the ACER scholarship test for Year 7 entry.

Edutest Preparation

Prepare for the Edutest scholarship test.

School Checker

Find out which scholarship test your school uses.

PrepHQ Blog

Tips, insights, and guides on exam preparation.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Australian Curriculum cover in Year 5?

Year 5 Maths covers factors and multiples, operations with large numbers, comparing and adding fractions, decimals to thousandths, perimeter and area of rectangles, probability as fractions, and coordinate systems. English covers main and subordinate clauses, technical vocabulary, critical text evaluation, and extended writing.

Why is Year 5 so important for scholarship exams?

Most Year 7 scholarship exams are sat in the first half of Year 6, meaning Year 5 is the primary preparation year. The mathematical concepts and reading comprehension skills tested in scholarship exams are largely at the Year 5–6 level of the Australian Curriculum.

How should Year 5 students prepare for scholarships?

Build strong fundamentals first: ensure fractions, decimals, and multiplication are confident. Then add verbal and numerical reasoning practice. Short, regular sessions (10 minutes a few times per week) are more effective than long weekend study blocks.

What curriculum codes does Year 5 cover?

Year 5 covers codes including VCMNA172–VCMNA184 (Number and Algebra), VCMMG185–VCMMG192 (Measurement and Geometry), VCMSP193–VCMSP197 (Statistics and Probability), and VCELA331–VCELY362 (English).