KIS Summary:
- NAPLAN data reveals many Year 9 students are writing at Year 4 levels, with experts calling it a "30-year policy failure".
- AERO's pilot program teaching writing across all subjects (science, maths, PE) showed promising results with students improving in both writing and subject comprehension.
- Even with AI tools, writing remains critical for organising complex ideas, reinforcing memory, and critically engaging with content which can be further enhanced through private tutoring.
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has long been a benchmark for measuring student achievement across Australia. Recent analysis shows a worrying trend: writing scores have stagnated or declined, with many Year 9 students performing at levels expected of Year 4 students.
This blog looks at the data, reveals why it's happening and how it can be stopped.
Table of Contents
- What Do NAPLAN Results Tell Us About Writing In Australia
- Why Has NAPLAN Writing Declined Over Time?
- What Are Schools Doing to Improve NAPLAN Writing And Is It Enough?
- Why Writing Remains Critical in an AI-Driven World?
- What Can Parents Do to Support Their Child’s Writing?
- Conclusion On NAPLAN Writing Standards
- FAQs About NAPLAN Writing Standards
What Do NAPLAN Results Tell Us About Writing In Australia?
Recent analysis of the 2025 NAPLAN results shows a worrying trend, whereby many Year 9 students are writing at primary school levels.
Experts have called this a "30-year policy failure," pointing to decades of inconsistent writing instruction and limited teacher training. AERO’s analysis of ten years of NAPLAN data revealed widespread gaps in punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure, suggesting that writing skills have not been systematically developed across the curriculum.
The implications are significant: writing is a critical skill for expressing knowledge, thinking critically, and achieving success in school and beyond. Poor writing proficiency not only affects English performance but can limit students’ understanding in science, maths, and other subjects that require written explanation.
Why Has NAPLAN Writing Declined Over Time?
Several factors have contributed to declining writing skills:
- Policy gaps: For many years, writing was not explicitly emphasized in the English syllabus, leaving schools without clear guidance.
- Teacher preparation: Many educators received little training in teaching writing across subjects, making it difficult to build literacy skills school-wide.
- Curriculum focus: Emphasis on standardised testing and other academic priorities sometimes left writing as a secondary concern.
- Digital shifts: Increased use of short-form communication, typing, and technology in students’ daily lives may also contribute to weaker formal writing skills.
What Are Schools Doing To Improve NAPLAN Writing And Is It Enough?
The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO), established by education ministers to develop evidence-based solutions, has piloted a groundbreaking approach: teaching writing across all subjects, not just English.
In trials across ten schools, teachers in science, maths, and even physical education were trained to integrate writing instruction into their lessons. Early results were promising: students not only improved in writing, but also demonstrated better memory and understanding in other subjects.
Ms Birch, a teacher who participated in AERO's trial, observed a marked increase in students performing in the highest bands for writing in NAPLAN, highlighting the effectiveness of cross-curricular literacy instruction.
Why Writing Remains Critical In An AI-Driven World?
Even as Artificial Intelligence tools become capable of drafting essays and reports in seconds, writing skills remain essential. According to education experts, students must understand language and communication deeply to critically engage with AI-generated content.
Alex Bacalja from the University of Melbourne explains: “While AI can assist with drafting, we risk developing a generation who are skilled at prompt creation but lack an understanding of how language works.”
Strong writing skills help students:
- Organise and communicate complex ideas
- Reinforce learning and memory
- Engage critically with information, including AI-generated content
What Can Parents Do to Support Their Child’s Writing?
If you’ve noticed your child struggling with writing — whether it’s crafting essays, structuring arguments, or writing clearly under exam conditions — now is the time to act. Investing in personalised tutoring can give your child the skills and confidence to succeed, not just in school, but in life.
While schools are making progress, personalised support is often crucial. Tutoring provides targeted guidance that addresses individual weaknesses and builds confidence in writing.
Benefits of tutoring include:
- Individualised feedback: Students receive direct guidance on grammar, structure, and clarity.
- Cross-subject support: Writing practice improves learning in all areas of the curriculum.
- Confidence and motivation: Regular progress helps students feel capable and engaged.
By supplementing classroom instruction with personalised tutoring, parents can help their children catch up and even excel in writing — a skill that will remain essential throughout school and into adulthood.
Conclusion On NAPLAN Writing Standards
The rollout of cross-curricular writing resources is a promising step, but systemic improvement will take time. Parents and educators must work together to ensure students not only meet NAPLAN benchmarks but also develop the critical literacy skills they need for future success. Investing in writing skills now — whether through schools or tutoring — equips students for academic achievement, effective communication, and lifelong learning.
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Manoj Arachige
Manoj Arachige
Manoj Arachige
FAQs About NAPLAN Writing Standards
1. Why are Australian students struggling with writing?
Many students find writing challenging because they aren’t getting consistent instruction across all subjects. Writing skills like grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and essay organisation need practice in multiple areas of learning, not just English. Historically, schools have not emphasised writing, and many teachers haven’t had the training to teach it effectively. Combined with the rise of short-form digital communication, students often have fewer opportunities to develop strong, formal writing skills.
2. How to prepare for NAPLAN writing?
With there being an issue of 'how' writing is taught in schools, the next best option for NAPLAN preparation would be a private tutor. Not only have they excelled in English related subjects, but can also provide the 1:1 learning experience your child may need, to see actual improvement in their writing.
Students can better learn to write to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue.
3. Is NAPLAN writing narrative or persuasive?
It can either be a narrative or persuasive. The NAPLAN writing tests assess the accurate, fluent and purposeful writing of a text in Standard Australian English. Students are provided with a writing prompt; either an idea or topic, and are asked to write a response in a narrative or persuasive text type.
4. How is NAPLAN writing marked?
Each year, new and experienced markers are appointed by each state's respective independent marking authority to mark student responses for the NAPLAN writing tests. The primary objective of the marking operation is to accurately mark student responses according to the national rubric.
5. Is writing still important with AI tools?
Yes. Understanding language, structure, and argumentation is critical to critically engaging with AI-generated content.
