NAPLAN writing explained for parents (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9)
NAPLAN is the national literacy and numeracy assessment taken by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in Australia. This guide covers the writing test: what children are asked to do, how it is marked, what the results mean and how to help at home without adding pressure. Dates and formats can change, so confirm current details with your school or the national NAPLAN website.
When it happens and who takes it
NAPLAN is held in March, in Term 1, over a test window of about two weeks. Every student in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 takes the same set of tests: reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. In recent years Year 3 students have written their response on paper, and students in Years 5, 7 and 9 have written on a computer. Your school will tell you which applies and when your child's sessions are.
What the writing task looks like
Students are given a writing prompt and asked to write one kind of text: either a narrative (a story) or a persuasive piece (an argument). Students do not get to choose which one on the day, so it helps to be comfortable with both. The prompts for Years 3 and 5 are different from those for Years 7 and 9, though they are designed to be of similar difficulty.
Writing is timed at 40 minutes in Year 3 and 42 minutes in Years 5, 7 and 9. That is not long, which is why planning and finishing matter so much.
How the writing is marked
Trained markers score each response using a rubric with ten criteria. Each criterion has its own scale, and the scores are then combined. The ten criteria are:
- Audience: does the writer orient and engage the reader?
- Text structure: does the piece have a clear beginning, middle and end, suited to the kind of writing?
- Ideas: are the ideas relevant, well chosen and developed?
- Character and setting (narrative) or persuasive devices (persuasive): the one criterion that changes with the text type.
- Vocabulary: is the word choice varied and precise?
- Cohesion: do ideas link together, with connecting words and a clear thread?
- Paragraphing: is the writing grouped into sensible paragraphs?
- Sentence structure: is there a mix of correct, well-built sentences?
- Punctuation: are full stops, capital letters, commas and so on used correctly?
- Spelling: are words spelt correctly, including more difficult ones?
The national program publishes marking guides for both text types, so you can read exactly what markers look for.
How results are described
Since 2023, NAPLAN results are reported in four proficiency levels for each area tested: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support.
Strong means a student is meeting challenging but reasonable expectations for their year. Exceeding means they are above that. Developing means they are working towards expectations. Needs additional support means they are not yet meeting expectations and would benefit from extra help. There is no pass mark, and a Developing result is information about where to focus, not a failure. Families receive an individual student report, and the report is a snapshot of one test on one day.
A simple plan for a narrative
A story marked on these criteria needs a shape. Spend the first three or four minutes planning on rough paper or in a notes box:
- Who is the main character, and where are they? (Character and setting.)
- What is the problem or surprise that sets things moving?
- What is the most exciting moment, and how is it solved?
- How does it end, and how does the character feel now?
Our Story Mountain article shows this planning method with an example, and our show, don't tell article helps with the vocabulary and detail that make characters and settings come alive.
A simple plan for a persuasive piece
A persuasive piece needs a clear position and reasons. A reliable plan is one sentence stating the position, two or three reasons each with an example or explanation, and a closing sentence that restates the view. Persuasive devices include a rhetorical question, a confident opening, strong words such as essential or unfair, and addressing the reader directly. A good habit is to build each reason as a short paragraph using the PEEL or PEAL pattern.
Practising at home
- Practise one text type at a time, then alternate. A short piece twice a week beats one long session.
- Use made-up prompts of your own to start with. For example: "The best day of the year" for a story, or "Should every school have a garden?" for a persuasive piece.
- Do some practice untimed, so your child can focus on ideas and structure, and some timed, so they learn to finish in the time.
- Always leave the last two minutes for rereading. Look for missing full stops, capital letters and words that were left out.
- Give one piece of feedback each time, not ten. One clear thing to improve is something a child can do next time.
Common problems and how to fix them
- No plan: the piece starts well and wanders. Fix with a two-minute plan every time.
- No ending: the writer runs out of time. Plan the ending before starting, and if time is short, write a one-line ending.
- One long block of text: show where paragraphs begin, for example when time, place or idea changes.
- Repeated simple sentences: practise combining two short sentences, and starting sentences in different ways.
- Careless spelling of easy words: leave time to reread.
Keeping it in proportion
NAPLAN is one short snapshot, and the best preparation is regular reading and writing through the year, with some familiarity with the format. Tell your child it is a chance to show what they can do, and that the result is information for their teachers and for you, not a judgement of them.
Common questions
Is there a pass mark?
No. Results are described in four levels. Strong means meeting challenging but reasonable expectations for the year.
Which kinds of writing are tested?
Narrative and persuasive writing. The prompt tells students which one to write, and they do not choose.
How long is the writing test?
40 minutes in Year 3 and 42 minutes in Years 5, 7 and 9. Your school will confirm the timetable.
Can my child see past papers?
The national program publishes example tests and marking guides on its website, and your school may have practice material too.
Get feedback on your child's writing
LiteracyLab AI reads a child's own writing and gives specific feedback: what worked, one thing to try next, and a corrected version, matched to their year and curriculum. The Free plan includes 3 pieces a month and needs no card.