Figure CWF6.2 shows the average writing scores for this group and for year six students in Cook Islands in previous PILNA cycles. The average writing score in 2021 (504.08, SD = 39.37) was lower than in 2018 (525.58, SD = 71.39) and 2015 (543.82, SD = 57.82). The score shows a steady decrease from 2015 through to 2021. The standard deviation for the average year six reading scores in 2021 (39.37) was lower than in 2015 (57.32) and roughly half that of 2018 (71.39). This shows that the spread of writing scores in 2021 was narrower than in previous PILNA cycles.

Standard deviation shows how close data points are to the average. A lower standard deviation means that data points are, overall, closer to the average; a higher standard deviation means that data points are, overall, further away from the average.