The reading performance of 19,602 year six students was analysed in PILNA 2021. The average reading performance for these students was 491.87 (SD = 78.28).

Figure RRF6.1 shows the average reading scores for this group and for year six students in previous PILNA cycles. The average reading score for year six students in 2021 was slightly lower than in 2018, but slightly higher than in 2015.

The standard deviation for average year six reading scores in 2021 (SD = 78.28) was slightly higher than in 2018 (SD = 70.27) and moderately higher than 2015 (SD = 47.66). This shows that the spread of year six reading scores in PILNA 2021 was slightly wider than in previous years.