The writing performance of 20,708 year four students was analysed in PILNA 2021. The average writing performance for these students in 2021 was 483.90 (SD = 49.22).

Figure RWF4.1 shows the average writing scores for this group and for year four students in previous PILNA cycles. The average writing score for these students in 2021 (483.90, SD = 49.22) was higher than in 2015 (442.48, SD = 95.49) and 2018 (463.31, SD = 95.05).

The standard deviation for the average year four reading scores in 2021 (49.22) was lower than in 2015 (95.49) and 2018 (95.05). This shows that the spread of writing scores in 2021 was narrower than in previous PILNA cycles.