The numeracy and reading sections compare student performance to proficiency scales that describe expected student performance based on the number of years of schooling. A proficiency scale for writing ability is not currently available, although one will be created and the PILNA 2021 writing results will be compared with it.

For now, the average writing performance in PILNA 2021 is compared to writing performance over previous PILNA cycles, (Figure CWF6.6). This gives an indication of how writing performance is trending over time, but it does not show whether writing performance is at the level Pacific stakeholders expect it to be.

As shown in the year six writing performance section, the average writing score for year six students in Tonga in 2021 was lower than in 2018 and similar to the 2015 score. The average writing score for a year six student in 2015 was 475.83 (SD = 103.81), in 2018 it was 502.98 (SD = 93.40), and in 2021 it was 479.08 (SD = 46.45). With year six girls scoring higher on average than year six boys in writing performance in 2015, 2018 and 2021, girls are more likely to be meeting writing expectations than are boys.