WriteLeap Build the writing skills NAPLAN asks students to use — without relying on memorised templates.
Use your child’s current writing to find the skills worth practising, then apply them in narrative and persuasive writing under realistic time limits.
What happens in the NAPLAN writing test?
Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 respond to a writing prompt and write either a narrative or persuasive text. The text type is revealed on the day and students do not choose between the two, so useful preparation builds adaptable writing skills rather than rehearsing one predicted prompt.
Current NAPLAN writing format at a glance
These details come from the official National Assessment Program website and should be rechecked if requirements change.
Year levels
NAPLAN writing is completed by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Narrative or persuasive
The required text type is revealed on the day and students do not get a choice.
Writing time
Year 3 has 40 minutes on paper; Years 5, 7 and 9 have 42 minutes online.
National marking rubric
Narrative and persuasive writing are each assessed using 10 criteria, with one genre-specific criterion.
Official information: NAP — What’s in the tests
What should a child actually practise for NAPLAN writing?
The official rubric covers several skills at once. For practice, it is easier to group them into four areas a child can understand and work on.
Ideas, purpose & audience
Develop relevant ideas and make writing choices that suit the task, reader and purpose.
Structure, paragraphs & cohesion
Shape the whole response, organise paragraphs and create clear links between ideas.
Vocabulary & sentence structure
Use words and sentences accurately and deliberately to communicate meaning and create effect.
Punctuation, spelling & editing
Control mechanics and leave time to check the response for errors and unclear expression.
Prepare the writer, not a predicted prompt
NAP’s own guidance says the best preparation is teaching and learning the curriculum. WriteLeap therefore focuses on transferable writing practice rather than claiming to predict the test.
Start with current writing
Find what the student can already do and where writing is losing clarity or control.
Practise the priority skill
Work on one or two skills directly instead of repeatedly writing full tests.
Apply under time limits
Use complete narrative and persuasive tasks so students practise planning, drafting and checking within available time.
Revise and learn from feedback
Use feedback to improve the student’s own draft and carry the same skill into later writing.
Important: practice feedback is not an official NAPLAN result
WriteLeap is an independent educational practice platform. It is not ACARA or NAP endorsed, and WriteLeap scores or feedback should not be presented as an official NAPLAN score, proficiency level or prediction.
NAPLAN Writing FAQs
Make NAPLAN practice more specific.
Start from your child’s writing, identify the skills that need attention, then practise and apply them in context.