NAPLAN Year 5 Writing Test Returns to Pen and Paper in 2028!

Australia's education ministers have agreed to work towards a pen and paper NAPLAN Year 5 writing test from 2028. Year 5 students now type their writing test on a computer, while Year 3 students already write by hand. Years 7 and 9 are not decided yet.

What has changed for NAPLAN Year 5 writing?

The Year 5 NAPLAN writing test moves from computer to pen and paper from 2028. Today, students in Years 5, 7 and 9 sit every NAPLAN test online. Year 3 students write on paper, as the national NAPLAN site confirms. Our Year 3 NAPLAN guide covers what that paper test looks like.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car told the ABC that ministers agreed to work towards Year 5 writing on paper. Before the meeting, NSW asked ministers to consider handwritten tests for Years 5, 7 and 9 from 2028. The ABC reports that ministers are yet to decide on Years 7 and 9.

Why is the NAPLAN writing test going back to paper?

Ministers give three reasons: screen time, classroom habits and weak writing results.

• Screen time: Ms Car said children do better writing pen to paper than typing on a screen. She also said excessive screen time has harmed students and their outcomes.
• Classroom habits: She said a paper test would push more classroom work onto paper, because students would need to practise the way they are tested.
• Results: In ACARA's 2026 Year 5 results, 11.7% of students reached "Exceeding" in writing. That is the lowest of the five Year 5 areas tested.
• A caution on those results: ACARA says a technical fault on 11 March affected Year 5, 7 and 9 writing. It urges care when reading the 2026 writing results.
• Device use: The ABC reports that PISA found Australian students spend 2.6 hours a day on digital devices, against an OECD average of 1.7 hours. The ABC does not say whether that figure covers school use or all use.

Ministers also agreed to start work on a "digital detox" for classrooms. NSW will introduce screen time limits from 2028, phased in from preschool to Year 12.

What do experts say about the pen and paper test?

Experts back the move, with two warnings about cost and fairness.

• Professor Pamela Snow (La Trobe University) told the ABC that technology in schools has run ahead of the evidence. She said small tweaks are not enough.
• Heads Up Alliance, a parent group, called the changes welcome steps in the right direction but wants more action.
• Marian Vidal-Fernandez (University of Sydney economist) backs paper tests. She cites overseas research from Portugal and the US that found results fall when the same children move from handwritten to computer-based tests. She says marking handwritten papers could be a barrier to a national rollout, and that students with learning difficulties and additional needs will need accommodations.
• Anabela Malpique (Edith Cowan University) supports the change. Her survey of primary teachers found they spend 9 minutes a week on keyboard skills and 31 minutes a week on handwriting

What should parents know about NAPLAN Year 5 writing?

Nothing changes for your child this year or next. The paper test starts in 2028, and details on marking and rollout have not been released. Check the NAPLAN 2027 test dates for the next window.

Students who sit Year 5 in 2028 are in Year 3 now, and they already write that test on paper.

• Practise by hand. Ask your child to write a short story or opinion piece by hand, a few times a week.
• Use one text type at a time. All students write the same text type on the day, so practise a clear opening, middle and ending.
• Keep working on numeracy. Writing is changing format, but the NAPLAN numeracy test is a separate paper.

Key takeaways and what happens next

• Year 5 NAPLAN writing returns to paper from 2028.
• Year 3 stays on paper. Years 7 and 9 are undecided.
• ACARA will advise ministers on Years 7 and 9.
• Ministers also plan to start work on reducing classroom screen time.
• Watch for the ministers' official communique, which the ABC says is due later this week.

Frequently asked questions

Is the NAPLAN Year 5 writing test going back to pen and paper?

Yes, the NAPLAN Year 5 writing test is planned to return to pen and paper from 2028. Education ministers agreed to work towards the change, according to NSW Education Minister Prue Car. Year 5 students type the writing test on a computer today.

When does NAPLAN Year 5 writing on paper start?

NAPLAN Year 5 writing on paper starts in 2028. Students who sit Year 5 in 2028 are in Year 3 now. Those students already write the Year 3 test on paper.

Will the NAPLAN Year 7 and Year 9 writing tests also move to pen and paper?

Not yet decided. Ministers are yet to decide on Years 7 and 9, and ACARA will advise them. NSW has asked for handwritten tests in both years.

Does the NAPLAN pen and paper change affect my child this year?

No, the NAPLAN pen and paper change does not affect your child this year. It starts in 2028, and Year 5 students sit the writing test online until then.

Will the other NAPLAN tests move to paper as well?

No change to the other tests has been reported. The 2028 plan covers the Year 5 writing test only, and the ABC says reading, numeracy, spelling, grammar and punctuation stay online.

How can my child practise NAPLAN writing by hand?

Ask your child to write a short story or opinion piece by hand a few times a week. Practise a clear opening, middle and ending, because every student writes the same text type on the day.

Does Cuemath offer NAPLAN preparation for Year 5?

Yes, Cuemath Australia offers NAPLAN preparation for Year 5 maths. Cuemath tutors teach maths, so the preparation covers the numeracy test. For writing, practise by hand at home using the tips above.

What did the 2026 NAPLAN results show for Year 5 writing?

In ACARA's 2026 results, 11.7% of Year 5 students reached "Exceeding" in writing, the lowest of the five Year 5 areas tested. ACARA says a technical fault on 11 March affected the Year 5, 7 and 9 writing tests, so read these results with care.

Sources

Official and primary

• ACARA, NAPLAN National Results: technical-fault caveat on 2026 writing results
• ACARA media release, 5 August 2026: 2026 national results context
• NAP, NAPLAN: Year 3 writing on paper, Years 5, 7 and 9 online

News publishers

• ABC News, 3 November 2026: ministers' agreement, Prue Car quotes, 2028 date, device-use figures
• ABC News, 2 November 2026: expert views on the pen and paper proposal

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