The 2017 test showed no dramatic change in any category with just a 3.52 per cent improvement in reading and a 2.55 per cent increase in numeracy since the tests were first held in 2008.

However, writing has been seized upon as “a real concern” according to Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, with a 2.04 per cent decline in results since 2011. Robert Randal of ACARA also showed concern for this area: "We need to look into that data… What maybe is causing it?...We'll have a conversation with states and territories to see, is it a curriculum issue we need to address? Is it a teaching and learning issue? How can we improve our assessment?"

No doubt there will be more commentary and blame-laying when the full results are published.

View the preliminary results for the 2017 NAPLAN: http://reports.acara.edu.au/NAP/NaplanResults