WriteOn competition
WriteOn is an annual writing competition for all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6.
About the competition
The annual WriteOn competition is an exciting opportunity for schools, teachers and students to focus on writing. Through the competition, students develop skills in writing to express their ideas and may become published authors.
The competition is for students in Years 1 to 6 who are accessing NSW syllabuses, including students registered for home schooling. Students create an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using a provided stimulus.
Each year, winners are celebrated at an awards ceremony and their entries are published in ‘The Best of WriteOn' anthology. The 2026 version of the anthology is now available as a free download (PDF 1.55MB).
WriteOn 2026
WriteOn 2026 is now closed.
WriteOn is held in association with the State Library of NSW. The stimulus for WriteOn 2026 was the quote:
‘It was a small thing, but it made a difference.’
Subscribe to NESA News for updates on the competition.
Support materials for WriteOn 2026
NESA developed teaching and learning materials to support teachers using WriteOn to promote writing in their schools.
Download the Teaching and learning support materials for WriteOn 2026 Stages 1 to 3 (PPTX 2.67MB). This resource includes Judges’ notes from WriteOn 2025.
NESA congratulates all participating students and their teachers for taking part in the WriteOn 2026 competition.
Students who participated in WriteOn at their school may be presented with a participation or school finalist certificate.
Participation and School finalist certificate (PDF 88.33KB).
WriteOn 2026 award winners
Stage 1
Phoenix Day: Minnamurra Public School, Minnamurra, Dharawal Country
Eduth Erioluwa Musa: Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta, Darug Country
Rocco Romiti: Regentville Public School, Regentville, Darug Country
Zoe Wang: St Francis Xavier's Catholic Primary School, Lurnea, Cabrogal Country
Frankie Wark: Urbenville Public School, Urbenville, Githabul Country
Summer White: Annandale Public School, Annandale, Gadigal Country
Stage 2
Johanan Byun: Marie Bashir Public School, Strathfield, Darug Country
Amina Dasouqi: Arkana College, Kingsgrove, Bidjigal Country
Arlo Dickinson: Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Terrigal, Darkinjung Country
Mischa Klar: St Charles Catholic Primary School, Ryde, Wallumedegal Country
Audrey Leal: Killara Public School, Killara, Darug Country
Akira Rule: St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, Birpai Country
Stage 3
Noorhan Al-Saegh: All Saints Catholic College, Liverpool, Cabrogal Country
Marina Chen: MLC School, Burwood, Wangal Country
Max Guo: Wahroonga Public School, Wahroonga, Darug Country
Eve Harris: Masada College, St Ives, Darug Country
Gloria Su: Caddies Creek Public School, Glenwood, Darug Country
Joanna Wen: Eastwood Heights Public School, Eastwood, Darug Country
Aubree Yang: Jasper Road Public School, Baulkham Hills, Darug Country
Stage 1
Alira Dowla: Carlton South Public School, Carlton, Dharawal Country
Victoria Gayed: Meriden Junior School, Strathfield, Wangal Country
Penelope Hunter: Bathurst Public School, Bathurst, Wiradjuri Country
Tara Kapila: Loreto Kirribilli, Kirribilli, Gamaragal Country
Zoe Kim-Nevius: Queenwood Junior School, Mosman, Gamaragal Country
Rafael Kurup: Leppington Anglican College, Leppington, Darug Country
Stage 2
Dalia Exikanas: Carlton South Public School, Carlton, Dharawal Country
Yannis Lai: St Ambrose Catholic Primary School, Concord West, Darug Country
Felicity Luttrell: Engadine Public School, Engadine, Dharawal Country
Ava Picciau: Bald Face Public School, Blakehurst, Gamayngal Country
Arlo Rail: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Menai, Dharawal Country
Sum Yin Joanna Wong: Santa Maria Del Monte, Santa Sabina College, Strathfield, Darug Country
Stage 3
Saisha Bagchi: St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Sutherland, Dharawal Country
Carissa Bicioc: Valley View Public School, Wyoming, Darkinjung Country
Adeline Hunter: Bathurst Public School, Bathurst, Wiradjuri Country
Matvey Linev: Mona Vale Public School, Mona Vale, Garigal Country
Arianna Mintarja: St Christopher's Catholic Primary School, Holsworthy, Dharawal Country
Benjamin Overman: St Raphael's Catholic School, Cowra, Wiradjuri Country
Stage 1
Lily-Rose Anderson: Narrabeen Lakes Public School, Narrabeen, Gamaragal Country
Athveka Gobhidharan: Riverbank Public School, The Ponds, Darug Country
Peyton Power: Cobbitty Public School, Cobbitty, Dharawal Country
Imogen Priest: Cudgegong Valley Public School, Mudgee, Wiradjuri Country
Blake Rhim: Arden Anglican School, Beecroft, Darug Country
Charlotte Woznicki: Cedars Christian College, Farmborough Heights, Dharawal Country
Stage 2
India Clibborn: Hunter Valley Grammar School, Ashtonfield, Wonnarua Country
Cora Forwood: Bondi Public School, Bondi, Gadigal Country
Hannah Lin: Truscott Street Public School, North Ryde, Wallumedegal Country
Oscar Qian: Sydney Grammar School, Edgecliff Preparatory School, Paddington, Gadigal Country
Emmeline Symons: Curl Curl North Public School, Curl Curl, Garigal Country
Melissa Yang: Meriden Junior School, Strathfield, Wangal Country
Stage 3
Grace Abood: Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Earlwood, Gadigal Country and Wangal Country
Zoe Headon: Merewether Heights Public School, Merewether Heights, Awabakal Country
Annabel Smith: Penrith South Public School, Penrith, Darug Country
Lexi Whittaker: Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, Kiama, Dharawal Country
Bella Wu: Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta, Darug Country
Roy Zhao: Wahroonga Preparatory School, Wahroonga, Darug Country
Judging
The WriteOn 2026 competition was judged by a panel of experienced NSW teachers, including representatives from NESA and educational sectors.
The decision of the judging panel is final.
Winning entries selected by the judges of WriteOn 2026 showed strength appropriate for their stage in:
- making connection to the stimulus with an interesting perspective
- making deliberate choices about the text features
- engaging and sustaining audience interest in imaginative, interpretive, emotive or unique ways
- communicating and developing a clear theme through coherent ideas or events
- demonstrating control of the appropriate tense across the text
- developing detailed descriptions of the setting, actions and character profiles
- using word play or figurative language, creatively and purposefully
- building tension or atmosphere by experimenting with word choices or sentence types
- using stage-appropriate grammar, punctuation and language including Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary
- using their selected text to write independently within the 500-word limit and without the use of AI.
WriteOn 2025 awards
Winners of last year’s WriteOn competition were celebrated at the 2025 awards ceremony held at the State Library of NSW.
Contact
For further information email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.