But what if we reframed this narrow concept of assessment? What if we stopped focusing on giving students a grade, and used assessment to drive real, tangible improvement in literacy for every student?

This is the core question at the heart of the Literacy Masterclass Series 2025.

The inaugural year of this exciting professional development event is set to run from 10–13 November 2025.

This week-long, after-school series is an invitation for literacy educators to join a global conversation on how to transform assessment data into a powerful roadmap for student growth in 2026 and beyond.

From data to student growth

Teachers need more than just a final score; they need insights they can act on to improve students' learning outcomes.

The theme, "From Assessment to Action: Improving Literacy Outcomes for 2026," is focused on giving teachers practical, evidence-based strategies that help bridge the gap between giving students a grade and identifying how to help them progress to the next level.

This series is proudly presented by the award-winning team at Seven Steps to Writing Success. Known nationwide for their deep commitment to literacy improvement and their delivery of engaging, high-impact professional development, the organisers have designed this Literacy Masterclass Series to address the most urgent need in education: using data to drive student growth.

The Masterclass Series is designed to be flexible and accessible, offering 1–2 engaging online sessions each afternoon. Busy educators can join the live sessions for an interactive, in-person experience or catch up later with the recordings provided.

High-impact sessions: A snapshot

The 2025 series features a diverse lineup of experts delivering high-value, classroom-ready insights:

  • James Smith (Founder, Mark My Words): Mapping the interconnected building blocks of writing to reveal why certain foundational skills must be in place before others can flourish.

  • Ben Lawless (Education Consultant, Lawless Learning): How to design developmental rubrics that are roadmaps for growth, not just static scores.
  • Deb Larmer (Teacher & Seven Steps Presenter): Practical strategies for delivering explicit, actionable feedback that moves student writing from "good" to "great”.
  • Laura Bailey (Head of Assessment and Moderation, Pobble): Reframing writing moderation as a celebration of the whole writer to sharpen assessment accuracy and inform curriculum.
  • Ros Lugg (CEO/Founder, StepsWeb): Diving into the neurological aspects of reading, including orthographic mapping, to help identify and track student progress toward genuine reading fluency.
  • Amanda Sutera (Founder & Literacy Consultant, Hands On Heads Consulting): Guiding Years 3-6 teachers on restructuring the literacy block to purposefully align reading and writing instruction and assessment for depth and rigour.
  • Andrew Duval (Co-Founder, Frankenstories): Challenging the view of narrative, framing it as a foundational skill that prepares students for abstract and analytical writing in secondary school.

Key event details:

Presented by: the award-winning team behind Seven Steps to Writing Success

Theme: 'From Assessment to Action: Improving Literacy Outcomes for 2026'

Dates: 10-13 November 2025

Format: Online, after school sessions (live attendance or recordings)

See the full program/book here: via this link. 

Ready to drive improvement?

This Literacy Masterclass Series is a premium professional development event designed to equip teachers with the classroom-ready insights and evidence-based models they need to elevate literacy outcomes in 2026.

Sessions qualify for professional development hours and are delivered by literacy experts from across Australia and beyond who share a deep passion for student success.

As the first of its kind, this series is set to become the annual must-attend event for serious literacy educators.

Secure your place and be part of this collaborative effort to drive meaningful change in literacy education.

Click here to view the full program and book your ticket.

How will you transform your assessment data into your students' greatest opportunity for growth next year?