If you want a metaphor as well, try turning “dull rustle”into “distant applause”, which makes the leaves seem like a mass of enthusiastic people. Until 2016 the following schools they were under Group 2. The names of the schools are mentioned below along with the past papers. Children do often feel that the essay element of the 11+ is a monumental, insurmountable task, and parents preparing them for it can often feel the same way! The tough time limit and the unseen writing prompts can make the essay quite daunting. It is good practice to attempt full practice papers for this question style also, as it will help children to prepare for the strict timings and the challenges of the potential comprehension part more accurately. This familiarisation booklet is created for students who intend to take the 11+ test this year. It will help to familiarise you with what to expect by providing a brief description of the various areas of the evaluation, hints for how individual question types ought to be approached along with an illustration of how to write your answers on the separate answer sheet.

One fantastic Halloween alternative that’s perfect for everyone is the Fall Harvest Festival. This event can be organised within families, communities or schools and is a wonderful way to celebrate the changing of seasons without the dark or spooky elements often associated with Halloween.The questions at the end of the comprehension are very challenging so may take up a little longer time to solve. Ask your child to manage his time more effectively allowing more time for difficult comprehension questions. The actual practice of essay writing is a slow iterative process. Remember, in the short allotted time, your child has to, at the very least: Write a letter to a cousin inviting them to stay with you . You should try and interest them in some of the varied and unusual activities they can take part in. (Question from Merchant Taylor School)

There are some differences between the 11 plus creative writing test for Private Schools and those for Grammar Schools. Review below a brief summary of each: Write a story (true or made up) about a visit you make to some relations of your own. (Question from Merchant Taylor School)

11 Plus Creative writing example topics and tasks

Key things to think about when practicing include writing skills such as grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. Throughout practice papers and in every piece of writing, these should be accurate and varied. Eating – Do you think food gets to your plate without a ton of paperwork from the producers to merchants to the supermarkets?

This sort of thing is not really the fault of a young writer, who after all is (hopefully!) doing their best. Most private schools do test the creative writing of their prospective students; part B of the English paper is dedicated to creative writing. Some people are naturally creative with words, story-lines etc. and find this skill easy. However, your imagination can be greatly improved by reading a variety of books.

Worksheets, model answers, homework and class notes are sent out before the start of the course. These can either be printed or viewed digitally. For all workshops, students receive: Are you sure, dear?” enquired my mother. “The lake looks very cold. We wouldn’t want you to fall in or have an accident”. She frowned nervously but could see the resolute expression on my face; my mind was made up! Moments later I was in the queue, looking out over the vast tapestry of the lake, framed by trees and illuminated by the faint moon. This is the part of the CSSE examination where you will be given two tasks and asked to write a number of sentences on a subject or topic. Usually one question is based on creative techniques whilst the other is focused on writing for a specific purpose. You should spend 20 minutes on this section (10 minutes per question) and there are 15 marks in total (25% of the English paper). The purpose of this section of the examination is for children to show off their creative writing skills in a succinct and clear manner. Most senior independent schools require candidate pupils to write an essay as part of their selective entrance exams. Typically the school permits 20 – 30 minutes for the essay, offering up a selection of up to four essay titles. One of these titles often requires the child to continue the story within the comprehension they may have just completed in a previous section, or complete an essay for which the first few lines/paragraph is given or sometimes to write about a personality.