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11+ creative writing: planning, openings and timing

Updated 2026-11-04

Some 11+ tests and many independent school exams include a piece of writing. A simple plan, a confident opening and good use of time help children show their best work under pressure.

How writing is used in the 11+

Writing tasks are not part of every 11+ test, and where they are included they are used in different ways. Check with your council or school how a writing task fits into your child’s test.

In Kent, a writing task is set as part of the Kent Test. It is reported not to be marked as part of the score, but it may be looked at by a panel of headteachers if a family asks for a headteacher assessment.
In Essex and Southend, the English paper is reported to include a continuous writing task that counts towards the English mark.
Many independent schools set their own writing tasks, which may be marked or used at interview.

Even where writing is not marked, it is worth taking seriously. It may be used in later decisions, and good writing habits help across the whole of secondary school.

Planning in five minutes

A short plan stops a story from wandering and helps a child finish on time. It does not need to be neat; a few words and arrows are enough.

Minute one: read the task carefully. Is it a story, a description, a letter or an argument?
Minutes two and three: decide on a simple idea with a beginning, a problem and an ending.
Minute four: note one or two characters and a setting, with a few strong words for each.
Minute five: decide how the piece will open and how it will end.

Encourage your child to keep the plot simple. A small, well-told moment usually works better than an adventure crammed with events.

Strong openings

The first lines set the tone, so it helps to have a few kinds of opening ready to adapt.

Start with action: “The rope snapped.”
Start with speech: “Don’t open that door,” whispered Mia.
Start with a setting: “Fog curled around the empty bus shelter.”
Start with a question or a puzzle: “Nobody knew why the clock had stopped.”

Avoid beginning with waking up, or ending with “it was all a dream”. These are very common and rarely show a child at their best.

Description that brings writing to life

Good description helps the reader see, hear and feel the scene. Rather than piling up adjectives, encourage your child to choose a few precise words.

Use the senses: sounds, smells and textures, not just what can be seen.
Show feelings through actions: “Her hands shook” rather than “She was scared”.
Use strong verbs: “crept” or “stormed” instead of “walked”.
Try a simile or metaphor, but only where it adds something.
Vary sentence lengths. A short sentence after a long one creates impact.

Dialogue can bring characters to life, but a little goes a long way. Each new speaker needs a new line, with correct speech punctuation.

Using the time well

Writing tasks are often between 30 and 45 minutes, though this varies. A rough split for a 40-minute task might be:

About 5 to 10 minutes planning.
About 25 to 30 minutes writing.
About 5 minutes checking spelling, punctuation and sense.

Practise with a clock at home so your child gets a feel for how much they can write in the time. A finished piece with a clear ending is usually better than a longer piece that stops mid-sentence.

Endings and checking

Endings are often rushed because time runs short. Planning the ending in advance means there is always somewhere for the story to go.

Link back to the opening, perhaps by returning to the same place or image.
Show how a character has changed or what they have learned.
End on a short, memorable line rather than a long explanation.

The final few minutes are for checking. Encourage your child to read through once for sense, looking for missing words, and once for accuracy: capital letters, full stops, speech punctuation and common spellings. Neat crossings-out are fine; a clear correction is better than a mistake left in. Examiners and readers tend to notice a piece that is accurate and controlled as much as one with ambitious vocabulary.

Practising at home

Writing improves with regular, short practice and kind, specific feedback. Pick one thing to praise and one thing to improve each time, rather than correcting everything.

Use picture prompts, first lines or story titles as starting points.
Collect good words and phrases from books into a notebook.
Rewrite a single paragraph to make it more vivid.
Read pieces aloud; this catches missing words and clumsy sentences.

Reading remains the best preparation of all. Children who read widely absorb how good writers build tension, describe settings and end stories well. NITU’s revision handbooks include writing lessons for areas that set a writing task.

Questions parents ask

Is the Kent Test writing task marked?

It is reported not to be marked as part of the test score, but it may be used if a family requests a headteacher assessment. Check Kent County Council’s current information for details.

How long should an 11+ story be?

There is rarely a set length. A well-planned, finished piece of a few paragraphs, with careful spelling and punctuation, is better than a long, rushed one.

Should my child memorise a story to use in the test?

Learning a few strong openings and techniques is helpful, but a memorised story may not fit the task. Children do best when they can adapt ideas to whatever prompt they are given.

Want to see what a paper set out like your child's test looks like? Every pack and handbook has a free sample. Find your test area or try the free flash cards.