It’s November. The January entrance exams for your target independent schools are no longer a distant thought; they are right around the corner. You look at your child’s creative writing and a familiar sense of dread begins to creep in. It’s just not good enough, and you feel like you’ve run out of time.

First, take a deep breath. It is not too late. While a longer runway is always beneficial, a focused, strategic effort over the next 8 weeks can yield remarkable improvements. What you need is a clear, actionable plan that targets the specific skills required for these highly competitive exams.

This is your 8-week rescue plan. A week-by-week guide to building the sophisticated writing skills your child needs to impress the examiners at London’s top independent schools.

The mock exam results are in, and your heart sinks. The maths score is okay, the comprehension is fine, but the creative writing mark is a disaster. Next to the low score is a vague, unhelpful comment: “Needs more detail” or “Lacks structure.”

Your child’s confidence is shattered, and you feel a rising sense of panic. You’ve been practising, so what went wrong? And how can you possibly fix it with such useless feedback?

This experience is incredibly common. The problem isn’t just the bad result; it’s the lack of actionable advice that comes with it. Here’s how to turn that mock exam disaster into a powerful springboard for success in the real entrance exam.

Your child is bright, articulate, and has a wonderful imagination. So why doesn’t their creative writing reflect that? When it comes to the highly competitive entrance exams for London’s top independent schools, it’s not just about having good ideas. It’s about avoiding the common traps that even the brightest students fall into.

These schools aren’t just looking for a good story; they are looking for evidence of sophisticated thinking, careful planning, and technical skill. A single, recurring mistake can be the difference between an offer and a polite rejection.

Here are the five most common and costly writing mistakes we see year after year, and how you can help your child fix them.

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You’re investing a significant amount of money in an 11+ tutor. Your child’s maths and reasoning scores are steadily improving, and they seem to be keeping up in their group sessions. Yet, when you look at their creative writing, something is missing. It’s not bad, but it’s not brilliant. It lacks the spark, the sophistication, and the technical skill you know they’ll need to stand out in the entrance exams for highly selective independent schools like JAGS, Trinity, or Alleyn’s.

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. The hard truth is that most generic 11+ tuition centres, despite their best intentions, are simply not equipped to prepare students for the unique and varied challenges of the independent school writing exams.

Here’s why your generalist tutor might be failing your child, and what you can do about it.

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Getting into James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) is a dream for many families. It’s one of London’s top independent schools, and the 11+ entrance exam is notoriously competitive. While many parents focus on the ISEB Pre-test, they often overlook the one thing that can make or break their daughter’s application: the creative writing paper.

At 11 Plus Essay, we’ve helped more than a 1,000 students ace their writing exams, and we know the JAGS paper inside and out. This guide will break down everything you need to know to prepare your child for success.

Getting into James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) is a dream for many families. It’s one of London’s top independent schools, and the 11+ entrance exam is notoriously competitive. While many parents focus on the ISEB Pre-test, they often overlook the one thing that can make or break their daughter’s application: the creative writing paper.

At 11 Plus Essay, we’ve helped over 1,000 students ace their writing exams, and we know the JAGS paper inside and out. This guide will break down everything you need to know to prepare your child for success.

The Unique JAGS Writing Exam Format

Unlike most other schools, JAGS has a unique and challenging writing exam format. Here’s what makes it different:

1. The “Sandwich” Structure

The JAGS 11+ English exam is structured like a sandwich:

1. Comprehension (the top slice of bread)
2. Composition (Creative Writing) (the filling)
3. Comprehension (the bottom slice of bread)

This means your child has to switch between analytical and creative thinking, which can be draining. Time management and mental stamina are key.

2. The Two Different Writing Tasks

This is the most important thing to know: JAGS uses two different types of creative writing tasks, and your child could face either one on exam day.

Format 1: Passage-Based Story Continuation

• Students read a short passage from a story.
• The task is to continue the story in a way that matches the original’s tone and style.
• This tests reading comprehension, narrative skills, and the ability to maintain a consistent voice.

Format 2: Picture-Based Description

• Students are given a picture and a short, thought-provoking quote.
• The task is to write a description inspired by the picture, often with a specific constraint like “maximum two paragraphs”.
• This tests descriptive skills, vocabulary, and the ability to create a mood without telling a story.

Expert Tip: Most tutors only prepare for one of these formats. To be truly prepared for JAGS, your child must be ready for both.

How to Prepare for Both Writing Formats

Preparing for the Story Continuation Task

1. Read Like a Detective: When reading the passage, look for clues about the character’s personality, the mood of the scene, and the author’s writing style.
2. Maintain the Voice: If the passage is written in a formal, old-fashioned style, your child’s writing should be too. If it’s modern and chatty, match that tone.
3. Plan Your Plot: Before writing, spend 5 minutes planning what will happen next. A simple beginning, middle, and end is all you need.

Preparing for the Picture Description Task

1. Analyse the Picture: Use the “5 Ws” to analyse the picture: Who, What, Where, When, Why. What is the mood? What is happening just outside the frame?
2. Embrace the Constraint: If the task says “two paragraphs only”, stick to it. This is a test of concise, powerful writing.
3. Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of saying “the man was sad”, describe his slumped shoulders and the tear rolling down his cheek.

The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid

1. Ignoring the Passage/Picture: The stimulus is there for a reason. The best responses will be directly inspired by it.
2. Writing a Generic Story: Examiners can spot a pre-rehearsed story a mile away. Make sure the writing is original and tailored to the prompt.
3. Running Out of Time: The “sandwich” format is tricky. Practise doing a full mock exam with all three sections to build stamina.

How We Can Help: The JAGS 11+ Creative Writing Course

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone. The JAGS exam is tough, and generic tuition won’t cut it.

That’s why we created the JAGS 11+ Creative Writing Course. It’s the only course on the market that prepares students for both unique writing formats.

What makes this course special?

• Dual-Format Training: We teach the specific skills for both story continuation and picture description.
• The “Sandwich” Strategy: Your child will learn how to manage their time and energy across all three sections of the exam.
• Personal Video Marking: Submit two writing tasks and get personal, line-by-line feedback from an expert who knows what JAGS examiners are looking for.

Don’t leave the most important part of the JAGS exam to chance. Give your child the targeted preparation they need to stand out.

Learn more about the JAGS 11+ Creative Writing Course here.