You’re doing everything right. You found a reputable 11+ tutor, you’re paying the fees, and your child is diligently attending the sessions. Their maths and comprehension scores are slowly ticking up. But when you look at their creative writing, something is missing. The stories are flat, the descriptions are bland, and the marks just aren’t improving.

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. It’s one of the most common frustrations we hear from parents. They feel like they’re wasting money on tuition that isn’t delivering results where it matters most: the one part of the exam where their child can truly shine.

The problem isn’t your child, and it probably isn’t even the tutor. The problem is the traditional tuition format itself, which is fundamentally unsuited to teaching creative writing. Here are the three main reasons why.

City of London School for Girls (CLSG) is one of the most prestigious and academic schools in the country. Securing a place is incredibly challenging, and the Stage 2 English exam is a major part of the assessment. What makes the CLSG exam stand out is its unique and demanding format: it’s the only 11+ exam that requires students to complete two compulsory writing tasks in a short space of time.

Many parents and tutors are unaware of this dual-task challenge, and they prepare their children for a standard creative writing test. This is a huge mistake. At 11 Plus Essay, we have delved deep into the CLSG exam format to give you the specific preparation your daughter needs.

Alleyn’s School in Dulwich is a top choice for many families, known for its academic excellence and co-educational environment. The 11+ entrance exam is highly competitive, and the creative writing task is a crucial opportunity for your child to showcase their unique voice and imagination. While the format is simpler than some other schools, that doesn’t make it any easier to stand out.

At 11 Plus Essay, we’ve helped hundreds of students secure places at their dream schools, including Alleyn’s. This guide will walk you through the Alleyn’s writing exam and give you the tools you need to support your child.

Trinity School in Croydon is one of the most sought-after independent schools for boys in South London. The 11+ entrance exam is a significant hurdle, and while many parents drill their sons on comprehension and maths, they often underestimate the importance of the creative writing task. It’s the one area where your child can truly show their personality and stand out from the crowd.

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.

Figurative language can completely transform a child’s writing – but only when it’s used well. I’ve marked thousands of 11 Plus stories over the years, and one of the biggest things that separates a middle-band script from a top-band one is the writer’s ability to bring their description to life with similes, metaphors and personification.

I once worked with a boy in Year 5 who had memorised a long list of ‘fancy’ similes. He’d sprinkle them through every story – even if they didn’t make sense. One of his sentences described a peaceful garden as “as loud as a thunderstorm.” When I asked why, he said, “Because I thought the simile would get me more marks.”

One of the most powerful ways to transform your child’s creative writing is to help them master the skill of “show, don’t tell.” It’s also one of the most misunderstood techniques – especially when children are preparing for the 11 Plus.

I once worked with a Year 5 girl who always wrote things like “She was sad,” or “He was angry.” The meaning was clear, but the writing lacked any emotional depth. After a few simple lessons on how to show what those emotions looked like – in the body, the face, the actions – her writing became so much more powerful. She didn’t need fancy vocabulary. She just needed to show what the character was feeling, not state it plainly.

Let me show you how to teach your child the same.

One of the biggest myths I hear from mums preparing their children for the 11 Plus is this: “As long as their SPaG is good, they’ll be fine in the writing paper.”

I understand why so many believe this. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are absolutely important – they form the backbone of good writing. But if you want your child to shine in the 11 Plus creative writing task, SPaG alone isn’t enough. There’s so much more that examiners are looking for.

One of the biggest worries mums have when preparing their children for the 11 Plus is how much writing practice is enough. Some mums tell me their child writes every day, while others struggle to get one piece a week done – and feel guilty about it.

Let me reassure you right now: it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing the right kind of writing, consistently.

Over the years, I’ve had countless parents come to me feeling lost. Their child writes stories – sometimes even enjoys writing – but when it comes to the 11 Plus, they’re not producing good pieces of writing. I remember one mum telling me, “He’s imaginative – but we’re just not getting the ideas on paper properly. I don’t know what to do, and my son is getting frustrated as well.” And that’s exactly it – most parents don’t know what examiners are looking for, but can see when their child is struggling – and when they will clearly lose marks because they either don’t have much writing on paper, or the standard of writing just isn’t up to even the basic standards sometimes.

So let’s walk through how to improve this.