Subject Assessment
Focus
AO4: Writing
I. Content: Communicate clearly,
effectively and imaginatively, using
and adapting forms and selecting
vocabulary appropriate to task and
purpose in ways which engage the
reader
II. Organisation: Organise
information and ideas into structured
and sequenced sentences,
paragraphs and whole texts, using a
variety of linguistic and structural
features to support cohesion and
overall coherence
III. Accuracy: Use a range of
sentence structures for clarity,
purpose and effect, with accurate
punctuation and spelling.
About the unit
GCSE English (4700) and GCSE
English Language (4705) Unit 1
Reading and Writing Non-fiction
Texts
There is one examination paper
which is common to both GCSEs.
Section A is a test of Reading.
Section B is a test of Writing. All
questions have to be answered.
There are no choices to be made.
There are two writing
questions:
focused on writing to inform,
explain or describe
question is focused on writing
to persuade or to argue a
point of view.
Key Stage 4 English Language. Unit 1 Title : Producing Non-fiction texts
Year 10 Core Unit 6
Cross Curricular Framework (CCF)
Expectations
A Cross Curricular Aspects
At the end of this unit
Most pupils will: demonstrate confident control of a range of forms and styles
appropriate to task and purpose. Their writing will engage the reader through a
variety of techniques. Linguistic and structural features are used confidently to
organise texts and achieve coherence. A range of accurate sentence structures
ensures clarity; choices of vocabulary, punctuation and spelling are assured and
consistently accurate.
Some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: demonstrate successful
adaptation of form and style to different tasks and for various purposes. They use a
range of sentence structures and varied vocabulary to create different effects and
engage the reader’s interest. Paragraphing is used effectively to make the sequence
of events or development of ideas coherent and clear to the reader. Sentence
structures are varied and sometimes bold; punctuation and spelling are accurate.
Some pupils will have progressed further and will: demonstrate confident, assured
control of a range of forms and styles appropriate to task and purpose. Their writing
will engage and hold the reader’s interest through logical argument, persuasive
force or creative delight. Linguistic and structural features are used skillfully to
sequence texts and achieve coherence. A wide range of accurate sentence structures
ensures clarity; choices of vocabulary, punctuation and spelling are ambitious,
imaginative and correct.
Language for learning
Content
Organisation
Accuracy
Genre
Audience
Purpose
Inform / informative
Explain / explanatory
Describe / descriptive
Argue / argumentative
Persuade / persuasive
Linguistic devices
Rhetoric
Common address, direct address, emotive language, flattery, hyperbole, personalisation,
superlatives.
Argue / arguing
Satire
Irony
Logos, Ethos and Pathos
i)
PLTS
1 Independent enquirers, 2 Creative thinkers,
3 Reflective learners, 4 Team workers, 5 Self Managers,
6 Effective participators.
ii) ECM
1 Safety, 2 Healthy, 3 Economic well being, 4 Enjoy and
5 Participate.
iii) KS Level 1, 2 and 3
1 Communication, 2 ICT, 3 Improving learning and performance, 4
Problem solving, 5 Working with others.
iv) WRL
1 Develop skills 2 Extend experience and understanding,
3 Learn how business works, 4 Awareness of employment opps,
5 Consider career intensions, 6 Undertake tasks and activities, 7
Learn from employment sectors, 8 Develop experiences,
9 Engage with ideas and challenges.
v) 21st Century Literacy
1 A, 2 B, 3 C 4 D, 5 E, 6 F.
B Wider Curriculum Dimensions
1 Identity and cultural diversity, 2 Community participation,
3 Healthy Lifestyles, 4 Enterprise, 5 Global dimension,
6 Technology and Media, 7 Creativity and critical thinking.
C COL
D Prior learning
Pupils studying for Higher tier should ideally have attained level 6
or above for KS3 English. This means that they already have a
degree of control of the components of successful writing,
including: writing imaginatively; matching texts to task, reader and
purpose; organising and sequencing material appropriately;
varying sentences and punctuation for clarity, purpose and effect;
selecting appropriate and effective vocabulary and spelling
accurately.
E Resources
Lesson titles and Learning
objectives
Pupils should learn:
AO4 i, ii and iii
To understand and explore the
difference between Content,
Organisation and Accuracy in nonfiction writing.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To explore and apply different uses of
content, organisation and accuracy
within non-fiction writing.
To connect these ideas with the genre,
audience and purpose of non-fiction
texts
Key Stage 4 English Language. Unit 1 Producing non-fiction texts
Year 10 Core Unit 6
Teaching activities
Learning outcomes
Pupils:
Starter

Outline the format of section B of the exam: the
two writing tasks.
Development Activities

Interrogation of how marks are awarded for writing.
Students can gain marks in three different ways –
Content, Organisation and Accuracy.

Students are given the descriptions of each of the
three strands of AO4: I, ii and iii. Students to copy
the definition of each strand into their books.

Sorting activity: students are given the band 4 (A*A grade) criteria. The criteria are bullet pointed and
mixed up. Students cut out the criteria and sort into
the three strands – Content, Organisation and
Accuracy. Feedback and discuss before sticking
into books.
Plenary
 Students write one sentence in their books defining in
their own words what is meant by each strand of AO4:
EG Content means…
Organisation includes…
Accuracy involves…
Starter

Quick recap question – what is the difference
between Content, Organisation and Accuracy?
Development Activities

In pairs, students share their annotated homework
texts.

Pair task: using the assessment criteria we looked
at last lesson, identify examples of effective
practice in terms of the three writing strands.
These should be linked to the assessment criteria
students explored last lesson

Feedback as a class, trying to find examples of
each of the assessment criteria for each strand.

Recap concepts of Genre, Audience and Purpose
(covered during Understanding non-Fiction texts
SOW during the previous half-term).

Individually, students to identify the genre,
audience and purpose of their homework (label
them directly onto the text)

How do the content, organisation and accuracy of
your text relate to its genre, audience and
purpose?
Plenary
 Write one sentence exploring how the content,
organisation and/or accuracy of the text are related to
each of its genre, audience and purpose.
Genre:
Audience:
Purpose
 Knowledge and understanding of the definition of and
difference between content, organisation and accuracy
in writing.
 Development of concepts of content, organisation and
accuracy.
 Development of process of differentiation between
different skill-sets within writing.
CCF and COL
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 4 and 5
KS
4
WRL 6
21CL
WCD 7
Homework:
Find a non-fiction text and
underline / highlight and
annotate it for features of
Content, Organisation and
Accuracy.
 Knowledge and understanding of different uses of
content, organisation and accuracy and genre, audience
and purpose
 Development of concepts of content, organisation and
accuracy and genre, audience and purpose
 Development of process of selecting and applying ideas
from texts
PLTS 3, 4 and 6
ECM 4 and 5
KS
5
WRL 6
21CL
WCD 6 and 7
Homework
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand and explore the
differences between informative,
explanatory and descriptive writing.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To explore and analyse the conventions
of informative writing.
Starter

Recap on the format of the exam and that the
shorter writing question will ask you to write to
inform, explain or describe.

Show three definitions on the board. Students
have to decide which describes writing to inform,
writing to explain or writing to describe
Development Activities

Students to give examples of each type of text.
These should be written down in their exercise
books as mind-maps or bullet-pointed lists

Students given examples of each writing type.
Students have to decide firstly which is which.

Next, students explore the linguistic features used
in each text type.

Feedback to board.
Plenary
 Students pick one style of writing. In their books, they
should write a sentence in that style, making use of
the features explored in the lesson.
 Go around the class. Each student reads out their
sentence and the rest of the class have to identify
whether it is informative, explanatory or descriptive.
Starter

What did we learn last lesson about informative
writing? Using their homework text to help,
In pairs, students to bullet point what we would
expect from a piece of writing to inform (ideas here
may include factual rather than opinionated; clearly
structured paragraphs; formal, objective tone;
simple and compound, rather than complex
sentences; discourse markers etc)

Feedback and discussion
Development Activities

Independent work: Students given worksheet
containing examples of writing to inform. For each
example, in their books students must:
1. Identify the likely audience and purpose;
2. Consider how the style of the text links to
these;
3. Decide which are the best examples of
informative writing and which merely disguised
persuasion;
4. Consider how each author has made use of
fact and opinion.

Plenary


Feedback to board. Teacher to collate and
write down key points from the discussion
Students to use what they have learned this
lesson to bullet-point in detail the features of
informative writing in terms of Content,
Organisation and Accuracy.
Feedback and discussion of ideas, including
teachers’ prepared answers, which students
should write down if they haven’t already
thought of them.
 Knowledge and understanding of writing to inform,
explain and describe
 Development of concepts of informing, explaining and
describing
 Development of process of analysis and application of
written texts and stylistic features
PLTS 2 and 3
ECM 4 and 5
KS
1
WRL 1 and 9
21CL
WCD 7
Homework:
Find an example of
informative writing and bring
it in to the next lesson.
 Knowledge and understanding of writing to inform.
 Development of concept of informative discourse.
 Development of process of informing.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: none
AO4 I, ii and iii
To apply the conventions of writing to
inform in order to create an informative
text.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand and explore the
conventions of explanatory writing and
analyse the differences between writing
to inform and writing to explain.
Starter

Recap conventions of writing to inform in
terms of content, organisation and accuracy.
Development Activities

Introduce practice task:
Imagine that you are going to do work experience in
a Wildlife Park or another visitor attraction. Write a
letter to the Personnel Manager introducing yourself
and informing him or her about what job you would
like to do and why.

Students write the task into their books and
decide on the GAP of the task. How will they
adapt their writing to the GAP of the task?

Feedback

Students have 5 minutes to plan a response to
the question using a 5 paragraph plan.

Discuss and show exemplar plan

Students have 25 minutes to write their
response to the task.
Plenary

If time, swap and peer assess using criteria (if
not time, do this as starter for the next lesson)
Starter

(If plenary not completed during the previous
lesson, begin with peer assessment of writing
task from previous lesson. If already
completed, disregard.)

What differences would you expect to find
between informative and explanatory writing.
Discuss with a partner and feedback ideas.
Development Activities

Show two paragraphs which exemplify the
differences between writing to inform and
writing to explain – find and annotate the
distinctions as a class.

Give students a ‘real world’ example of a piece
of explanatory writing: ‘Drop out at 17 – and all
structure crumbles away’. Students read the
article and answer the following questions:
1. What are the genre, audience and purpose of
the text?
2. What features do you notice being used in the
article? Underline and annotate them.
3. How does this text differ from a piece of
informative writing?

Feedback to board. Teacher to collate and
write down key points from the discussion
Plenary

Students to use what they have learned this
lesson to bullet-point in detail the features of
explanatory writing in terms of Content,
Organisation and Accuracy.

Feedback and discussion of ideas, including
teachers’ prepared answers, which students
should write down if they haven’t already
thought of them.
 Knowledge and understanding of informative writing.
 Development of concept of informative writing
 Development of process of application of learned ideas.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: none (teacher to
assess pieces of writing)



Knowledge and understanding of writing to explain.
Development of concept of explanatory discourse.
Development of process of explaining.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: Find an example
of explanatory writing.
Annotate it in terms of
Genre, Audience and
Purpose and Content,
Organisation and Accuracy.
Stick it in your book.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To apply the conventions of writing to
explain in order to create an explanatory
text.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand and explore the
conventions of descriptive writing.
Starter

Recap conventions of writing to explain in
terms of content, organisation and accuracy.

Students to share their homework texts in
pairs.
Development Activities

Introduce practice task:
Teenage life can be fun but can be difficult, too.
Write an article for a school magazine in which you
explain what it is like to be a teenager.

Students write the task into their books and
decide on the GAP of the task. How will they
adapt their writing to the GAP of the task?

Feedback

Students have 5 minutes to plan a response to
the question using a 5 paragraph plan.

Students to refer to their targets from their
previous piece of writing on their Tracking My
Progress sheets and aim to improve on the
areas specified by their teacher. Students can
also use the assessment criteria to remind
themselves of key areas for improvement.

Students have 25 minutes to write their
response to the task.
Plenary

Check over articles for accuracy. Peer assess
if time (if not, this can be done next lesson)
Starter
Complete the descriptive writing mix and
match exercise. Students cut out and stick in
the examples in the correct order



Knowledge and understanding of explanatory writing.
Development of concept of explanatory writing.
Development of process of creating a written text.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: none



Knowledge and understanding of writing to describe.
Development of concept of description.
Development of process of describing.
Development Activities
Read through the piece, ‘Describe the room
you are in.’
Task
Underline and annotate the text with examples
of descriptive techniques.
Look back at the criteria for the three strands,
content, organisation an accuracy. Annotate
the text with examples of where this candidate
is gaining marks for each strand.
Feedback and discussion of ideas, including
teachers’ prepared answers, which students
should write down if they haven’t already
thought of them.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: Find, and bring
in, an example of descriptive
writing that you find
interesting. This could be
from literature or non-fiction.
Identify as many features of
descriptive writing as you
can in the text.
Plenary
-
Write one paragraph describing the room you
are in.
- Try to use the techniques we have learnt today.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To identify and apply the conventions of
descriptive writing.
Starter


Complete the Extended Metaphor worksheet.
Development Activities

Introduce key term: Imagery. Explain that in
this lesson we will be covering a variety of


Knowledge and understanding of descriptive writing
techniques.
Development of concept of description.
Development of process of describing.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
techniques which can be used in descriptive
writing.

Go through techniques using PP presentation,
beginning with changing the verbs, and
moving through simile and metaphor.
Task – Read the extract from Hard Times. In pairs
discuss.

What is Dickens describing?

Is the description positive or negative? How do
you know?

Is there an extended metaphor or repeated
imagery?

What other descriptive techniques does
Dickens use?
Plenary
-
AO4 I, ii and iii
To apply the conventions of writing to
describe in order to create a descriptive
text.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand and explore the
differences between writing to argue
and writing to persuade.
Starter

Write a paragraph describing the image. Try to
use the techniques you have learnt today.
What did we learn last lesson about creating
effective imagery?
Development Activities

Introduce practice task:
Describe a visit or place from your past that has a
special place in your memory.

Students write the task into their books and
decide on the GAP of the task. How will they
adapt their writing to the GAP of the task?

Feedback

Students have 5 minutes to plan a response to
the question.

Students to refer to their targets from their
previous piece of writing on their Tracking My
Progress sheets and aim to improve on the
areas specified by their teacher.

Students have 25 minutes to write their
response to the task.
Plenary

Swap books with your partner. Using the
criteria on the following slides, decide which
band you would place your partner’s response
in for content, organisation and accuracy.
Starter

Recap on the format of the exam and that the
longer writing question will ask you to write to
argue or to persuade.

Question to class – what is the difference between
writing to argue and writing to persuade? Show
brief one sentence definition.
Development Activities

Bearing these definitions in mind, can you think of
examples of the genres in which you would expect
to find writing to argue and writing to persuade (eg
newspaper columns, charity leaflets, adverts etc)

Worksheet: Students given four examples.
Students have to decide firstly which is which.

Next, students explore the linguistic features used



Knowledge and understanding of descriptive writing.
Development of concept of descriptive writing.
Development of process of creating a written text.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: none
 Knowledge and understanding of writing to argue and
writing to persuade
 Development of concepts of arguing and persuading
 Development of process of analysis and application of
written texts and stylistic features
PLTS 2 and 3
ECM 4 and 5
KS
1
WRL 1 and 9
21CL
WCD 7
Homework:
Find an example of a piece
of persuasive writing and
bring it in to the next lesson.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand and explore a range of
linguistic devices relevant to persuasive
writing.
in each text type.

Feedback to board.
Plenary
 In their own words, students write a one-sentence
definition of writing to argue and writing to persuade
Starter
A quick recap of the differences between
arguing and persuading as discussed last
lesson.
Students to share homework texts in order to
explore further differences.



Knowledge and understanding of linguistic devices.
Development of concept of rhetoric.
Development of process of persuasion.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1 and 4
WRL 6 and 9
WCD 7
 Knowledge and understanding of writing to persuade.
 Development of concept of organisation.
 Development of process of analysis.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
WCD 7
Development Activities

Explain that a key part of the assessment
criteria when writing persuasively is to use a
range of linguistic devices. Establish the
meaning of linguistic, or rhetorical, devices

Students to complete rhetorical devices mix
and match worksheet: students have to match
the technique to its definition and example.
They then add one example of their own and
explain in their own words why you might
choose to use this device in your writing –
what effect does it have?
Plenary
Feedback and sharing of students’ own examples and
ideas.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To explore and analyse the conventions
of persuasive writing, including
organisation.
Starter

Write one brief paragraph persuading me that
you do not need to do any more homework. Use a
minimum of three linguistic devices we covered
last lesson.

Share paragraphs
Development Activities

Read the example charity letter and then
discuss and annotate the text identifying how the
article persuades the target audience.

As well as the use of rhetorical devices
covered last lesson, consider the following: use of
bold print / underlining and other presentational
devices, sentence structure, paragraphing,
punctuation, tone etc

Feedback and discussion

Using the criteria for content, organisation and
accuracy, annotate the letter for where the writing
is meeting each strand.
Plenary

According to Shelter, the number of young
people under the age of 16 who are living on
the streets is rising.

Write three sentences about this. Aim to
convince your reader that this is terrible by
using language emotively.
Homework: Make detailed
notes in your books about
the features of persuasive
writing in terms of Content,
Organisation and Accuracy.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To apply the conventions of writing to
persuade in order to create a
persuasive text.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand and explore the features
of writing to argue.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To understand, explore and apply satire
and irony when writing to argue.
Starter

Short punctuation starter (see PP)

Recap on longer writing task rubric
Development Activities

Introduce practice task:
Write a speech you will deliver at your Student Council,
persuading them to take action and support you.

Students write the task into their books and
decide on the GAP of the task. How will they
adapt their writing to the GAP of the task?

Feedback

Students have 5 minutes to plan a response to
the question.

Students to refer to their targets from their
previous piece of writing on their Tracking My
Progress sheets and aim to improve on the
areas specified by their teacher.

Students have 35 minutes to write their
response to the task.
Plenary

Swap books with your partner. Using the
criteria on the following slides, decide which
band you would place your partner’s response
in for content, organisation and accuracy.
Starter

Can you remember the difference between
writing to argue and writing to persuade?
Development Activities

Outline main features of writing to argue using
PP presentation

Read through the article on ‘Blindly
fingerprinting children’.

Can you identify the features of writing to
argue we have discussed? Annotate the text.

Feedback and discussion of ideas.
Plenary

Introduce the students to the ideas of classical
rhetoric: Logos, Ethos and Pathos.

Can you identify examples of where the text
appeals to logos, ethos and pathos?

Which is used the most?

Annotate the text accordingly.
Starter
What do satire and irony mean?
Feedback and discuss before showing class
the definitions on the PP
Development Activities

Watch the clips exemplifying satire and irony.

Explain that adopting satire and / or irony is an
alternative route to take when writing to argue.

Read the article, ‘The cast of Geordie Shore
are the noblest people in Britain today’ by
prominent satirist Charlie Brooker.

Can you identify examples of irony and / or
satire in Brooker’s piece?

Annotate the text with examples.

Discuss with your partner which are the most
effective examples of these techniques.



Knowledge and understanding of persuasive writing.
Development of concept of persuasion.
Development of process of creating a persuasive text.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: none



Knowledge and understanding of writing to argue.
Development of concept of reasoned argument
(logos).
Development of process of reasoning.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1 and 4
WRL 6 and 9
WCD 7



Knowledge and understanding of satire and irony.
Development of concept of satire.
Development of process of writing to argue.
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1 and 4
WRL 6 and 9
WCD 7
Homework: Make detailed
notes in your books about
the features of writing to
argue in terms of Content,
Organisation and Accuracy.

Plenary

Write one paragraph arguing against a TV
show of your choice.
- You must use satire and irony.
AO4 I, ii and iii
To apply the conventions of writing to
argue in order to create a written
argument.
Mock examination
Starter

What have we learned about writing to argue
so far?



Knowledge and understanding of writing to argue.
Development of concept of argument.
Development of process of creating a written
argument.
Development Activities

Introduce practice task:
‘Sports stars are good role models for young people.’
Write an article for a magazine of your choice arguing
for or against this view.

Students write the task into their books and
decide on the GAP of the task. How will they
adapt their writing to the GAP of the task?

Feedback

Students have 5 minutes to plan a response to
the question.

Students to refer to their targets from their
previous piece of writing on their Tracking My
Progress sheets and aim to improve on the
areas specified by their teacher.

Students have 35 minutes to write their
response to the task.

Remember your punctuation!
Plenary

Swap books with your partner. Using the
criteria on the following slides, decide which
band you would place your partner’s response
in for content, organisation and accuracy.
Mock examination
PLTS 1 and 3
ECM 5
KS
1
WRL 1
21CL
WCD 7
Homework: none
Mock examination
Mock
examination