Writing is the hardest 11 plus skill to practise at home — because it needs someone to read it and say what to do next. Elevenplus FC's Writing Coach gives your child specific, encouraging feedback on every piece, genre by genre, whenever they want it.
How the Writing Coach works
- Pick a prompt for the genre your child is working on.
- Write it — type in the app, or write by hand and snap a photo. The app reads the handwriting and lets your child correct anything it misread.
- Get feedback — a score, a highlight of the best writing in the piece, clear next steps, and an editor-style checklist of what that genre should include.
- Improve and track — every piece is saved in Writing History so your child (and you) can see progress over time.
A curriculum, not a random prompt generator
Rather than jumping straight to "write a story", the Writing Coach works through the genres in a deliberate order, building skills that carry into the next:
- Newspaper report — structure, facts, the five Ws.
- Diary entry — first person, feelings, informal voice.
- Letter — audience, purpose, formal and informal register.
- Descriptive writing — the senses, figurative language, show-don't-tell.
- Narrative — openings, tension, dialogue, satisfying endings.
- Persuasive writing — argument, rhetorical questions, counter-arguments.
Each genre has a mastery checklist, so your child knows exactly what a strong piece includes — and can see what's still missing.
Built safely for children
- Any photo containing a person is blocked on the device before it can be uploaded.
- Photos are never stored — only the text read from them.
- Stricter-than-default content safety filtering on every AI response, and a daily photo limit.
- All AI feedback is clearly labelled and can be reported in-app.
- The PIN-protected Parent Zone shows everything your child has written and every piece of feedback.
Full details are in our privacy policy.
What 11+ examiners look for in creative writing
- A strong opening that hooks the reader — dialogue, action or a striking description.
- Ambitious, precise vocabulary — trudged rather than walked, forlorn rather than sad. This is where 11+ vocabulary pays off twice.
- Varied sentences — short ones for tension, longer ones for description, and different sentence openers.
- Show, don't tell — "her hands trembled" instead of "she was scared".
- Accurate SPAG — especially paragraphs, direct speech and apostrophes. See 11+ SPAG.
- A proper ending — not "and then I woke up".
Browse 30 story openings, a descriptive writing model answer and persuasive writing techniques. For planning and structure, read our 11+ creative writing tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is creative writing part of the 11+?
It depends on the school. Many independent schools and some grammar school areas set a writing task. In the Kent Test, the writing sample isn't marked but may be used by a headteacher panel for borderline cases. Check your target school's admissions information.
How long is the 11+ creative writing task?
Usually between 20 and 40 minutes, often including a few minutes of planning. Children are typically given a choice of titles or a picture or opening line to respond to.
How does the Writing Coach give feedback?
Your child types their writing or photographs it. The Writing Coach uses AI to give a score, highlight what's working, suggest specific improvements, and check the piece against a genre checklist. Feedback is always labelled as AI-generated and can be reported, and parents can review all of it in the PIN-protected Parent Zone.
Is it safe to upload photos of my child's writing?
Photos are checked on the device first, and any photo containing a face is blocked before it can be uploaded. The photo itself is never stored — only the text read from it, which your child can check and correct. There's also a daily photo limit. See our privacy policy for details.