Writing question
What makes a good school? Give your opinion, making clear points backed up by examples.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
Define what “good” means for a school and argue for a few prioritised qualities. Support each point with an example instead of assembling an unsupported list.
- argument structure
- reasoning
- examples
- clarity
Requirements to keep in mind
Give your opinion on a good school; use clear points backed by examples.
Plan your response
- Choose two or three qualities that matter most to you.
- Give a specific example for every main point.
- Explain why each quality helps pupils.
- Finish by deciding what matters more than appearances.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Original atoply example response
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. Other successful responses are possible.
Reveal example and teaching notes
The School Where Everyone Can Flourish
A good school is more than an impressive building or a long list of examination results. In my opinion, the best school is somewhere pupils feel safe, curious and confident enough to try new things.
Firstly, excellent teachers make an enormous difference. A teacher who explains a difficult maths problem in three different ways, for example, shows pupils that mistakes are part of learning. Kindness matters just as much as knowledge: nobody wants to ask a question if they fear being laughed at.
Secondly, a school should offer opportunities beyond lessons. Music, sport, drama and clubs allow children to discover talents they never knew they had. A quiet pupil might find their voice during a school play, while someone who struggles with writing might shine in a science competition.
Finally, pupils should feel that they belong. Clear rules, fair consequences and friendships between different year groups can make school a welcoming place. Bullying should never be ignored.
Of course, good facilities and strong results matter. However, I believe the real test of a school is whether children leave each day having learnt something and feeling proud of who they are becoming.
Learn from the example
- The response connects a central idea to reasons or qualifications, creating a line of thought rather than a list of opinions.
- In a full response, develop the supporting examples and address a different view before reaching a conclusion that answers the question.