Writing task
Studies have shown that young people are not getting enough sleep, affecting behaviour, progress, concentration and mood. Imagine your headteacher plans to begin the school day one hour later. Write a persuasive speech for a school assembly supporting or opposing the plan. You may argue that the change goes too far or not far enough. Make your ideas clear and engaging.
Time: 45 minutes (as indicated for this published task).
Marks: 25.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
Should the School Day Begin an Hour Later? is a persuasive speech task that tests audience awareness, rhetorical techniques, argument. Address both wellbeing and practical timetable concerns in an assembly-appropriate voice.
- audience awareness
- rhetorical techniques
- argument
- fluent expression
Requirements to keep in mind
Recommended writing time: approximately 45 minutes (as indicated in the paper/section); Writing marks: 25 (subject to separately awarded SPaG marks); Published task/option: A (where the source offers alternatives, pupils answer the paper's specified number, not all)
Plan your response
- Address both wellbeing and practical timetable concerns in an assembly-appropriate voice.
- Plan a clear beginning, development and ending within the time available.
- Use precise vocabulary and vary sentence lengths where appropriate.
- Proofread spelling, punctuation and paragraphing before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Short atoply teaching example
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This short illustration shows selected techniques. It does not set a target length or expected mark for the timed task.
Reveal example and teaching notes
Good morning, everyone. How many of us have arrived in our first lesson still half asleep? Starting an hour later could help pupils arrive more alert and ready to learn. Better rest may improve concentration, mood and even relationships. However, a later start would affect buses, clubs and families' routines, so we should trial the idea and listen to feedback. A school timetable should support learning, not make it harder. If a small change could give us a healthier beginning to the day, surely it deserves a fair test.
Learn from the example
- The response presents a position for an audience, giving the speech a purpose. Notice how reasons or examples support that appeal.
- Read a draft aloud to check that the argument is clear to a listener. A full speech needs developed supporting points as well as an effective opening.