Practice at home10+11+

Creative writing at 10+ and 11+: what schools say they look for

How long the 10+ and 11+ writing tasks last at seven London independent schools, and what each school says it marks, in the schools' own words.

Updated First published 4 min read
In this article

Here is what seven London independent schools say about their writing tasks, taken from each school's own admissions pages, syllabuses and sample papers. Formats differ, so check the school you're applying to.

How long the writing task lasts

SchoolWriting task, in the school's words
City of London SchoolA short story from a prompt, 30 minutes, at 10+ and 11+
Dulwich College20 minutes: 5 minutes planning, 15 minutes writing
Highgate School15 minutes in the practice paper, including checking
St Paul's SchoolA 35-minute composition, from experience or imagination
Latymer Upper SchoolA separate 45-minute descriptive writing paper
Alleyn's SchoolA writing task that continues the reading passage, inside a 45-minute English paper
King's College SchoolAbout 20 minutes in the specimen paper, including about 5 minutes to check
Good to know

At Alleyn's, the writing continues the reading passage, and at King's College School it is written in the style of the passage. At City of London School, the writing is a separate task.

What schools say they mark

Ideas and imagination. City of London School asks "how interesting, imaginative and descriptive is it?" Dulwich's specimen paper awards marks for "originality and imagination". Alleyn's says "imaginative and linguistic flair will also be rewarded".

Vocabulary and style. St Paul's wants "an ambitious and accurate range of vocabulary, punctuation and grammar". Dulwich lists "appropriate voice and style" and "use of imagery (metaphor and simile)". King's asks for writing "in a similar style to the passage".

Accuracy. Highgate's practice paper gives "10 marks for content, 5 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar". City of London School asks, "can they spell and punctuate accurately?"

Structure. City of London School says the story "must be written in paragraphs".

Memorised phrases don't help

City of London School is direct about this. It says "phrases, words and imagery that have been pre-prepared are often apparent to those who mark the pieces, and often are not helpful."

Instead, the school advises "reading widely and practising creative writing, including describing sensory details and convincing character behaviour".

Tip

If your child has a favourite simile, ask them to invent a new one for each piece instead of reusing it.

How to practise at home

  1. Use the real time. Set a timer for your target school's length: 15 minutes for Highgate's practice paper, 20 for Dulwich, 30 for City of London School, 35 for St Paul's, 45 for Latymer Upper.
  2. Plan first. Dulwich builds in 5 minutes of planning. A quick plan (beginning, middle, end, or three things to describe) helps a short piece hold together.
  3. Keep time to check. Highgate's 15 minutes includes checking, and King's suggests leaving about 5 minutes for spelling, punctuation and grammar.
  4. Write by hand. City of London School says its writing task is "usually hand-written". Alleyn's asks for "black or blue pen/biro (not pencil)".
  5. Practise different forms. St Paul's lists "story, description, speech, diary, letter or article". Latymer's paper is descriptive writing.
  6. Practise writing from a passage. For Alleyn's, read a passage from a book together, then write what happens next. For King's, try a few paragraphs in the same style as the passage.
  7. Read it back together. Look at one thing at a time: an idea that surprised you, a precise word, then the punctuation.
Check with the school

Formats can change from year to year. Read your school's current admissions page and any sample paper before you plan practice.

Questions parents ask

Does my child need a tutor for creative writing?

City of London School says the assessments test skills your child will be developing in school, and that they "will not need any special tuition or intensive additional practice". Its advice is to read widely and practise writing.

Should my child learn impressive words to use?

City of London School says pre-prepared words and imagery "often are not helpful". St Paul's asks for vocabulary that is "ambitious and accurate", so accuracy counts too.

Is it a story or a description?

It depends on the school. City of London School asks for a short story. Latymer Upper has a descriptive writing paper. St Paul's offers a range of forms, and Alleyn's asks for a narrative or descriptive response that continues the reading passage.

Sources

Each school's own admissions pages, syllabuses and sample papers, checked on 23 October 2026:

  1. City of London School: 11+ entry
  2. City of London School: 10+ entry
  3. Dulwich College: Year 7 entry (11+)
  4. Dulwich College: English Creative Writing Task 11+ Specimen Paper (PDF)
  5. Highgate School: 11+ English Practice Paper 1 (PDF)
  6. St Paul's School: 11+ syllabus (PDF)
  7. Latymer Upper School: joining at 11+
  8. Alleyn's School: 11+ Entrance Exam Syllabus (PDF)
  9. King's College School: English 11+ specimen paper (PDF)

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School guideCity of London SchoolEntry points, the assessment and key dates.Read the guidePrep packCity of London School 11+ mock papersOriginal papers in the school's format, with mark schemes. Digital download.From £35See the pack