Writing is 25% of the Selective test: one task, in a form that isn't announced. These 8 prompts cover the forms it can set, with plans and model openings, before the test on 13–14 May 2027.
Markers reward an answer to the prompt that suits its reader, not a polished piece on something else: off-topic writing is marked lower, however fluent. They look at ideas, purpose and audience, language for effect, and also count structure, grammar, punctuation, style and vocabulary.
Children can plan on paper or on screen, then type. That makes a few minutes of planning part of the test, not time lost.
The form isn't announced, so a child who has planned several forms is ready for any of them. The Department's three PDF papers asked for an advice sheet, a newspaper report and a diary entry.
The Department publishes no list of the forms the task can set, and its practice papers each used a different one. It hasn't said whether it will release papers from the computer-based test , so treat any "past Selective topics" list with care.
What every topic shares is a form, a reader and a purpose. Teach your child to find those three in the first minute, and any topic becomes something they can plan.
Which topic comes up matters less than answering the topic that's set: off-topic writing is marked lower. A prepared piece on a favourite subject won't fit a topic it wasn't written for.
Each prompt appears as your child would see it. Each one shows what a strong answer does, a 5-minute plan and a model opening, so read them with your child.
We wrote these prompts for this page; none is from a real test or our Practice tests.
Stories and diaries
A story and a diary entry. Both need a clear voice and a problem that changes something by the end, not just a list of events.
Worked explanation 1
The Lighthouse Wakes
Begin your story with this line:
The lighthouse on Gull Point had been dark for forty years, so when its lamp blinked on one Tuesday night, the whole town came down to the harbour to stare.
Who, or what, switched the light back on, and why? Your story can be realistic or imaginative, but it must start with the line above.
Write a story that begins with the line above.
explain who switched on the lamp and why it matters now
show one character who goes closer while everyone else just watches
end with how the town, or one person in it, is changed
30
It copies the given first line exactly and makes the rest of the story answer the question that line raises.
It follows one character who acts, rather than describing a whole crowd that only watches.
It builds to one tense moment at the lighthouse and ends with a clear change.
Form: story (narrative). Audience: a reader who enjoys a mystery. Purpose: to entertain and make the reader wonder.
Plan (5 minutes)
Copy the given line exactly as the first sentence.
Choose one main character with a reason to care about the lighthouse (a grandchild of the last keeper, a new kid in town).
Problem: the light means something (a message, a warning, a mystery) and the character must reach it.
Climax inside the lighthouse: one tense moment, slowed down.
Resolution that answers the question the first line raises.
Language moves: contrast the crowd's noise with the silence inside the tower; use one sharp sensory detail (salt-crusted rails, the beam sweeping across faces) instead of a string of adjectives.
What markers look for: ideas that grow from the given line rather than a story learnt by heart, a clear beginning, problem and ending, varied sentences and precise words, and correctly punctuated speech.
The lighthouse on Gull Point had been dark for forty years, so when its lamp blinked on one Tuesday night, the whole town came down to the harbour to stare. I stood at the very end of the jetty, pyjama pants tucked into my gumboots, and counted. Three long flashes. One short. Three long again. The adults muttered about faulty wiring, but I wasn't listening. Pop had tapped that same pattern on the kitchen table every morning of my life.
The opening keeps the given line, then narrows from the whole town to one child at the end of the jetty, which gives the reader someone to follow. It also plants a mystery with a concrete clue: the flash pattern Pop tapped on the table every morning. Short fragments ("Three long flashes. One short.") slow the moment down and make the reader count along.
Worked explanation 2
In Charge of the Stall
Every Saturday your grandmother sells homemade jam and pot plants at the local market. Today she had to drive home to collect more stock, and for one whole hour she left you in charge of the stall, the cash tin and a very long queue. When she came back, she noticed that something about the stall had changed.
Write a diary entry about your hour in charge of the market stall.
describe the busiest or most surprising moment of the hour
show how your feelings changed from the start of the hour to the end
explain what had changed when your grandmother came back, and what she said
30
It stays on the one hour at the stall instead of retelling the whole Saturday.
It shows feelings through actions and body details rather than just naming them.
It explains what had changed when the grandmother came back and what the writer made of it.
Form: diary entry. Audience: yourself, so the voice is personal and honest. Purpose: to record a memorable day and what it meant.
Plan (5 minutes)
Date, "Dear Diary" and a first line that shows your feeling straight away.
Set the scene quickly: your grandmother leaves, the queue grows, your nerves kick in.
Two or three moments in order, such as the first sale, a mix-up with change, or a customer who surprises you.
The change your grandmother notices when she returns, and her reaction.
A closing thought about what the hour taught you.
Language moves: show feelings through the body instead of naming them ("my hands were sticky with nerves and jam"); use past tense for the events, then present tense for how you feel tonight.
What markers look for: an entry that stays on this one hour, a clear order of events, a believable voice with precise words, and correct punctuation, especially in speech.
Saturday night
Dear Diary,
I have been a shopkeeper for exactly one hour, and I am exhausted. Nana's car had barely turned the corner when a man in a cycling helmet asked for "whatever's cheapest". I panicked and sold him a fern for fifty cents. Fifty cents! The label clearly said eight dollars. My cheeks burned the colour of the strawberry jam, and the queue behind him kept growing, like a snake that had eaten too much breakfast.
The first line sounds like a real diary: personal, funny and straight into the feeling. It then shows the panic through one specific mistake, selling an eight-dollar fern for fifty cents, rather than saying "I was nervous". The simile of the queue as "a snake that had eaten too much breakfast" adds humour and helps the reader picture the pressure.
Persuading a reader
Two prompts that ask your child to win someone over. Name the reader, take one side, and give each reason its own paragraph.
Worked explanation 3
A Bus for the Weekend
Your town council will vote next month on whether the community bus should also run on weekends. Here are some facts.
The bus runs Monday to Friday, 7 am to 6 pm, linking outer streets to the shops, the pool and the sports fields.
Weekend runs would cost the council about $40,000 a year.
In a survey, 6 out of 10 residents asked said they would use a weekend bus at least once a month.
Many children and older residents in the town do not drive.
Write a letter to the mayor persuading the council to vote for or against running the community bus on weekends.
choose your side and state it clearly in your opening
use at least two of the facts as evidence, and explain what they show
answer the strongest point the other side would make
30
It takes one side in the first paragraph and keeps it to the end.
It uses at least two of the facts as evidence and explains what each one shows, without stretching them.
It answers the $40,000 cost, or the other side's strongest point, in a calm, formal tone.
Form: formal letter. Audience: the mayor, an adult who must weigh costs against benefits. Purpose: to persuade the council to vote one way.
Why it is harder: the facts can support either side (the survey says "at least once a month", not every weekend), so your child must choose which to use and explain them, not just copy the list.
Plan (5 minutes)
"Dear Mayor," then your position and why you care, in the first paragraph.
Reason 1, backed by a fact and what it shows.
Reason 2, backed by another fact.
Rebuttal: name the strongest point against you (for example, the $40,000 cost) and answer it.
A polite closing request, then "Yours sincerely" and your name.
Language moves: explain a number accurately ("six out of ten residents means more than half of those asked"); use firm but courteous modal verbs ("would", "should", "must").
What markers look for: a clear position held all the way through, facts used as evidence without stretching them, paragraphs that build, a formal tone suited to the mayor, and accurate spelling and punctuation.
Dear Mayor,
I am writing to ask the council to vote yes to running the community bus on weekends. I am eleven, and my Saturday netball games are on the far side of town, but both my parents work weekend shifts. A recent survey found that six out of ten residents asked would use a weekend bus at least once a month. That is more than half of the people asked. Many children like me, and many older residents, do not drive, so on weekends we depend on someone else for a lift.
The opening states the request in its first sentence, which is exactly what a busy mayor needs. It then cites the survey as given and keeps the claim in proportion: "more than half of the people asked", not "the whole town". It then uses the fourth fact as given (many children and older residents do not drive), and a personal reason (getting to Saturday netball) gives the argument a human face without losing the formal tone.
Worked explanation 4
Keep Going or Let Go?
"Practice makes perfect." (a well-known saying)
Many children start an activity such as piano, swimming squad or a language class, and after a while they want to stop. Some adults say children should keep going, because skills take years to build. Others say children should be free to quit and try something new. Your class is holding a speech day on this question.
Write a speech for your class arguing whether children should have to keep going with an activity after they want to give up.
open with a question, a short story or a surprising idea to win your audience's attention
give two or three reasons, each with an example your classmates will recognise
finish with a line your audience will remember
30
It sounds like a speech, with a greeting, direct address to the audience and a strong final line.
It takes a clear position on whether children should keep going, rather than saying it depends.
It backs each reason with an example classmates would recognise.
Form: speech. Audience: classmates and a teacher who will hear it, not read it. Purpose: to persuade them to your view.
Plan (5 minutes)
Greeting and a hook: a question, a quick story or a bold claim.
Your position in one clear sentence. Use the saying, or argue with it.
Two reasons, each with an example your classmates know (a music exam, a swimming carnival, a friend who quit).
Answer the other side in a sentence or two.
A short conclusion with a memorable final line.
Language moves: speak directly to the audience with "you" and "we" and the occasional question; use a pattern of three or a repeated phrase that listeners will remember.
What markers look for: writing that sounds like a speech (a greeting, a spoken style, a strong close), a position that stays clear, reasons that build, lively but precise vocabulary, and correct sentences and punctuation.
Good morning, everyone. Hands up if you have ever begged to quit something. Now keep your hand up if, years later, you were glad you didn't. "Practice makes perfect," the saying goes, but I would change one word: practice makes possible. Today I will argue that children should keep going with an activity for at least one full year, because the hardest part of learning anything is the part just before it starts to get good.
The opening involves the audience at once: two quick "hands up" questions make listeners take part before the argument begins. It then plays with the given saying, changing "perfect" to "possible", which shows the writer is thinking about the stimulus rather than just quoting it. The position follows in one clear sentence, with a reason attached.
Informing a reader
Three prompts that explain or report. Headings in the plan, plain facts in the writing, and an ending that sums up for the reader.
Worked explanation 5
Kites Over Harbour Park
Use these facts in your report. You may invent quotes from people who were there.
Event: the first Harbour Park Kite Festival, last Saturday
312 kites were in the air at once, a new town record
The oldest flyer was 87; the youngest was 4
A dragon kite 6 metres long tangled in a fig tree and was freed by council workers
Money raised: $5,200 for the local surf lifesaving club
Write a newspaper report about the kite festival for your local paper.
write a headline that grabs the reader and a first sentence that tells who, what, where and when
include quotes from at least two people who were there
put the most important facts first and the smaller details later
30
Its first sentence tells who, what, where and when, leading with the record.
It uses the facts exactly as given and adds believable quotes from people who were there.
It stays in the third person and past tense, with no opinion from the writer.
Form: newspaper report. Audience: local readers who were not at the festival. Purpose: to inform them about what happened.
Plan (5 minutes)
A short, punchy headline.
A lead sentence that answers who, what, where and when, starting with the record.
A paragraph on the people: the oldest and youngest flyers, with an invented quote.
A paragraph on the dragon kite in the fig tree, with a second quote.
An ending on the money raised and what happens next.
Language moves: stay in the third person and the past tense, with no "I think"; introduce each quote properly ("said organiser Aroha Wilson") and use the exact numbers from the facts.
What markers look for: every key fact used accurately, the most important information first, quotes that add colour, a neutral tone, and correct punctuation of quotation marks.
Record Number of Kites Soars Over Harbour Park
The sky above Harbour Park became a patchwork of colour last Saturday, as 312 kites flew at once to set a new town record at the first Harbour Park Kite Festival.
Flyers aged from four to 87 crowded the grassy foreshore from early morning. "I haven't flown a kite since I was a boy," said Ivan Petrov, the oldest flyer. "My great-granddaughter had to show me how to untangle the string."
The headline is short and uses a strong verb ("Soars"). The lead sentence packs the key facts (when, where, how many and why it matters) into one line, just as real news reports do. The quote then adds a human, slightly funny detail that the bare facts cannot, and it is correctly punctuated and introduced.
Worked explanation 6
Be a Brilliant Buddy
Next year, every Year 6 student at your school will be paired with a Kindergarten buddy. Year 6 buddies will meet their buddy at the start of the year, read with them each week and help them at assemblies and on sports day. Many Year 6 students have never looked after a five-year-old before, and some of them are a little nervous.
Write an advice sheet for next year's Year 6 students on how to be a great Kindergarten buddy.
give a short introduction that explains why buddies matter
group your advice under clear headings, such as First meeting or Reading time
include a tip about what to do if your buddy is shy or upset
30
It gives specific, practical tips, such as kneeling to eye level, not general advice like "be nice".
It organises the advice under clear headings that follow the buddy year.
It speaks to fellow Year 6 students in a friendly voice and gives a reason for each tip.
Form: advice sheet. Audience: next year's Year 6 students, so the tone is friendly and encouraging. Purpose: to give useful, practical advice.
Plan (5 minutes)
A clear title and a short introduction that explains why buddies matter.
Three or four headed sections that follow the year: first meeting, reading together, assemblies and sports day, tricky moments.
Two or three tips in each section, each with a reason.
A closing line that boosts confidence.
Language moves: begin tips with command verbs ("Kneel", "Ask", "Wait"); follow each tip with a reason using "so" or "because", which turns a list into real advice.
What markers look for: advice that fits the situation, a layout that is easy to follow, specific rather than vague tips ("ask about their favourite animal", not "be nice"), a voice that suits fellow students, and accurate spelling and punctuation. Headings suit an advice sheet because they help readers find each tip.
How to Be a Brilliant Kindergarten Buddy
Remember your first day of school? The buildings seemed enormous, the big kids looked like giants and you had no idea where the toilets were. Your buddy will feel exactly the same. The good news is that you don't need to be a teacher to help. You just need to be patient, friendly and ready to listen.
Your first meeting
Kneel or sit so you are at your buddy's eye level. Tell them your name, then ask theirs.
The introduction wins the reader over by asking them to remember their own first day, which builds empathy and shows why the advice matters. The first tip begins with a command verb ("Kneel") and is specific enough to act on straight away. A clear heading signals where each piece of advice belongs, so the sheet is easy to use.
Worked explanation 7
Reply to Mr Tran
Your class raised silkworms this term. Your notes say:
Silkworms eat fresh mulberry leaves and almost nothing else.
The tiny eggs hatch in spring.
After four to six weeks of eating, each silkworm spins a silk cocoon.
About two weeks later, a moth crawls out. It cannot fly. Female moths lay eggs.
Then this email arrived from another school:
Hi there,
My Year 3 class would love to raise silkworms. What will we need, how do we look after them, and what surprised you most?
Thanks, Mr Tran
Write an email replying to Mr Tran's questions.
answer all three of his questions in a sensible order
use the class notes to explain the steps clearly, as if Mr Tran has never seen a silkworm
use a friendly but polite tone, with a suitable greeting and sign-off
30
It answers all three of Mr Tran's questions, in a sensible order.
It turns the class notes into clear steps for someone who has never kept silkworms, without copying them as a list.
It uses a polite, friendly tone with a suitable greeting and sign-off.
Form: email reply. Audience: Mr Tran, an adult you have not met, so the tone is friendly but polite. Purpose: to inform him clearly enough that his class can begin.
Plan (5 minutes)
Greeting, thanks and one sentence saying what the email covers.
What his class will need (fresh mulberry leaves, a box with air holes).
How to look after them, step by step, from egg to cocoon to moth, using the class notes.
What surprised you most, which adds a personal touch.
An offer to help, and a sign-off with your name.
Language moves: use sequence words ("First", "Each morning", "Once they start spinning") so the steps are easy to follow; use exact terms such as "cocoon" and "hatch", and explain any the reader may not know.
What markers look for: answers to all three questions (missing one is an easy slip), information in a logical order, a tone that suits a teacher, and accurate grammar and spelling. Your child should build on the class notes rather than invent facts.
Dear Mr Tran,
Thank you for your email. Our class loved raising silkworms, and I'm happy to share what we learnt so your Year 3 students can enjoy it too.
What you will need
The most important thing is a steady supply of fresh mulberry leaves, because silkworms will eat almost nothing else. Before you start, find a mulberry tree you are allowed to pick from. You will also need a shallow box with small air holes and some paper towel to line the bottom.
The opening thanks Mr Tran and says what the email will cover, so the reader knows what to expect. It then answers his first question under a clear heading and gives a reason with the key instruction ("because silkworms will eat almost nothing else"). A practical detail, finding a tree "you are allowed to pick from", shows the writer is thinking about the real reader.
Reflecting
One prompt about a moment that mattered. The marks come from what your child learnt from it, not from the event itself.
Worked explanation 8
The Story in a Photo
"Every picture tells a story." (a saying)
Think of a photograph that matters to you: one on a wall, in an album or on a phone. It might show a celebration, a trip, a person or an ordinary day. Think about the moment behind the picture, what the camera did not show, and what the photo means to you now compared with when it was taken.
Write a reflection about a photograph that matters to you and the story behind it.
describe the photo so clearly that the reader can see it
tell the story of the moment, including something the camera did not show
explain what the photo means to you now, and why that has changed
30
It describes one photo with a few sharp details instead of a long list.
It tells the story behind the picture, including something the camera did not show.
It reflects on what the writer understands now that they missed at the time.
Form: reflection. Audience: a thoughtful reader, such as a teacher reading a journal. Purpose: to explore what a remembered moment means.
Why it is harder: your child must move beyond describing a picture to reflecting on it, comparing what they felt then with what they understand now.
Plan (5 minutes)
Open by describing the photo: one or two sharp details.
The story behind it: what happened just before or after the click.
What the camera did not show (a feeling, a person just out of frame).
The insight: what you notice or understand now that you missed then.
A closing thought on why you keep the photo.
Language moves: move on purpose between present tense (what the photo shows) and past tense (what happened); use reflective phrases such as "Looking at it now" or "What I didn't notice then" instead of a moral tacked on at the end.
What markers look for: precise description, a clear shape from picture to meaning, honest insight, mature vocabulary without clichés, and controlled grammar and punctuation.
In the photo on our fridge, I am seven years old and dusted with flour, holding up a birthday cake that leans like a tower about to topple. Everyone in the picture is laughing, including me, although a minute earlier I had been close to tears. Looking at it now, I notice what my seven-year-old self missed: Dad's hand steadying the plate, just at the edge of the frame, and my sister licking icing off her thumb as if nothing had gone wrong at all.
The opening describes the photo with a precise, funny simile (a cake leaning "like a tower about to topple"), then reveals what the picture hides: the writer was nearly in tears a minute before. "Looking at it now" signals genuine reflection, and the writer notices small details at the edge of the frame (Dad's steadying hand), which hints at the insight still to come.
How should my child use these?
One prompt a week, read slowly with its plan and model opening, teaches more than several skimmed in a rush. Ask your child what the model does first, and how the plan sets it up.
Children in Year 5 now sit the test in Year 6, so there is time to study every form more than once before it counts.
Read the plan first
Form, reader and purpose come first, then three or four steps. Plan for five minutes on the day: this split of the time is our advice.
Know the clock
30 minutes in all on the day, and every answer is typed on the computer.
Read what a strong answer does
Then ask your child to pick one thing from the model to use in their own writing.
Read a different form next week
Rotate through stories, persuasion, reports and reflections.
Writing improves fastest with someone pointing at what worked and what didn't. Practice test 1 includes a writing task, and there's AI writing feedback on the free practice test's writing task, so you can see how your child's piece reads against the marking areas above.
Treat it as a second reader, not a mark: it's automated AI feedback, not a Department mark, and it can be wrong.
