01 · Choose
A little help, or your own way.
Choose a challenge. Write independently, or use planning ideas and sentence starters. Sometimes the first sentence is the awkward bit.
Writing Academy · beta
A good idea is a start.
Let’s help it become good writing.
Writing practice for Year 6 and 11+ preparation, with a clear challenge, help when it’s needed and feedback your child can use.
Now available to FPA members · beta. Included in FPA membership, with no extra writing fee. Sign in and ask a parent to complete the short agreement before your first piece.
From a blank page to a useful next step.
02 · Write
Keyboard or pencil.
Type your work or upload clear photographs of handwritten pages. Submit one full piece each week, at a time that suits your family.
03 · Improve
Keep what works. Try one change.
Feedback points to strengths in the writing, chooses one thing to work on and gives a short follow-up activity.
Example feedback
What does useful writing feedback look like?
This sample extract and feedback are illustrative. They are not a real pupil’s work, a testimonial or a result from the live feedback system.
The challenge
An envelope arrives with a small key inside. On it are the words: NOT THE FRONT DOOR. What happens next?
A short extract
The envelope was empty apart from a tiny key. NOT THE FRONT DOOR, someone had written on the back.
I tried the garden gate. Nothing. The shed was locked too, but this time the key fitted. I pushed the door open, something scratched behind a stack of flowerpots.
“Just a mouse,” I whispered.
Then the flowerpots whispered back.
Three things that work
- You make the search easy to follow. The key fails at the garden gate before it fits the shed. We can follow the narrator’s steps without getting lost.
- “Nothing.” gives the failed attempt a quick beat. That short sentence changes the pace before the key fits the shed.
- The last line changes what we expect. A mouse could scratch behind flowerpots. Whispering back is rather less usual. It gives us a reason to read on.
One thing to try next
Look at “I pushed the door open, something scratched behind a stack of flowerpots.” There are two complete ideas here. A comma on its own does not separate them clearly. Try a full stop and a capital letter.
One possible revision:
I pushed the door open. Something scratched behind a stack of flowerpots.
This short extract cannot tell us a child’s overall Year 6 standard. In real feedback, we look at the submitted piece and the help used, and choose strengths the writing actually shows.
Who checks the feedback?
AI helps prepare the feedback. During beta, FPA’s founder reviews every piece before it is released.
Your child receives up to three specific strengths, one thing to work on and a short practice activity.
When will we receive it?
Reviewed feedback appears in the pupil account. If a verified parent email is linked, we also email it no earlier than 48 hours after submission. Review can take longer.
This is practice feedback, not an official Year 6 assessment or a prediction of an exam result. Different schools set different writing tasks.
For schools
Could this help your pupils?
I’m developing a school version of Writing Academy and would like to hear from teachers. What would make writing feedback useful in your classroom — and save you time?
The school version is still being developed. The aim is to help teachers compare feedback with their own judgement and choose useful next steps. Teachers would remain in charge; this is not a replacement for statutory moderation.
For schools — get in touch