11 Plus Creative Writing Course: Expert Tuition from a Journalist-Founder

If your child needs to write a story under exam pressure, you want them to do more than put words on a page. You want those words to sing. At Geek School Tutoring, our 11 plus creative writing course was developed by Joycellyn Akuffo, a journalist with bylines across Cosmopolitan, BBC Good Homes, Glamour, and more than 20 national magazine titles, specifically to help Year 5 and 6 children write with flair, confidence, and real exam-ready technique.

We run in-person sessions at our Beckenham and Catford centres, and online for families further afield. Since 2013, more than 1,000 families have trusted Geek School to prepare their children for grammar and independent school entrance exams. Our 100% pass rate in Kent and Medway tells its own story.

Why Our 11 Plus Creative Writing Course Gets Results

Most children face one of two problems in the 11 Plus creative writing task: they rush through it without enough thought, or they freeze in front of a blank page. Our course is built to fix both.

• Led by a working journalist, not just a tutor. Joycellyn’s 20-plus years in national media means children learn real storytelling craft rather than formulaic, paint-by-numbers answers that examiners see from every other candidate.
• Small groups of 4 to 6 children. Enough interaction to spark ideas; small enough that every child gets genuine individual feedback every session.
• Covers the full creative writing toolkit. Atmosphere, tension, character, setting, structure and style: all the building blocks that grammar and independent school markers are specifically looking for.
• Targeted exam preparation. We know exactly what markers at St Olave’s, Newstead Wood, Dulwich College, and other top South London and Kent schools want to see in a strong creative writing answer.
• Children actually enjoy it. When you understand how words work and how to play with them, writing stops being a chore and becomes something they want to do.

What the 11 Plus Creative Writing Course Covers

Atmosphere and Setting

One of the most frequently tested creative writing skills in the 11 Plus. Your child will learn to use mood words, sensory detail, and precise language choices to describe a scene in a way that draws an examiner in and keeps them there. This is where Joycellyn’s journalism background is genuinely invaluable: she teaches children to write settings the way a good magazine feature writer does, with economy, precision, and impact.

Story Structure and Plot

A story without shape loses marks, no matter how strong the vocabulary. We teach children to build a clear beginning, middle and end, and how to use tension, pacing and turning points so the story feels genuinely compelling rather than a list of events that happened one after another.

Character and Dialogue

From dialogue that sounds natural to characters that feel like real people, your child will learn how to bring the people in their stories to life on the page. It is a skill many 11 Plus candidates completely neglect, which means children who get it right stand out immediately.

Vocabulary and Style

It is not about using the longest words. It is about choosing the right word for the moment. We teach children to vary their sentence length for effect, develop a distinctive voice, and write prose that sounds considered rather than rushed. Examiners notice the difference.

Exam Technique and Timed Practice

Timed writing practice, planning strategies under exam conditions, and regular mock assessments so children arrive on exam day feeling prepared rather than panicked. We also cover the specific creative writing formats and prompts used by local grammar and independent schools, so nothing comes as a surprise.

In-Person and Online: 11 Plus Creative Writing Tuition Near You

Our 11 plus creative writing course runs at two in-person centres across South East London, and fully online for families who cannot easily reach us.

Our online sessions are live and interactive, not pre-recorded videos. They are ideal for families in Kent, Surrey, and across London who want access to expert creative writing tuition without the commute. Sessions are also recorded so your child can review them between lessons.

Results That Speak for Themselves

Since 2013, children who have completed our 11 plus creative writing programme have gone on to secure places at some of the most sought-after schools in the South East: St Olave’s Grammar School, Newstead Wood School, Dulwich College, James Allen Girls, City of London, Whitgift, Eltham College, Tonbridge Grammar, Wilson’s, and many more.

Our students do not just pass. They frequently score in the top percentile for English and creative writing, the element that most often separates borderline candidates from successful ones.

“Emma went from struggling with her writing to getting into Newstead Wood. The tutors knew exactly what the school was looking for.” Sarah M., Beckenham

How to Book

Start with a free assessment. We will tell you exactly where your child is, what the gaps are, and whether our 11 plus creative writing course is the right fit. No sales pressure, just honest guidance, because we have been parents going through this process ourselves.

Related: Full 11 Plus Preparation Programme | 11 Plus Essay and Creative Writing Online Course | 11 Plus Reading and Comprehension | Online 11 Plus Tuition