Y05W41WR Should Older Students Have Their Own Playground Time?

Part 1

How to Write

Persuasive – Submission

A persuasive submission argues for a clear position on an issue and aims to influence a specific decision-maker. It is written for a formal audience — often a committee, council or leadership group — and must be credible and well-reasoned. The tone should be confident and respectful, demonstrating careful thinking about the issue.

  • Ideas & content: Take a clear position and develop it with logical, well-supported reasons. Acknowledge complexity where it exists, but always return to your core argument.
  • Structure & cohesion: Open with your position, develop your reasons in a logical order and close with a clear recommendation. Use connecting language to move from point to point smoothly.
  • Voice & audience: Write for your specific audience — formal, measured and credible. Avoid emotional exaggeration. Show you understand the issue from multiple sides, even while arguing one position.
  • Language choices: Use precise, formal vocabulary. Control modality carefully — words like should, must and strongly recommends signal conviction. Vary sentence structure for impact.
  • Conventions: Spell key terms correctly. Use punctuation to manage complex sentences. Check that your sentences are as clear as they are persuasive.

Common pitfalls: Arguing from passion alone without evidence or reasoning — a good submission shows logical thinking, not just strong feeling. Failing to acknowledge the other side even briefly, which makes your argument look one-sided.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write a piece for the student representative council arguing either for or against reserving certain lunch times on the main playground for older students only. Use reasons that consider the needs of all students fairly.

Stimulus: A group of Year 6 students has proposed that younger students — Year 3 and below — should not be allowed to use the main playground at lunch time on certain days so that older students have more space. The playground is often crowded. The proposal has caused disagreement among students and parents. The student representative council is collecting written views.

Task Analysis: Choose your position: should older students have their own playground time or not? Give reasons that are fair to all students. Help the council understand both sides.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • Your position — yes to separate times or no?
  • Two reasons that support your view
  • What is fair — would your choice be fair to younger students too?
  • What you want the council to decide

Thesis/position

State your position clearly: ‘I think older students should have their own time’ (or not). Be direct and clear.

Evidence chain

Give a reason and explain it. ‘Older kids need more space’ is a reason. Better: ‘Older students play bigger games that need more space, but younger kids get scared when they run into those games.’

Call to action

End with what the council should do: ‘Please create separate times’ or ‘Please keep the playground shared.’ Be clear about your choice.