Y05W24PA - Sports Day or Active Wellbeing Day?

This week you wrote an argument about Sports Day. Now you'll read another student's argument and decide how strong it is. Spotting what works helps you build a stronger case in your own writing.

Part 1

The Assessor Scorecard for

Persuasive – Argument

Markers look for arguments that build a strong, clear case. Check each strand below to see what strong work looks like.

Ideas & Content

Reasons that are specific — not vague claims. Examples drawn from what you've seen yourself. Logic that stands up when readers think about it. A clear position the reader can spot fast.

  • Specific reasoning: credible, detailed reasons that go past vague claims.

Structure & Cohesion

An opening that states the position straight away. Reasons given in order of strength, strongest last. No contradicting yourself partway through. An ending that drives the conclusion home.

  • Building argument: reasons arranged so they build toward a strong conclusion.

Audience & Purpose

Reasoning shaped for the coordinator's values. Objections answered, not ignored. A tone that speaks straight to the reader. No points that only matter to the writer.

  • Audience-aware reasoning: reasons shaped for the reader's values and concerns.

Language Choices

Strong verbs that push the case forward. Specific examples — not vague hand-waving. Direct address that pulls the reader in. No forced emotion or pushy exaggeration.

  • Persuasive precision: strong verbs, examples and direct address that build the case.

Conventions

Sentences shaped to stress your key reasons. Punctuation that guides the reader through. Few errors, so the writer sounds trusted.

  • Clarity conventions: sentence shape and punctuation that stress key reasoning.

Part 2

Today’s Marking Targets

Task in one sentence

Write an argument for or against replacing the traditional Sports Day with an Active Wellbeing Day.

You are writing an argument for or against changing the school sports day to an Active Wellbeing Day focused on non-competitive activities. Your response gives reasons that reflect what you genuinely think is better for students. Your argument should be persuasive to a school sports coordinator considering this change.

Let’s Focus

Two strands matter most this week: Ideas & Content and Audience & Purpose. Your reasons and examples decide whether the argument convinces. How well you understand your reader shapes whether your reasons feel relevant to them.

Ideas & Content

Reasons drive the argument. Give specific points about why your choice helps students. Use examples from what you've seen, not vague claims. Show you understand what's at stake for both sides.

What markers scan for

  • Give specific reasons — not vague claims.
  • Use examples from what you've seen yourself.
  • Note the other side fairly, then answer it.
  • Show why your stand is still stronger.

Score Bands

  • Basic

    Reasons are vague and examples feel thin or missing.

  • Strong

    Reasons are specific and examples come from real life.

  • Excellent

    Reasons are sharp and examples come from deep real-life observation.

Audience & Purpose

Think about the coordinator. They care about what's best for students and how the school runs. Tie your reasons to those concerns, not just what you prefer. Knowing what matters to your reader makes your argument stronger.

What markers scan for

  • Name what the coordinator cares about — students, school running.
  • Tie your reasons to those concerns directly.
  • Don't argue only from what you prefer.
  • Keep a respectful tone all the way through.

Score Bands

  • Basic

    Reader concerns are barely noted and the tone misses the audience.

  • Strong

    Reader concerns are addressed and the tone fits the audience.

  • Excellent

    Reader concerns are tackled deeply and the tone fits the audience throughout.

Now read · Student sample

Sports Day or Active Wellbeing Day?

Year 5 sample · ~200 words

Student sample for assessment

Written by a Year 5 student in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Our school should keep the traditional sports day because it actually does what school is supposed to do. Sports day teaches you how to push yourself, compete fairly and celebrate when others win. Those are real skills you need for life.

The Active Wellbeing Day sounds nice and relaxing but honestly I think we need competitive activities more. Sports day creates excitement and students actually try their hardest. The competitive element makes you want to do better, and you learn resilience when you don't win. That's important stuff.

Here's the thing though—some students feel left out by sports day and that's actually valid. But the answer is not to replace sports day. We could make sports day more inclusive by having different categories of competition. Not everyone likes yoga and mindfulness. Those things are okay I guess but they're kind of boring for people who actually like physical competition.

Sports day brings the whole school together in a way that different groups doing different activities doesn't. When everyone is competing in the same event, there's school spirit. That matters. Also students train for sports day and get fitter because of it.

I reckon the school should keep sports day because most students enjoy it and the competitive element teaches important life lessons. Competitive sport shouldn't disappear from school just because not everyone likes it.