This week you'll write an opinion piece on whether competitive sport should be compulsory in secondary school. Read the sample below, then answer the questions. Notice how the student takes a clear position, gives real reasons, and treats the other side fairly. Strong persuasive writing needs both clarity and respect.
Part 1
The Assessor Scorecard for
Persuasive – Opinion piece
Markers look for opinion writing that takes a clear stand and backs it with reasons that go beyond personal feeling. Check each strand below to see what strong work looks like.
Ideas & Content
A position stated clearly at the start.
Specific reasons — 'it damages confidence' beats 'it's bad'.
Real acknowledgement of the other side, not a brushoff.
Reasons that come from thinking, not just feeling.
-
Support: with reasons that go beyond personal preference.
Structure & Cohesion
Open with your position or a question that frames it.
One reason per paragraph, each fully built.
An acknowledgement of the other view where it fits.
A close that restates your position and shows why it matters.
-
Organisation: position, reasons, acknowledgement of the other view, restatement.
Audience & Purpose
Writing aimed at a reader who might not agree yet.
Understanding of the other side, not mockery.
Reasons that make sense to someone undecided.
A respectful tone that invites the reader to think with you.
-
Fairness: acknowledging other views while making your case.
Language Choices
Clear, direct words that show your reasoning.
Linking words like 'because', 'therefore', 'as a result'.
No emotional exaggeration or attacks on those who disagree.
Language that helps the reader think, not language that tricks.
-
Clarity: showing your reasoning without manipulation.
Conventions
Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar throughout.
Careful writing that keeps the argument credible.
Proofreading that catches small errors before the reader does.
A finished piece that asks to be taken seriously.
-
Credibility: in careful, correct writing.
Part 2
Today’s Marking Targets
Task in one sentence
Write a 270-330 word opinion piece arguing whether competitive sport should be compulsory in secondary school, with a clear position and structured reasons.
Let’s Focus
Two strands matter most this week: Audience & Purpose and Ideas & Content. You're writing for a reader who may not yet agree, so the tone has to invite thinking. You also need real reasons — distinct, developed, and reaching past personal feeling.
Audience & Purpose
Strong writing this week speaks to the reader directly and treats those who disagree with respect. The sample student names the genuine arguments for compulsory sport, then explains why they aren't persuaded. Fair treatment of the other side makes the piece more persuasive, not less.
What markers scan for
- A clear position stated early.
- An honest acknowledgement that the other view has merit.
- Reasons aimed at a reader who might disagree.
- A close that restates the position and its importance.
Score Bands
-
Basic
Position is stated but unclear; the other side is missing or dismissed; reader stays unconvinced.
-
Strong
Position is clear; other side is acknowledged; reasons reach a reader who might disagree; close restates position.
-
Excellent
Position is clear and compelling; other view is fairly shown; reasons meet possible objections; close shows why it matters.
Ideas & Content
Strong writing this week gives at least two or three distinct reasons, each built out. The sample student argues that not all students benefit, that obligation kills the joy, and that other paths reach the same goals. Each reason is explained, not just claimed.
What markers scan for
- A clear position.
- At least two distinct, developed reasons.
- Reasons that go past personal preference.
- The other view considered, not ignored.
Score Bands
-
Basic
Position is clear but reasons are weak or thin; relies on personal preference.
-
Strong
Position is clear; reasons are distinct and developed; other view is acknowledged; thinking moves past feeling.
-
Excellent
Position is compelling; reasons are distinct, specific, and well built; other view is fairly shown.
Now read · Student sample
Should Competitive Sport Be Compulsory?
Year 7 sample · \~250 words
Student sample for assessment
Written by a Year 7 student in Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Should competitive sport be compulsory in secondary school? I believe it should not be. While advocates of compulsory sport argue that it builds teamwork and resilience, these benefits do not apply equally to all students. For some, compulsory competitive sport damages confidence rather than builds it. The first problem is that not all students benefit from competition in the same way. Someone who is naturally athletic gains confidence from sport. Someone who dreads competition and loses every match experiences the opposite. Forced participation in an activity where you consistently lose teaches a different lesson — it teaches that you are not good enough. Students who struggle with sport need to move toward physical activity at their own pace, not be forced into an arena where their struggle is public. Secondly, compulsory sport removes the joy from physical activity. A student might love basketball with friends, but hate competitive basketball where the goal is winning. The same activity becomes different when obligation and competition replace choice and fun. Making sport compulsory is likely to teach students that physical activity is a chore, not something to enjoy. Finally, schools can build teamwork and fitness without compulsory competitive sport. Team-based non-competitive activities, individual fitness programs, and recreational sports leagues offer physical and social development. Students can still develop resilience — through trying activities they are nervous about, through persisting at skills, through working with others. These need not happen in a competitive framework. I acknowledge that compulsory sport does build teamwork and fitness for some. But forcing all students into the same mould ignores that students have different strengths and needs. Physical education should help all students develop, not humiliate those who do not naturally excel at sport. Schools have alternatives that build the same skills without the same harm.
