Intent

Teachers wanted to organise a masterclass to support learners with transactional writing for the AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2 Section B: writing to present a viewpoint, producing a written text to a specified audience, purpose and form in which they give their own perspective on a given theme. The transactional writing questions ask learners to produce different types of texts, such as articles, letters or persuasive writing. This assesses learners’ ability to write for various audiences and in different registers, as well as their capacity to write with a clear purpose. The Guardian, a British daily newspaper known for its investigative journalism and liberal editorial stance, offered its assistance.

Implementation

GCSE English learners were invited to the Guardian Headquarters in King’s Cross for a unique chance to go “behind the headlines.” In a fast-paced masterclass, they worked in pairs to plan, write, and edit a front page in real-time, responding to breaking news as it developed. Each pair took on the roles of reporter and editor, researching and creating stories under pressure. They sub-edited articles, wrote headlines, selected engaging photographs, and brought their front pages to life, all within a strict deadline. Along the way, they examined the structure of news stories, the intricacies of editorial decision-making, and the process behind how news is made.

Impact

The masterclass achieved its goal of enhancing the learner’s abilities to write effective transactional responses for Paper 2 of the examination. Equally importantly, the learners developed a new found love of nonfictional writing as they analysed, engaged with, and participated in breaking news stories and the media overall.