NSW Selective writing guide
How NSW Selective writing is marked
Coach Pen marks your child's writing against the selective rubric, then drills the exact skills holding the score back — one technique at a time.
- Marked
- Out of 25, six bands
- Two sets
- Set A (15) · Set B (10)
- Goal
- Band 6
What the markers look for
NSW Selective writing is judged on 5 things. Here's what each one is really asking for — and how Coach Pen trains it.
Content & ideas
A focused, developed response to the prompt.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Form & organisation
Clear structure with strong openings and endings.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Style & vocabulary
Precise, ambitious word choice and a real voice.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Sentences
Varied, controlled sentence structure.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
Punctuation & spelling
Accurate conventions under time pressure.
In Coach Pen: when this criterion is holding your band back, it links straight to short, stepped lessons that drill exactly this — on your own writing.
The fastest way to use this guide
Reading the rubric tells you what counts. Seeing it applied to your writing tells you what to fix. Paste a NSW Selective response into Coach Pen and get it marked against every criterion above — then drill the weakest one.
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