Developed Informational and Explanatory Writing
Write informative and explanatory texts that examine a topic and convey ideas clearly — organising information logically with headings and formatting, developing the topic with relevant facts, definitions, details, and quotations, and using precise vocabulary
Typical age: 11–14 years
“Can your child write a clear explanation of how something works — like how a volcano erupts or how bread is made — so that someone who's never learned about it would understand?”
0 / 3 mastered
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Needs first
- Layout and Formatting in Informational WritingREQUIRED
Informative writing extends KS2 use of layout devices (headings, columns, bullets)
- Writing for an audienceREQUIRED
Writing well-structured informative/explanatory texts that examine a topic clearly requires the foundational ability to produce coherent, task/purpose-appropriate writing
- Cohesion and Transitions Across WritingREQUIRED
Writing informative/explanatory texts with logical organisation and clear development of ideas across sections requires the ability to use cohesive devices and transitions to create coherence at whole-text level
- Choosing Form and Tone for Your AudienceREQUIRED
Writing to explain requires understanding audience and purpose from KS2
Unlocks next
- Research & Source EvaluationREQUIRED
Research writing feeds into informative/explanatory writing
- Writing Science Reports
Writing a structured secondary-level scientific report requires the informative/explanatory writing skills taught in English — logical organisation, precise vocabulary, and supporting detail