How can DD improve her GCSE English Language grade?

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She’s doing Edexcel board and currently getting 5s but would really like a 6. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Make sure she knows what is needed for each question.

Ask her teacher for specific guidance on how to gain marks she is missing.

Download a past paper, and the markscheme.
Do the paper, then look at ye paper, with the mark scheme, and see where the easy marks are being dropped.

"Easy" marks in English aren't really that obvious from a mark scheme. You need the teacher to be really clear about exactly what the marks are awarded for and how to flag them to the examiner.
Then learn it and do it.
And learn the subject terminology.

Thank you for the advice and I will get dd to talk to her teacher. I was hoping to be able to help her over the holidays though, do you have any other suggestions?

Does she know what the marks are for? If she does, get her to read a piece of text and analyse it like she would in the exam

For me, moving up the grades would be looking for more subtle elements in the analysis sections.

for example, I bet she is competent at commenting on the words the writers choose, but is she able to comment in more sophisticated elements of the writer’s craft like the structure of texts, the tone and register?

in her writing she will also need to develop her sophistication. For example a grade 4 student will write a passable letter - you can tell it’s written in the letter form and it addresses the question. A level 6 or above will be more sophisticated. It will use persuasive techniques and have structured paragraphs with a clear point in each, the paragraphs will link and progress cohesively.

It is also important that her writing is accurate. Starting with capital letters and basic punctuation, but for a 6 or above she should be using more advanced punctuation. Dashes and brackets can be particularly helpful in non fiction writing, as can semi colons and colons. Make sure she is secure with her speech punctuation if she has to do narrative writing (I don’t teach Edexcel)

The most efficient way to improve marks is to improve writing - obviously revise the reading questions too, but writing's worth half the available marks and the same skills are credited on both papers. Make sure her sentence construction is rock-solid and that her punctuation is on point. Explore ways to use paragraphing to underline the meaning of the writing and punch up key moments.
For Edexcel, the important element for creative writing is to develop characterisation quickly - she can work on creating a believable character with an interesting back story and practise dropping them into any given situation. Revise how to set out and punctuate dialogue and practise including two or three lines of zingy dialogue that move the plot forward or reveal personality/feelings - just read a lot of bits and try to see how the dialogue is used.
She might need to build up her writing stamina - she needs to be able to write a couple of pieces of about 300 words in less than an hour so she needs to be fast and fluent, which comes with practice.

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/English%20Language/2015/specification-and-sample-assesment/gcse-english-language-2015-sams.pdf

if this is the type of paper your daughter is sitting, my advice all applies.

do check with her that this is what she is expecting! There is a mark scheme attached here.

as there are no tiers now, the easier questions are designed to be accessible to everyone. Your daughter at a level 5/6 should find these pretty easy. She should focus more on the longer questions, ensuring plenty of reference to the text. Her teachers will have taught her how to address these types of questions - for our exam board I teach my students to PECK PECK PECK - track through the text and write point, evidence, comment, key terminology. There may be a specific way that Edexcel like you to approach the text.

with regards to the writing tasks, there is no
substitute for times practice. Come up with your own titles and have her practice planning and writing the task in times conditions. Check
for the basics I have mentioned above, but if possible get a teacher to look at them (they will be able to give her a general idea of how to improve without in-depth marking)

Thank you for taking the time to give such great information. I’ve had a look at that resource @lilsupersparks and I think it’s going to be helpful. I’m also going to get her to think of scenarios, like being excited, frightened etc and write a paragraph.