any secondary English teachers?

[gcsehelps]

DD appears to have no idea how to tackle creative writing questions for GCSE English Language in next couple of weeks!! Cant see evidence of ever having written one in school other than in her mock which received no feedback. Is there anything she can do to prepare in this short amount of time? Anything I can do to help? Is the best idea to try a couple at home in the correct time?

She knows techniques/analysis for the earlier questions but is totally stumped at idea of creating an essay. Can she/should she do a written plan in the exam? If so can they have scrap paper or do they just cross their plan out on the exam paper. She appears to have no idea of plans and thinks it is not allowed. I cant imagine how you do it without a plan.

Thank you all.
@MrsHamlet that is very kind thank you. I have done so.
Cant believe she might have a year of retakes and that I trusted the school. I knew English teaching was poor but mocks were 6s so I thought it would only improve. Do they have to keep those mocks at school so I can ask to see them? I keep saying do a description but she is getting more and more upset as if i am criticizing whereas I am just trying to prepare her to be flexible so she doesnt go to pieces in the exam as she is used to being able to exams being easy in all other subjects.

No, they don't have to keep the
mocks.

At this point, I'd leave it and focus on the exams that are sooner - lit 1 is on the 13th. I'll send some stuff tomorrow.

They do have to keep the mocks. It's post-covid from JCQ, in the 'unlikely' event that exams are cancelled. There are strict rules these days on how the mocks need to be done, and that a copy needs to be retained.

Hmm may have misunderstood the question. To clarify, a copy of the mock paper must be retained by the school, but the pupil can have a copy (or the original) to take home.

Hmm the marks students get in English GCSE are extremely important to every secondary school. Your DD will certainly have been introduced to all the elements of the exam she is going to take.
Be careful how you interact with your daughter here, you might add to the pressure.
Encourage her to be calm, read questions carefully, answer the question, show what she knows, use her time appropriately across the different questions and the marks they are worth.
Encourage her to speak to her English teacher / head of department and make a few concise notes about what to focus on if she feels panicky.
Step back.

Please don't pre plan a story for AQA. I mark the exam and we were told in training that if the story did not fit then it will be capped at level 2/3 (grade 3-6)

I teach mine to do a description along the lines of ...

P1 set the scene, weather and the whole picture
P2 change perspective (time/person/inside/outside)
P4 one sentence paragraph to change the tempo
P5 another perspective
P6 link to the start (bad weather becomes good etc)