This is the 5^th Paper 1 we are publishing from the May 2023 Paper 1 examination based on an extract from The Guardian about dieting and detoxing. 

You can find the response here.

When students read this model example, it won’t necessarily “wow” them.  There's nothing fancy going on.  There’s not a complicated or complex argument being made.  It just makes sense.  And that’s why it scores as well as it does. 

Students can do very well in Paper 1 if they follow the lead of this model example: “read” the text correctly, use evidence/quotations persuasively, and write with clarity.  There’s also a lack of empty or vague statements that we unfortunately find in too many Paper 1s.  This combination - clear interpretation of the text along with consistent analysis of the textual features minus any empty generalizations - served this student well and will serve all students well.

And for ease of reference, here are our other Paper 1s and their scores based on this text:

Sample Response 1: 20 points

Sample Response 2: 18 points

Sample Response 3: 12 points

Sample Response 4: 15 points

Sample Response 5: 17 points

Two-part lesson comparing and contrasting Sample Response 2 and Sample Response 3

Best,

Tim and David