Unit 4
News Report
About this unit
A news report tells readers what happened at a real or realistic event — clearly, accurately, and in journalist style. You are not persuading and not writing fiction; you are reporting.
This unit teaches headlines, lead paragraphs (who, what, when, where), subheadings, quotes, and objective third-person tone.
What types of questions will you face?
- 1School or community event reports — sports carnivals, fundraisers, visits, discoveries on school grounds. The prompt names the event; you supply realistic detail and quotes.
- 2Incident or weather reports — storms, power outages, traffic changes, safety drills. Lead with what happened and whether anyone was hurt.
- 3Stimulus fact boxes — bullet points you must weave in (times, numbers, organisations). Never paste them as a list; turn each fact into a sentence or quote.
- 4Local audience prompts — "for your school newsletter", "for a local news website", "for a community magazine." Match formality to the audience but keep reporter voice.
- 5Headline + subheading layout — markers should recognise an article shape instantly on screen; short paragraphs and mini-titles prove organisation.
Skills you will build
- The 5 Ws in the lead — who, what, when, where (and why/how if space) in the opening paragraph.
- Inverted pyramid — most important information first; background and future plans later.
- Third person and past tense — "students raised", "the SES attended"; avoid "I" unless the prompt asks for a personal column.
- Direct quotes — include at least one attributed quote with correct punctuation: Ms Lee said, "…"
- Invented experts and figures — realistic names, roles, and plausible numbers (markers do not fact-check).
- Objective vocabulary — reported, according to, witnesses said — not "amazing" or "you should donate."
By the end of this unit, you will be able to
- Write a news report with a headline, lead, body sections, and a short closing line.
- Answer who, what, when, and where in the first paragraph.
- Integrate stimulus facts and at least one direct quote naturally.
- Maintain journalist tone distinct from narrative, persuasive, and discursive writing.
- Use subheadings and paragraph breaks so the piece looks like a published article.
Difficulty profile
News reports are medium difficulty because students often slip into story mode ("One sunny day…") or persuasive mode ("This proves we must…"). Stimulus-based reports are harder because fact-weaving and quotes must happen under time pressure. Practise typing a report from bullet notes in 25 minutes.
Exam tip: News Report
Read the prompt twice. If it says report, article, or write for a newspaper/newsletter, use news skills — not narrative or persuasive. Spend five minutes on headline + lead + two subheadings before typing. Invent one quote and one number/statistic. In the last two minutes, check tense (mostly past) and that you never wrote "I think."
Guided Practice
A news report is not a recount of your day in "I went…" form. The examiner wants journalist voice: third person, past tense, and a lead paragraph that tells a busy reader what happened before the smaller details.
News reports and informative articles appear on Selective writing papers — often when the prompt asks you to report on an event for a newspaper, school bulletin, or local audience. They are not stories, speeches, or arguments.
Markers reward a clear headline, a lead paragraph that answers who/what/when/where, third-person objective tone, and at least one direct quote. They penalise "I think" opinion pieces, fairy-tale openings, or persuasive calls to action.
You receive a scenario (a school event, community incident, or discovery) and about 30 minutes. You report what happened as a journalist would — most important facts first, invented but realistic details and quotes are acceptable.
Best approach: Plan in one minute: headline, lead (who + what + when + where), two body sections (each with a subheading), quote, short final line. Write the lead before you write colourful description — news is inverted pyramid (important facts first).
Your writing task
Allow 25 minutes to write, then 5 minutes to edit. · In the exam, aim for roughly 350–450 words with a headline, subheadings, and short paragraphs.
Write a news report for your school newsletter about a record-breaking fundraising swimathon held last Friday.
Your report must:
- Include a headline
- Open with a lead paragraph that states who, what, when, and where
- Use third person and mostly past tense
- Include at least one quoted comment from a participant, organiser, or teacher
Quick plan (before you write)
Headline: catchy but factual — not a story title.
Lead: who ran it, what happened, when (Friday), where (school pool/oval).
Section 1 subheading: the record or main number (money raised, laps, students).
Quote: one person — name + role + spoken words in quotation marks.
Section 2: another detail (weather, surprise moment, what happens next).
Kicker: one forward-looking sentence (next year, thank-you, council donation).
Write your response on paper or in a notes app first. When you are ready, read the example below.
Example response
Study structure and detail — do not memorise phrases.
Example response (about 390 words — news report)
Riverside Primary Smashes Swimathon Target in Blazing Friday Heat
Riverside Primary School raised $18,420 in a six-hour swimathon on Friday, beating last year's total by more than $4,000. More than 180 students from Years 3–6 took part in the event, held at the school's outdoor pool and supporting the Westmead Children's Ward.
Record laps and early cheers
The day began at 8:15 am when House Captains sounded the starter horn. Within the first hour, Year 6 student Amira Hassan completed 84 laps, setting an unofficial school record for the event. Organiser and PE teacher Mr David Okafor said the atmosphere stayed upbeat despite temperatures reaching 34°C by midday.
"We planned extra shade tents and water stations after last year's heat," Mr Okafor said. "Students still pushed hard — but we had no heat-related incidents."
Parents lined the pool fence from late morning, selling fruit cups and sunscreen. The P&C reported that volunteer numbers were double those of 2025, which organisers credited to earlier promotion on the school app.
Funds to arrive next week
According to the Student Council treasurer, online pledges continued arriving after the final lap at 2:30 pm. The council will present a ceremonial cheque to hospital representatives at next Monday's assembly.
Principal Ms Lina Cho described the result as "a community effort, not just a sports day."
"We wanted students to see that persistence in the pool can support something bigger than a medal," Ms Cho said.
The school has announced that the 2027 swimathon will trial a relay format so more students can participate in the final hour. Until then, organisers urged families to keep sharing pledge links, which remain open until Sunday night.
Why this works
- Headline + lead answer who/what/when/where in the first lines.
- Third person, past tense — no "I loved swimming."
- Subheadings make the layout scannable like a real article.
- Two quotes with names and roles add journalistic realism.
- Inverted pyramid — key figures and outcome before future plans.
When a prompt includes a fact box, treat it as source material — weave the details into your report, do not copy the list. A quote from an official or witness turns scattered facts into a story.
News reports and informative articles appear on Selective writing papers — often when the prompt asks you to report on an event for a newspaper, school bulletin, or local audience. They are not stories, speeches, or arguments.
Markers reward a clear headline, a lead paragraph that answers who/what/when/where, third-person objective tone, and at least one direct quote. They penalise "I think" opinion pieces, fairy-tale openings, or persuasive calls to action.
You receive a scenario (a school event, community incident, or discovery) and about 30 minutes. You report what happened as a journalist would — most important facts first, invented but realistic details and quotes are acceptable.
Best approach: Underline each fact in the stimulus and assign it to a paragraph. Invent one named spokesperson (mayor, ranger, principal) if none is given — realistic titles matter. Avoid opinion words like terrible or amazing unless they appear inside a quote.
Your writing task
Allow 25 minutes to write, then 5 minutes to edit. · In the exam, aim for roughly 350–450 words.
Stimulus — include these details in your report
- A microburst (sudden, local storm) hit the Hillcrest Markets at about 2:40 pm on Sunday.
- Three market stalls lost lightweight roofing; no serious injuries were reported.
- The SES (State Emergency Service) attended and cleared debris by 6:00 pm.
- Market manager Elena Vukovic said about 2,000 shoppers were on site when rain began.
Write a news report for a local online news site about the Hillcrest Markets microburst described in the stimulus.
Your report must:
- Use third person and a factual tone
- Include a headline and at least one subheading
- Include at least two details from the stimulus
- Include at least one direct quote
Quick plan (before you write)
Lead: what happened, where, when, immediate safety outcome (no serious injuries).
Which stimulus facts go in paragraph 2? shoppers, stalls damaged.
Which fact in paragraph 3? SES response and clearance time.
Quote: Elena Vukovic or an SES spokesperson — invent realistic words.
Ending: what happens next (markets reopen, investigation, thank SES).
Write your response on paper or in a notes app first. When you are ready, read the example below.
Example response
Study structure and detail — do not memorise phrases.
Example response (about 410 words — news report)
Sudden Storm Hits Hillcrest Markets; SES Clears Site by Evening
A microburst struck the Hillcrest Markets at approximately 2:40 pm on Sunday, damaging three stall awnings and sending shoppers rushing for cover. Emergency services reported no serious injuries, although paramedics assessed four people for minor cuts from flying debris.
Shoppers caught in sudden downpour
Market manager Elena Vukovic said about 2,000 shoppers were on site when rain and wind intensified within minutes.
"It changed from sunny to chaotic faster than we could close the produce tents," Ms Vukovic said. "Staff directed people toward the community hall and the covered bus bay."
According to witnesses, lightweight roofing on three stalls — including a bakery and a craft row — tore loose and landed in the central walkway. Other traders secured sandbags and tent pegs earlier in the week, which organisers said limited further damage.
SES completes cleanup
The State Emergency Service (SES) attended at 3:10 pm with two crews. Volunteers taped off affected aisles, removed sheet metal, and checked power leads to temporary food trucks.
SES incident controller James Mehta said the site was declared safe by 6:00 pm.
"Our priority was fallen roofing and blocked paths," Mr Mehta said. "Traders cooperated quickly, which helped us finish before dark."
The stimulus notes matched accounts from several stallholders, who praised the SES response on social media Sunday night.
Markets to reopen Wednesday
Hillcrest Markets board members will meet on Tuesday to review insurance claims and reopening plans. Ms Vukovic confirmed that trading is expected to resume on Wednesday morning, with free parking offered for the first hour to encourage shoppers to return.
"We are grateful nobody was seriously hurt," she said. "The Hillcrest community has bounced back before, and we will do it again."
Local police have asked anyone with phone footage of the microburst to submit it through the council website to assist weather researchers.
Why this works
- All four stimulus facts used naturally (microburst time/place, three stalls, no serious injuries, SES by 6 pm, 2,000 shoppers via quote).
- Objective tone — facts and quotes carry drama, not the reporter's opinions.
- Structure — lead, two subheaded sections, forward-looking close (reopen Wednesday).
- Named quotes with attribution after or before speech.
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