The Marie Redmond Tuition 11+ Creative Thinking Course

Why Is Creativity Important?

As AI rapidly advances, our education system needs to adapt to ensure that children acquire the skills necessary for future success. As highlighted in this article, students should no longer to focus solely on knowledge acquisition; instead, they require training in creativity and problem-solving skills. It is encouraging to see that Reading School is incorporating this into their 11+ selection process starting September 2025, with the introduction of a new 'Creativity' topic.

Reading School defines creativity as 'the ability to think of new and imaginative ideas, or to solve problems in original and unique ways.' We have developed a Creative Thinking Course to ensure that our students are one step ahead.

Please note: This course is strictly limited to students that attend our term time courses.

What Is the Difference Between Creative Writing and Creative Thinking?

Creative writing and creative thinking are closely related but differ in their manifestations and applications:

• Creative Writing: This involves crafting written content that goes beyond conventional academic, technical, or journalistic forms. It includes novels, poetry, plays, screenplays, and some forms of nonfiction. The emphasis is on expression, originality, and the use of literary devices to convey emotion, imagery, and narrative.

• Creative Thinking: This is a broader concept encompassing the ability to think in new and innovative ways. It involves approaching problems and situations from fresh perspectives and finding unique solutions. Creative thinking can be applied in various fields, such as art, science, business, and everyday life. It involves skills like brainstorming, lateral thinking, and imagination.

While creative writing is a specific outlet of creative thinking, the latter can be applied across multiple disciplines and situations beyond writing.

Our Creative Thinking Course

The virtual 11+ Creative Thinking Course is taught by our experienced teacher, Anne, who also leads our Book Club, in addition to teaching 11+ courses.

Students attend one creative thinking lesson per week on Zoom, which lasts for 45 minutes. Students are taught to use innovation and problem solving. They will become adept at approaching situations in different ways, using diverse strategies.

Every lesson includes a fun thinking skills warm-up activity followed by the main focus of the lesson. Strategies like group discussions, questioning, mind mapping, and thinking 'outside the box' are employed to encourage creative learning approaches. Students learn various writing techniques and how to draft, review, and edit their work.

Homework is assigned weekly to consolidate the skills taught during the lesson. Homework is submitted via email, and the creative thinking teacher annotates the text and writes a short report. General points about the texts are reviewed at the start of the next lesson.

Course Details:

• One lesson per week on Zoom, lasting 45 minutes
• Fee, including books: £25 per lesson
• Enrolment: This course can be chosen on the enrolment form when booking a term time course. If your child is already attending our term time course and you would like them to join the Creative Thinking Course, please contact us. The course is strictly limited to students who attend our term time courses, with no exceptions.

Lesson Times

The course takes place on Tuesdays during term time:

• Group 1: 4:30-5:15pm
• Group 2: 5:30-6:15pm
• Group 3: 6:30-7:15pm

Photograph of Albert Einstein by Orren Jack Turner. This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1930 and 1963, and although there may or may not have been a copyright notice, the copyright was not renewed.