Teach children to write lively and convincing newspaper reports with this KS2 model newspaper resource pack. With this pack you can show pupils what makes a successful newspaper article, explore model WAGOLL texts together and support children as they plan and write reports of their own.
At the heart of this pack are three model newspaper texts that cover very different kinds of stories. Each one provides a WAGOLL for pupils to analyse, discuss and annotate:
- Midday Motorway Madness – a hard-hitting report about major delays on the M25. Pupils can see how the article uses precise details such as times, locations and eyewitness quotes to give credibility and capture the frustration of stranded motorists.
- Police A-Peel for Bungling Banana Burglar Witnesses – a quirky crime piece about an attempted robbery with a banana. This model shows pupils how humour can sit alongside formal reporting, and highlights how a strong hook paragraph and clear sequencing help the reader follow events.
- Vincent Van Mog: Cat Takes Art World by Storm – a light-hearted feature about a cat whose paintings sell for large sums. This example demonstrates how newspapers can mix serious structure with playful subject matter, and how quotes bring the story to life.
Together, these WAGOLL texts give children exposure to a wide range of tones and styles, showing them that the same set of features can be applied across very different stories.
What’s included in the pack
- Newspaper articles writing mat – success criteria, vocabulary and idioms.
- Newspaper articles writing plan – a scaffold for structuring reports.
- Model newspaper texts – three full WAGOLLs with prompts for annotation.
- Newspaper article notes – bullet-pointed facts plus formal and informal quotes.
Key features of a newspaper text
Headlines, hook paragraphs, quotes, past tense and logical sequencing are all essential. Pupils will also learn to use connectives, passive voice and captioned images.
Why teachers will find this useful
This pack works well as a full unit or as pick-up-and-use resources. The varied model texts keep children engaged while demonstrating the flexibility of the genre. You can model, scaffold and guide pupils step by step until they are ready to produce their own polished newspaper articles.