Example Text
Who Was Mary Seacole?
Mary Seacole (born Mary Grant) was a British-Jamaican woman who became famous in the 19th century as ‘Mother Seacole’ due to her work caring for injured soldiers in the Crimean War.

Mary’s Early Life
Mary Anne Grant was born in 1805 in Kingston, Jamaica. Her father was a Scottish soldier and her mother was a well-known Jamaican ‘doctress’, who treated people using herbal remedies (such as aloe vera and ginger). Mary also had two siblings, Edward and Louisa.
As a child, Mary was fascinated by her mother’s work and practised the skills she learned using dolls and pets as patients. By the age of 12, she was helping her mother as a nurse. Because of her father’s connections, she was also able to travel twice to visit England in her teens and this made her quite unusual for a black person at that time.

When she was 31, Mary married a naval officer called Edwin Horatio Seacole. She was a good businesswoman and together they ran a successful store. Unfortunately, her husband died only eight years later. In 1853, she went to Panama, where her brother lived, and opened a hotel for the gold miners there. She continued to look after ill people and even risked her own life to care for the victims of an illness called cholera.

The Crimean War
The Crimean War began in 1854. Mary was determined to help the soldiers so she travelled to London and offered to go with Florence Nightingale’s nurses. However, this was  a time of racial prejudice, which meant that black people were not allowed to do certain things. The government refused to co-operate with her, probably because of racial narrow-mindedness.

Instead, Mary and Thomas Day (a family friend) went to Crimea together taking medicines and stores. There they set up the ‘British Hotel’, which was a simple building that provided medicine and hot food to fortify the soldiers. Additionally, she sold clothing and blankets to make them comfortable. Unlike Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole treated the soldiers’ injuries even in the thick of the fighting. They called her ‘Mother Seacole’ because she was so kind. She said in her autobiography, “It was the grateful words and smiles which rewarded me.”

Mary’s Old Age
At the end of the war in 1856, Mary returned to England with very little money. However, veteran soldiers started  a campaign to help her and she was therefore  able to  live comfortably until her death on 14th May, 1881. Some people have criticised her fame because she was not a real nurse like Florence Nightingale but she must be regarded nowadays as an excellent role model for doing good work in difficult and dangerous situations.

Annotated Genre Features

1 an introduction that summarises the main events of the person’s life

Who Was Mary Seacole?

2 information about the key events in the person’s life in chronological paragraphs

Mary Seacole (born Mary Grant) was a British-Jamaican woman who became4  famous in the 19th century as ‘Mother	1 Seacole’ due to her work caring for injured soldiers in the Crimean War.

5 their feelings about different points and events in their life

6 quotes from the person themselves or other key people in their life

Mary’s Early Life

3 specific facts about achievements, influences and significant people

Mary Anne Grant was born in 18053   in Kingston, Jamaica. Her father was a Scottish soldier and her mother was a well-known Jamaican ‘doctress’, who treated4   people using herbal remedies (such as aloe vera and ginger). Mary also had4   two siblings, Edward and Louisa.

4 verbs written in past tense and third person

As  a  child,  Mary  was  fascinated  by  her  mother’s  work5 and practised the skills she learned using dolls and pets as patients. By the age of 12, she was helping her mother as a nurse3. Because of her father’s connections, she was also
able to travel twice to visit England in her teens3   and this	2
made4   her quite unusual for a black person at that time.

7 a conclusion about how they are/ will be remembered

When she was 31, Mary married a naval officer called Edwin Horatio Seacole3. She was a good businesswoman3 and  together  they  ran4    a  successful  store.  Unfortunately, her husband died4   only eight years later. In 1853, she went to Panama, where her brother lived4, and opened a hotel for the gold miners there. She continued4  to look after ill people and even risked her own life to care for the victims of an illness called cholera3.

1 an introduction that summarises the main events of the person’s life

The Crimean War

2 information about the key events in the person’s life in chronological paragraphs

The Crimean War began in 1854. Mary was determined5   to help the soldiers so she travelled to London and offered4   to go with Florence Nightingale’s nurses. However, this was  a time of racial prejudice, which meant that black people were4  not  allowed  to  do  certain  things.  The  government refused to co-operate with her, probably because of racial narrow-mindedness.

3 specific facts about achievements, influences and significant people

Instead, Mary and Thomas Day (a family friend) went to	2

5 their feelings about different points and events in their life

4 verbs written in past tense and third person

Crimea together3    taking medicines and stores. There they set  up  the  ‘British  Hotel’3,  which  was4    a  simple  building that provided medicine and hot food to fortify the soldiers. Additionally, she sold4  clothing and blankets to make them comfortable. Unlike Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole treated the soldiers’ injuries even in the thick of the fighting3. They called her ‘Mother Seacole’ because she was so kind. She said in her autobiography, “It was the grateful words and smiles which rewarded me.”5&6

6 quotes from the person themselves or other key people in their life

Mary’s Old Age

7 a conclusion about how they are/ will be remembered

At the end of the war in 1856, Mary returned to England3 with very little money. However, veteran soldiers started  a campaign to help her and she was therefore able to live comfortably  until  her  death  on  14th  May,  18813.  Some people have criticised her fame because she was not a real nurse like Florence Nightingale but she must be regarded nowadays as an excellent role model for doing good work in difficult and dangerous situations.7

6 Uses adverbs and modal verbs to indicate degrees of possibility, e.g. surely, perhaps, should, might.

1 Uses the full range of spelling, grammar and punctuation features that have been taught in previous
year groups throughout the text.

Who Was Mary Seacole?3

7 Uses brackets, dashes or commas
to indicate parenthesis.

Mary Seacole (born Mary Grant)7   was a British-Jamaican woman who became famous in the 19th century5  as ‘Mother Seacole’ due to4   her work caring for injured soldiers in the Crimean War.

2 Selects appropriate grammar and vocabulary  to match the purpose and
audience of their writing.

Mary’s Early Life3

3 Uses organisational and presentational devices that are relevant to the text type,
e.g. headings, bullet points, underlining.

8 Uses commas to clarify meaning
or to avoid ambiguity.

Mary Anne Grant was born in 1805 in Kingston, Jamaica. Her father was a Scottish soldier and her mother was a well-known Jamaican ‘doctress’2, who treated people using herbal remedies5  (such as aloe vera and ginger)7. Mary also had two siblings,8   Edward and Louisa.

10 Spells nouns or adjectives converted into verbs using suffixes, e.g.
designate, classify, criticise.

9 Spells a wider range of verb prefixes correctly, e.g. deactivate, overturn, misconduct.

As a child4, Mary was fascinated by her mother’s work and practised11    the  skills  she  learned  using  dolls  and  pets  as patients11. By the age of 124, she was helping her mother as a nurse. Because of her father’s connections2, she was also able to travel2   twice to visit England in her teens and this made her quite unusual for a black person at that time.

11 Spells more complex homophones correctly, e.g. affect/effect, practice/ practise.

4 Uses linking words/phrases between sentences and paragraphs to build cohesion including time adverbials, e.g. later; place adverbials, e.g. nearby; and number, e.g. secondly.

When  she  was  314,  Mary  married  a  naval  officer  called Edwin Horatio Seacole. She was a good businesswoman and together they ran a successful store. Unfortunately4, her husband died only eight years later. In 18534, she went to Panama,7   where her brother lived5,7   and opened a hotel for the gold miners there. She continued to look after ill people and even risked her own life to care for the victims2 of an illness called cholera.

5 Uses relative clauses begin- ning with a relative pronoun (who, which, where, when, whose, that),
e.g. Professor Scriffle, who was a famous inventor, had made a new discovery.

12 Spells most words correctly from the Y5/6 statutory spelling list.

        3

6 Uses adverbs and modal verbs to indicate degrees of possibility, e.g. surely, perhaps, should, might.

1 Uses the full range of spelling, grammar and punctuation features that have been taught in previous
year groups throughout the text.

The Crimean War3

2 Selects appropriate grammar and vocabulary  to match the purpose and
audience of their writing.

7 Uses brackets, dashes or commas
to indicate parenthesis.

The Crimean War began in 1854. Mary was determined to help the soldiers12   so she travelled to London and offered to go with Florence Nightingale’s nurses. However4, this was a time of2  racial prejudice12, which meant that black people were not allowed to do certain things5. The government12 refused to co-operate9  with her,8  probably6  because of racial narrow-mindedness.

10 Spells nouns or adjectives converted into verbs using suffixes, e.g.
designate, classify, criticise.

9 Spells a wider range of verb prefixes correctly, e.g. deactivate, overturn, misconduct.

3 Uses organisational and presentational devices that are relevant to the text type,
e.g. headings, bullet points, underlining.

8 Uses commas to clarify meaning
or to avoid ambiguity.

Instead, Mary and Thomas Day (a family friend)7   went to Crimea together taking medicines and stores. There4    they set up the ‘British Hotel’, which was a simple building that provided medicine and hot food to fortify10  the  soldiers5. Additionally4, she sold clothing and blankets to make them comfortable. Unlike Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole treated the soldiers’ injuries even in the thick of the fighting4. They called her ‘Mother Seacole’ because she was so kind. She said in her autobiography, “It was the grateful words and smiles which rewarded me.”

4 Uses linking words/phrases between sentences and paragraphs to build cohesion including time adverbials, e.g. later; place adverbials, e.g. nearby; and number, e.g. secondly.

Mary’s Old Age3

11 Spells more complex homophones correctly, e.g. affect/effect, practice/ practise.

At the end of the war in 18564, Mary returned to England with very little money2. However, veteran soldiers started a campaign to help her and she was therefore able to live comfortably until4  her death on 14th May, 1881. Some people have  criticised10&12     her  fame  because  she  was  not  a  real nurse like Florence Nightingale but she must6   be regarded nowadays as an excellent12   role model for doing good work in difficult and dangerous situations.

6 Uses adverbs and modal verbs to indicate degrees of possibility, e.g. surely, perhaps, should, might.

1 Uses the full range of spelling, grammar and punctuation features that have been taught in previous
year groups throughout the text.

Who Was Mary Seacole?3

7 Uses brackets, dashes or commas
to indicate parenthesis.

Mary Seacole (born Mary Grant)7   was a British-Jamaican woman who became famous in the 19th century5  as ‘Mother Seacole’ due to4   her work caring for injured soldiers in the Crimean War.

2 Selects appropriate grammar and vocabulary  to match the purpose and
audience of their writing.

Mary’s Early Life3

9 Spells a wider range of verb prefixes correctly, e.g. deactivate, overturn, misconduct.

3 Uses organisational and presentational devices that are relevant to the text type,
e.g. headings, bullet points, underlining.

8 Uses commas to clarify meaning
or to avoid ambiguity.

Mary Anne Grant was born in 1805 in Kingston, Jamaica. Her father was a Scottish soldier and her mother was a well-known Jamaican ‘doctress’2, who treated people using herbal remedies5  (such as aloe vera and ginger)7. Mary also had two siblings,8   Edward and Louisa.

10 Spells nouns or adjectives converted into verbs using suffixes, e.g.
designate, classify, criticise.

As a child4, Mary was fascinated by her mother’s work and practised11    the  skills  she  learned  using  dolls  and  pets  as patients11. By the age of 124, she was helping her mother as a nurse. Because of her father’s connections2, she was also able to travel2   twice to visit England in her teens and this made her quite unusual for a black person at that time.

11 Spells more complex homophones correctly, e.g. affect/effect, practice/ practise.

4 Uses linking words/phrases between sentences and paragraphs to build cohesion including time adverbials, e.g. later; place adverbials, e.g. nearby; and number, e.g. secondly.

When  she  was  314,  Mary  married  a  naval  officer  called Edwin Horatio Seacole. She was a good businesswoman and together they ran a successful store. Unfortunately4, her husband died only eight years later. In 18534, she went to Panama,7   where her brother lived5,7   and opened a hotel for the gold miners there. She continued to look after ill people and even risked her own life to care for the victims2 of an illness called cholera.

5 Uses relative clauses begin- ning with a relative pronoun (who, which, where, when, whose, that),
e.g. Professor Scriffle, who was a famous inventor, had made a new discovery.

12 Spells most words correctly from the Y5/6 statutory spelling list.

        3

6 Uses adverbs and modal verbs to indicate degrees of possibility, e.g. surely, perhaps, should, might.

1 Uses the full range of spelling, grammar and punctuation features that have been taught in previous
year groups throughout the text.

The Crimean War3

2 Selects appropriate grammar and vocabulary  to match the purpose and
audience of their writing.

7 Uses brackets, dashes or commas
to indicate parenthesis.

The Crimean War began in 1854. Mary was determined to help the soldiers12   so she travelled to London and offered to go with Florence Nightingale’s nurses. However4, this was a time of2  racial prejudice12, which meant that black people were not allowed to do certain things5. The government12 to   co-operate9       with   her,8       probably6       because   of   racial narrow-mindedness.

9 Spells a wider range of verb prefixes correctly, e.g. deactivate, overturn, misconduct.

3 Uses organisational and presentational devices that are relevant to the text type,
e.g. headings, bullet points, underlining.

8 Uses commas to clarify meaning
or to avoid ambiguity.

Instead, Mary and Thomas Day (a family friend)7   went to Crimea together taking medicines and stores. There4    they set up the ‘British Hotel’, which was a simple building that provided medicine and hot food to  fortify10    the soldiers5. Additionally4, she sold clothing and blankets to make them comfortable. Unlike Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole treated the soldiers’ injuries even in the thick of the fighting4. They called her ‘Mother Seacole’ because she was so kind. She said in her autobiography, “It was the grateful words and smiles which rewarded me.”

4 Uses linking words/phrases between sentences and paragraphs to build cohesion including time adverbials, e.g. later; place adverbials, e.g. nearby; and number, e.g. secondly.

10 Spells nouns or adjectives converted into verbs using suffixes, e.g.
designate, classify, criticise.

Mary’s Old Age3

11 Spells more complex homophones correctly, e.g. affect/effect, practice/ practise.

At the end of the war in 18564, Mary returned to England with very little money2. However, veteran soldiers started a campaign to help her and she was therefore able to live comfortably until4  her death on 14th May, 1881. Some people have  criticised10&12     her  fame  because  she  was  not  a  real nurse like Florence Nightingale but she must6   be regarded nowadays as an excellent12   role model for doing good work in difficult and dangerous situations.