We Didn’t Just Spot the 2025 PSLE English Composition Topic of "Being Thankful"

Yes, we spotted the 2025 PSLE Composition theme — but more importantly, we prepared our students to write stories that stood out. In this blog post, we share some challenges that students might face with 2025 PSLE composition topic of "Being Thankful", and reveal how our students tackled it with a model composition given out at The Ultimate P5 & P6 Composition Bootcamp.

Mrs Serene Wee

12/5/20257 min read

When the 2025 PSLE English Paper 1 composition topic of "Being Thankful" was revealed, some students would have silently cheered in their hearts until they see the three pictures that accompanied the topic:
A class party
A sunflower
A priority seat sign on public transport

Potential Challenges that Students Face:

The difficulty with the 2025 PSLE Composition topic “Being Thankful” did not lie in its complexity, but in its familiarity. Gratitude is a theme frequently explored in school writing, and many students quickly realised that if their plot relied solely on one of the three given pictures, their story risked becoming predictable or lacking emotional depth. To stand out, students needed more than a literal interpretation — they needed to build a meaningful narrative with clear character development, rising tension, and a thoughtful resolution that fully addressed the theme.

Winning Plot Formula in Action:

One of the most important ingredients in our Winning Plot Formula is this:
A strong story needs a big enough problem.

If the conflict is too small or easily solved, the story lacks weight and urgency. When more is at stake- emotionally or practically — the reader becomes truly invested.

📝 In our model composition for the 2025 PSLE topic “Being Thankful,” the main character, Azman, wasn’t just quiet or shy. He faced real hardship of going hungry during recess, wearing worn-out shoes, and hiding his needs while helping others with their Math. This created deep empathy and gave his classmates a meaningful reason to act.

That’s what made the story powerful and heart-warming: gratitude was earned through sacrifice, not convenience. The entire class was determined to win the Cleanest Classroom Award to express their thanks to Azman for coaching them in their Math, in a manner that met Azman's at his true needs with the prize money, and even under wraps from their form teacher, Mrs Tan!

Learn to Adapt and Score with Confidence

In our upcoming The Ultimate P5 & P6 Composition Bootcamp, we’ll be breaking down the 2025 PSLE topic “Being Thankful” and showing students exactly how to apply The Winning Plot Formula to strengthen and adapt the composition shared earlier.

We’ll guide students to:

Meaningfully integrate the 'class party' picture into the plot
Tighten the closing to directly address the topic of "Being Thankful"

Model Composition from THRIVING KIDS CLUB THE ULTIMATE P5 & P6 COMPOSITION BOOTCAMP that can be adapted to Being Thankful:

The new student was short. His shirt was tight and his trousers large. Although he was new, his uniform was clearly not. He also wore shoes that frayed at the edges and a small hole exposed his toe. Despite his not too pleasant appearance, he had the most pleasant smile. “I would like all of you to meet your new classmate, Azman,” our form teacher, Mrs Tan said, breaking the uneasy silence. Everyone stared at him, not saying a word.

During recess, while everyone else tucked into their favorite dishes, Azman would spend his time doing homework or reading storybooks. It did not take long for us to notice that Azman never joined us at the canteen. We soon realized that he had no pocket money and used his recess time to catch up on homework or distract himself with reading to take his mind off his hunger. Occasionally, a few kind-hearted students took pity on Azman and bought him biscuits, cakes, or drinks. Although grateful, Azman always accepted the food reluctantly, never wanting to impose on anyone.

As the days passed, we discovered something remarkable about Azman—he was a Math wizard! He was so good at Math that he topped every Math test since joining our class. "Azman! Please help us!" we often begged him during recess, asking him to teach us how to solve challenging problems. Azman never hesitated. He patiently explained the solutions step by step on a piece of paper, making even the most difficult problems seem simple. His explanations were so clear that we always exclaimed, "Oh… Now we get it!" What started as a small group of two or three students soon grew to about ten as word spread about Azman's incredible Math skills.

One day, our Math teacher, Mr. Lee, remarked out of the blue, "Your class seems to be improving in Math. Most of you are getting more questions correct than before. Well done! I am so proud of you." The entire class turned to give Azman knowing winks and thumbs up. We were all deeply grateful to Azman for his help and wanted to find a way to repay his kindness.

Finally, an opportunity presented itself. During one recess, when Azman went to the restroom, John, our class monitor, gathered those of us whom Azman had been helping.

"Hey guys, before Azman comes back, I just want to share an idea of how we can help him," John began in a hushed tone. "I'm sure you all know that his family is going through hard times. There's a school competition with a prize of a $100 shopping voucher. We can win it for Azman."

"Brilliant idea, John! What kind of competition is it? Singing? Sports?" Ben asked eagerly.

"Nope. It's even easier than that. It's the Cleanest Classroom Award," John replied with a grin.

Everyone nodded in agreement before someone spotted Azman heading back. Word spread quickly to the rest of the class, and soon everyone, except Azman, was in on the plan. We decided to participate in the competition and came up with a duty roster so that everyone could chip in. Every day, we diligently cleaned the tables and chairs, cleared the dustbins, and wiped the windows. Whenever someone accidentally dropped trash, the entire class would glare at the offender, determined to win the prize for Azman.

When it was announced during assembly that our class had won the Cleanest Classroom Award, we erupted in cheers, punching the air with joy and pride. Our efforts had paid off, and now we could finally give something back to Azman.

Back in class, Mrs. Tan asked how we should share the $100 voucher. All eyes turned to John, who had been our spokesperson throughout this secret mission. Understanding the unspoken agreement, John stood up and cleared his throat.

"Mrs. Tan… actually, $100 to be shared among everyone is a small amount. Why not draw lots, and the lucky student can take home the voucher?" John suggested.

"Well… what do the rest of you think?" Mrs. Tan asked, looking around the room.

Everyone nodded their heads with extra enthusiasm, eager to see the plan come to fruition. Mrs. Tan handed each student a small piece of foolscap paper to write their name on. We scribbled our names, crumpled the papers into small balls, and threw them into a box on the teacher’s table. The time came for Mrs. Tan to draw a name. She reached into the box, slowly opened the crumpled piece of paper, and looked at us with a smile.

"The winner is… Azman!" she announced.

Azman walked up to the front of the class, confused by the cheering and clapping that erupted from his classmates. He took the voucher with trembling hands, unsure of what had just happened.

When Azman reached home that day, he eagerly took out the envelope containing the voucher. He handled it with extreme care, afraid that he might damage this precious gift. Azman knew that the voucher was a lifesaver for his family. Just the day before, he had overheard his mother whispering to his father that they were down to their last three cups of rice. As he gingerly pulled out the voucher, he noticed a note inside the envelope.

The note read, "Dear Azman, if Mrs. Tan had looked inside all the crumpled pieces of paper, she would have discovered that your name was scribbled on each one. This is our way of thanking you for helping all of us improve our Math. P.S. It's time to get a new pair of shoes for yourself!"

The next day, Azman walked into class wearing a brand new pair of school shoes. The entire class stood up and cheered for him. Azman was so touched that a tear of gratitude and joy rolled down his cheek. It was a moment that cemented the bond between us, reminding us all that helping others was one of the most rewarding things we could ever do. It was a lesson in kindness, friendship, and the power of coming together to support those in need.

Plot Ideas Based on the 'Class Party' or 'Sunflower' Pictures

Students who began writing without careful planning often relied on the class party or sunflower picture to express thankfulness near the end of their story. While this is a valid approach, the composition still requires a strong and convincing plot that explains why the character felt thankful in the first place. The story must clearly show what happened to lead to that moment of gratitude — whether through the organising of a class party or the gifting of a sunflower — in order to fully address the theme and engage the reader.

Note: The pictures referenced are representative only, based on feedback from 2025 PSLE candidates. They are not the exact images used in the official PSLE English Paper 1 question.

Plot Ideas Based on the 'Priority Seat' Picture

Some students who chose to centre their story around the priority seat picture may have unintentionally created a plot that felt too simplistic — for example, a scenario where someone needed a seat and was thankful that another passenger offered help on public transport. While the act of giving up a seat is kind, the story still needs a deeper problem or emotional journey to create real tension and meaning. Without a stronger narrative arc, the composition may struggle to stand out or fully develop the theme of Being Thankful in a memorable way.