S – Spelling
P – Punctuation
a – and
G – Grammar
Grammar, punctuation and spelling arekey areas in the teaching of English.
No longer a written test.
Prior to 2011, children at the end of KS2 had to sit tests inwriting, reading and maths. The writing test analysedchildren’s spelling and grammar abilities, creativity andcapacity to structure texts.
Now writing is teacher assessed.
Children no longer sit a writing test. Instead teachers collectwriting that children complete over the course of the yearand decide on the final outcome from this.
In 2012, the SPaG test was introduced.
‘...we want to make sure that when children leave primaryschool they are confident in grammar, punctuation andspelling. This test will ensure that primary schools place astronger focus of these skills than in previous years.
The revised National Curriculum for English(from September 2014) places an emphasison vocabulary development, grammar,punctuation and spelling.
Expectations have been raised for each groupwith many aspects being taught at least ayear earlier now than in the previouscurriculum.
Pupils are expected to recognise and use thegrammatical terminology appropriate to theiryear group.
We invite you to try some examples of SPaGactivities that we are currently teaching yourchildren.
Relative clauses/relative pronouns
Subordinate clauses
Modal verbs
Adverbials
Determiners
Ellipsis
Layout devices (sub-headings, columns, bullet points)
Semi-colon, colon, dashes, hyphens
Synonyms and Antonyms
Informal and formal speech and writing
Passive / active voice
‘Progress measures in 2016 will work in a similarway to current primary value-added measures orProgress 8 in secondary schools. A school’s scorewill be calculated by comparing their pupils’ KS2results against those of all pupils nationally whohad similar starting points.
The department will confirm what score a schoolwould need to get to have made ‘sufficientprogress’ after the tests have been sat.
More detailed guidance on how the new measureswill be constructed is expected to be publishedearly in 2016.’ (DfE, 15th January 2016)
SPaG taught in discrete and cross-curricularlessons
LSAs are deployed for core subject lessons,including SPaG lessons
Regular assessment of pupils
Targeted intervention groups tailored topupils’ individual needs
SPaG test practise during lesson time
Educating yourselves on new curriculum viaattending workshops or visiting websites
Extra work at home
Letts, CGP, Scholastic, Rising Stars etc.Grammar, Punctuation and Spellingworkbooks
Practise spellings with your child
