1. GPS Grammar, Punctation and Spelling (also known as SPAG and VGP)
L. Shotliff
May 2018

2. Agenda Can you spot the errors? What is GPS? Why is it so important?
National Curriculum Expectations and overview
GPS testing in Year 2 and 6
How do we plan for GPS across the school
How we support learning here at LMPS
How you can support children at home
In the classroom, you will be able to explore
Resources and games used
See some of the children’s GPS work

3. What is GPS?
GPS (grammar, punctuation, spelling) previously referred to as SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) and VGP (vocabulary, grammar and punctuation) ….is what we teach children, from Year 1 to Year 6. In the Foundation stage, the children experience early GPS skills through their reading, phonics (Read Write Inc) and writing.

4. Why is GPS so important?
“Grammar to a writer is to a mountaineer a good pair of hiking boots or, more precisely, to a deep-sea diver an oxygen tank.”
Quoted by A.A. Patawaran
GPS are essential tools in helping us to write sentences and texts that make sense and flow well.
Once we have these tools, we have more control of what we write as well as choice over the language we use.
This helps us to write for a specific audience and purpose in mind.

5. ?

6. National Curriculum Expectations and overview
We have been using the new national curriculum since 2014
There has been a raised expectation for all children in KS1 and KS2 to be taught GPS.
Each year group focuses on specific GPS objectives
Our new RWI scheme focuses on phonics, which is also the foundation of early Spelling
Coverage overview (next page)

8. ?

9. GPS KS1/2 Tests
The GPS test includes questions that assess the following elements of the English curriculum:
Sentence grammar through both identifying and writing sentences that are grammatically correct
Punctuation through identifying and writing sentences that are correctly punctuated
Vocabulary through identifying and writing sentences in which a word is used correctly
Spellings (using spelling patterns from the Year 1&2, Year 3&4 and Year 5&6 lists)

10. KS1 GPS Test (First GPS test was in 2016 )
This test is made of two parts:
A test on grammar and punctuation consisting of 18 questions which lasts around 20 minutes (but is not timed)
A spelling test of 20 spellings (usually lasts around minutes)
Questions include writing short responses, ticking correct answers, circling answers or adding in missing punctuation to a sentence

11. Sample questions Year 2

12. Answers

13. Example of Year 2 spellings from test (KS1)

14. KS2 GPS Test (first test done in 2014)
This test is made of two parts:
45 minute test with 50 questions based on Punctuation and Grammar
A spelling test of 20 spellings (usually lasts around minutes)
Questions include writing short responses, ticking correct answers, circling answers or adding in missing punctuation to a sentence

15. KS2 Sample Questions

16. Answers

17. Examples of KS2 Spellins

18. ?

19. How do we plan for GPS across the school?
Lessons are taught weekly during English lessons and Reading roundabout sessions.
GPS quick starters/inputs to recap on recent GPS learning
A specific GPS objective is taught through skills practice/practical tasks
This objective is then applied during the Big Write, so children can see the importance of using GPS in their writing
Send GPS tasks home for reinforcing (homework)
RWI supports children with their reading along with spelling
Year 2-6 use Babcock spelling scheme
Currently we are doing the spelling bee competition

20. How we support learning here at LMPS
We support the learning of GPS through using a range of resources- both written and practical.
Display posters/English board
Through practical games
Resource cards to support children on their tables
Expose children to terminology – use it regularly when teaching
Spelling journals/word books
Through interactive tasks on the ipad/laptop
Test question practice
Written tasks
Applying skills in writing
Spellings sent home

21. How you can support children at home?
Read regularly- identify GPS elements in what they read (the use of certain vocabulary, grammar and punctuation)
Question what the children have written- can they improve it?
Encourage ‘free writing’, where children can develop their creativity but also practice their GPS skills learnt.
Practice sounds/spellings sent home
Play games (lots available online)
Use the GPS glossary to practice terminology
Support homework
Big write homework – discuss what they want to write about

22. ?

23. Thank you for listening
Please visit your child’s current year group and next year’s year group, so you can see where they are going.
If you have any questions specific to a year group, please speak to the year teachers
If you have a general question for me- please pop into year 5 to see me
Don’t forget your handouts- these will be saved on the school website soon
Teas and coffees are available in corridor to take with you to the classes