The Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test, known to most families as SPaG and to schools as GPS, is being reviewed by the Standards and Testing Agency. Some of the more technical grammar may move to secondary school. But nothing has changed yet: Year 6 pupils sitting SATs in May 2027 will take the test in its current form.
If your child is in Year 5 or 6, prepare for the test as it stands. The changes, when they come, are likely to follow the new national curriculum from 2028.
The SPaG test is two papers:
|
Paper |
What it involves |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Paper 1: questions |
Short questions on grammar, punctuation and vocabulary, in 45 minutes |
50 |
|
Paper 2: spelling |
20 words, each read aloud in a sentence for pupils to spell |
20 |
Scores are converted to a scaled score from 80 to 120, and 100 or above means the expected standard. In 2027 both papers fall on Monday 10 May, the first morning of SATs week, according to the government's 2027 Key Stage 2 information for parents.
Anyone who has helped a Year 6 child with homework will recognise the problem the review identified. A typical Paper 1 question might ask a child to underline the relative clause in a sentence, or tick the option that uses a fronted adverbial. Plenty of children learn to answer these correctly while still writing in short, repetitive sentences. Knowing the name of a feature and using it well are different skills, and time spent on the first can squeeze out the second.
The government's response set out three linked changes. The Standards and Testing Agency will review the test itself. Primary grammar content will be reviewed, with some of the more complex concepts possibly moving to Key Stage 3. And Year 6 writing assessment will place more weight on fluent writing.
As of October 2026, no decisions had been published on whether the test will be shortened, redesigned or replaced, which terms might move to secondary school, or the first year any change would apply. Because the new national curriculum starts in September 2028, any change to the test is likely to follow that timetable. Be wary of exact dates you see online until the Standards and Testing Agency confirms them.
What will not change is the importance of the skills themselves. Children will still be expected to spell accurately, punctuate correctly and use grammar well in their writing. Grammar is not leaving primary school; the debate is about emphasis and timing.
The good news is that the best preparation for today's test also builds the skills any future version will reward.
Learn terms through real sentences. Instead of drilling definitions, find examples in the book your child is reading. A relative clause spotted in a favourite story sticks far better than one met on a worksheet.
Keep sessions short. Ten minutes a few times a week is more effective than a long session the weekend before SATs.
Practise spelling in context. The statutory word lists for Years 3 to 6 are a good source. Have your child write each word in a sentence, then revisit the tricky ones a week later.
Turn grammar into writing. After practising a feature, ask your child to use it in a sentence of their own about something they care about. This is exactly the habit the review wants schools to build.
Use past papers for familiarity. They help children get used to question wording and timing, but most of the improvement comes from understanding, not from repetition.
Our KS2 English tuition teaches grammar, punctuation and spelling through reading and writing, in groups of five or six children. If you want to know where your child stands before SATs, a free assessment is a good first step.
No decision has been made to scrap it. The Standards and Testing Agency has been asked to review it.
Some use Key Stage 2 results alongside their own tests when grouping pupils. Practice varies, so ask the secondary school directly.
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Updated 23-October-2026
