GPS in Primary School: A Parent's Complete Guide

• GPS = Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling — tested in the KS2 SATs (Year 6)
• GPS SATs paper: 45 minutes for grammar/punctuation + 20-word spelling test
• Years 5–6 focus: relative clauses, modal verbs, passive/active voice, colons, semi-colons
• Spelling: use the DfE statutory word lists — 5 words/week beats 30 at once
• Terminology matters less than understanding — focus on application, not rote labelling
• Best support: read together and use grammar terms naturally in conversation

What Is GPS?

GPS stands for Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling — one of the three subjects assessed in the KS2 SATs (alongside Maths and Reading). Yet GPS is often the subject parents feel least equipped to help with. Many of us were never taught formal grammar terminology at school, so terms like ‘subordinate clause’ or ‘modal verb’ can feel unfamiliar.

GPS encompasses three closely related areas:

• Grammar: How language is structured — sentences, clauses, phrases, word classes (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, determiners)
• Punctuation: The marks that organise text — full stops, commas, apostrophes, inverted commas, colons, semi-colons, brackets, dashes, hyphens
• Spelling: Correct spelling of words, including spelling rules, prefixes, suffixes, and statutory word lists published by the DfE for each year group

Key Topics by Year Group

Years 1–2 (KS1)

• Capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks
• Joining words and sentences using ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘because’, ‘when’
• Expanded noun phrases (e.g. “the enormous red dragon”)
• Apostrophes for contraction (don't, it's) and singular possession (the dog's bone)
• Commas in lists
• Four sentence types: statement, question, command, exclamation

Years 3–4

• Word families based on common words (e.g. solve, solution, dissolve)
• Conjunctions (although, while, since), adverbs, and prepositions to express time, place, and cause
• Fronted adverbials with commas (“Early in the morning, the fox crept forward.”)
• Inverted commas (speech marks) for direct speech with correct punctuation
• Possessive apostrophes with plural nouns (the dogs' bones)
• Standard English verb inflections (I was / we were, not I done)
• Paragraphs to group related material

Years 5–6

• Relative clauses using who, which, where, whose, that (“The boy who ran away...”)
• Modal verbs: could, should, might, will, must (and their effect on meaning)
• Passive vs active voice (“The ball was kicked” vs “She kicked the ball”)
• Colons, semi-colons, dashes, hyphens, and brackets (parenthesis)
• Formal vs informal language; subjunctive forms (“If I were you...”)
• Cohesive devices for linking ideas across paragraphs (adverbials, pronouns, synonyms)
• The difference between a phrase and a clause

The KS2 GPS SATs Paper

In Year 6, children sit two GPS papers as part of the KS2 SATs:

Paper 1 tests grammar and punctuation through questions such as:

• Identify the type of sentence (statement, question, command, exclamation)
• Add the correct punctuation to a sentence
• Circle the word that functions as a specific word class
• Rewrite a sentence in the active or passive voice
• Identify the subordinate clause in a sentence
• Select the correct verb form to complete a sentence

In 2024, approximately 72% of children reached the expected standard in GPS nationally.

Spelling: Statutory Word Lists and Strategies

The DfE publishes statutory word lists for Years 3–4 and Years 5–6. These are words that children are expected to be able to spell by the end of each stage. The lists are freely available on the government website.

Effective Spelling Strategies

• Little and often: 5 words per week is more effective than 30 at once. Practise the same words across multiple days using different methods
• Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check: The classic approach still works — look at the word, say it, cover it, write it from memory, check
• Find the tricky part: Most words have one “tricky” part. Identify it and focus attention there (e.g. in “necessary”, the tricky part is the double s and single c)
• Use morphology: Understanding prefixes and suffixes helps. If you know “sign”, you can spell “signal”, “signature”, “design”, “resign”
• Use mnemonics: For particularly tricky words: “Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants” (BECAUSE)

How to Help at Home

1. Read Together and Discuss Language

When you come across a striking sentence, ask “Why do you think the author wrote it that way?” This builds awareness of grammar choices in context — which is more useful than isolated exercises.

2. Use Grammar Terminology Naturally

Help children become comfortable with grammar terms by using them in conversation: “That's a powerful verb — what other verbs could you use there?” “Can you spot the adjective in that sentence?”

3. Practise GPS Questions

Familiarity with GPS question formats reduces test anxiety. Short, regular practice with GPS-style questions is more effective than long revision sessions.

4. Focus on Understanding, Not Labelling

A child who can identify that “the enormous, growling, hungry bear” has several adjectives before the noun, and can explain what effect they create — even without knowing the term ‘pre-modifier’ — is already doing excellent GPS work.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing its/it's: “It's” = “it is” (contraction). “Its” = belonging to it (possessive). The possessive form has no apostrophe
• Confusing their/there/they're: Their = belonging to them. There = a place. They're = they are
• Apostrophe errors: Using apostrophes for plurals (apple's instead of apples) — apostrophes show possession or contraction, never plurals
• Comma splices: Joining two complete sentences with a comma instead of a full stop, conjunction, or semi-colon
• Confusing active/passive: Active = the subject does the action. Passive = the subject has the action done to it. Look for “by” or “was/were” as passive indicators

Frequently Asked Questions

How important is the GPS paper compared to Maths and Reading?

GPS, Maths, and Reading are all reported separately in the KS2 SATs results. All three contribute to the overall assessment. GPS is sometimes seen as the “easiest” paper to improve through practice, because many questions test knowledge that can be learned systematically.

Do children need to know all the grammar terminology?

The SATs GPS paper uses specific terminology (subordinate clause, relative pronoun, modal verb, etc.). Children need to recognise and use these terms in the test. However, understanding what the concepts mean is more important than memorising definitions.

Where can I find the statutory word lists?

The DfE publishes them in the English Appendix 1 document, freely available on the government website. Search “English Appendix 1 spelling” to find the current version with word lists for Years 3–4 and Years 5–6.

My child writes well but cannot identify grammar terms. Is that a problem for SATs?

Yes, for the GPS paper specifically — it tests explicit grammar knowledge. However, the ability to write well is ultimately more valuable than the ability to label grammar. Focus on both: use practice questions to build familiarity with terminology, and continue encouraging good writing.

Is GPS taught separately from English?

Most schools teach GPS as an integrated part of English lessons — grammar and punctuation are taught in the context of reading and writing. Some schools also run discrete GPS sessions, particularly in Year 5 and Year 6 when preparing for SATs.

What is the difference between GPS and SPaG?

They refer to the same thing. GPS (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling) is the more common current term. SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) is the older term that is still sometimes used. The content is identical.