Primary school pupils set to sit grammar and spelling test

Hundreds of thousands of primary school pupils will be assessed on their spelling, punctuation and grammar next week in a new test brought in amid Government concerns about literacy standards.

Eleven-year-olds in England will sit a 45-minute paper on grammar followed by a 15-minute spelling test on 20 commonly misspelt words including “separate”, “preferred” and “necessary”.

The spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) test has been introduced for the first time this year, and is part of the annual Sats tests taken at the end of primary school.

The new test has sparked some controversy, with the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) suggesting it is a “waste of time”.

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