Knowledge & skills
Progression spine
The knowledge and skills children should hold and be able to demonstrate by the end of each stage in English. Each strand runs from the earliest years through Stage 5.
Phonics & word recognition
Twinkl Phonics Levels 1–6 + Heart Words common-exception spine.
| By end of | Children can… |
|---|---|
| UKG | Blends and segments single-grapheme words; reads 50 Heart Words at sight. |
| Grade 1 | Decodes most age-appropriate words including alternative spellings; reads 100 Heart Words. |
| Grade 2 | Reads fluently with alternative pronunciations; spelling reflects sound–letter patterns. |
| Grade 3+ | Uses morphology (roots, prefixes, suffixes) for unfamiliar words. |
Reading comprehension
| By end of | Children can… |
|---|---|
| UKG | Retells a familiar story in sequence with picture support. |
| Grade 2 | Answers literal and inferential questions about a familiar text. |
| Grade 5 | Compares texts; identifies author intent, theme and bias. |
Writing composition
| By end of | Children can… |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Writes a simple recount with capital letters and full stops. |
| Grade 3 | Plans, drafts and edits a multi-paragraph piece for a clear purpose. |
| Grade 5 | Adapts tone, vocabulary and structure for purpose and audience. |
Oracy & spoken language
| By end of | Children can… |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Speaks in full sentences using class sentence stems. |
| Grade 3 | Presents to peers; takes turns in structured discussion. |
| Grade 5 | Holds a position in debate; adjusts language for audience. |