Year 6

Progress checks
KS2, Year 6

Year 6

English

Autumn term
Grammar

1 Write a few sentences to describe a scene in

which a hero visits a goblin to ask for a magic
potion to cure a sick queen. Can you include
three adjectives, a simile, a powerful verb and
an adverb in your writing?

2 Write a few lines of dialogue between the

hero and the queen when he returns from the
goblin’s lair, having obtained the magic potion.
Remember to use the correct punctuation.

Year 6 Progress checks

Text-level analysis

3 Name two features of a letter.

1.
2.

4 What is a biography?

5 Why do people use paragraphs in biographies?

Year 6 Progress checks

 Answers and Year 6 English, Autumn term
Mark scheme

Grammar and punctuation

Write a few sentences to describe a scene in which a hero visits a
goblin to ask for a magic potion to cure a sick queen.

1 mark for each adjective, 1 mark for simile, 1 mark for powerful
verb and 1 mark for adverb. Total of 8 marks.

Write a few lines of dialogue between the hero and the queen when
he returns from the goblin’s lair, having obtained the magic potion.

2 marks for dialogue that makes sense and follows instructions

above. 2 marks for all speech marks in correct places (1 mark for
most in correct place). 2 marks for all punctuation at the end of
speech (, ! ?) correct (1 mark if most correct). 2 marks for good
reporting clauses containing powerful verbs (1 mark if only one
powerful verb used). 1 mark if all capital letters and full stops are in
right place. Total of 9 marks.

Text-level analysis
Name two features of a letter.

1 mark for any two of the following: address of person writing,

address of person being written to, date, ‘Dear…’ and person’s name,
paragraphs, sign off at the end (‘Yours sincerely,’ ‘Love’, etc.)

What is a biography?

Example answer for 1 mark: It is a piece of writing that tells you

about the life of someone famous.

Why do people use paragraphs in biographies?

Example answer for 1 mark: So that information about each stage of

a person’s life is split up into sections, making it easier to read.

Revise any English topics your

Y6 child finds tricky with our
Learning Journey worksheets:
www.theschoolrun.com/learning-journey

Year 6 Progress checks

 Year 6

Progress checks
KS2, Year 6

Year 6

English

Spring term
Grammar and punctuation

1 Complete this sentence in three different

ways, according to the connective used:

I love spending time with my sister because

I love spending time with my sister however

I love spending time with my sister therefore

2 Re-write this text about Churchill so the

sentences are longer and joined by connectives:

Churchill was born in 1874. His family was

aristocratic. He had a nanny called Mrs Everest. He
was very close to his nanny. He was not close to his
parents. He went to boarding school. He didn’t do
very well there. He had a speech impediment. He
went to Royal Military College in Sandhurst.

Year 6 Progress checks

 3 Write a conversation between two friends,
in which one person confesses that they
have done something they’re not proud of.
Remember to use the correct punctuation and
powerful verbs instead of ‘said’.

Text-level analysis

4 What is a flashback? How do authors use this

technique to make stories more effective?

Year 6 Progress checks

 Answers and Year 6 English, Spring term
Mark scheme

Grammar and punctuation

Complete this sentence in three different ways, according to the
connective that has been chosen:

2 marks for each sentence that Revise any English topics your
makes sense according to the Y6 child finds tricky with our
connective. Total of 6 marks. Learning Journey worksheets:
www.theschoolrun.com/learning-journey

Churchill text joined by connectives:

1 mark if one connective has been used to join two short sentences
in a way that makes sense. 2 marks for two connectives. 3 marks for
three or more. Total of 3 marks.

Write a conversation between two friends, in which one person

confesses that they have done something they’re not proud of.

2 marks for dialogue that makes sense and follows instructions above
(1 mark if most makes sense). 2 marks for all speech marks in correct
places (1 mark for most in correct place). 2 marks for all punctuation
at the end of speech (, ! ?) correct (1 mark if most correct). 2 marks
for good reporting clauses containing powerful verbs, for example:
whispered, listened (1 mark if only one powerful verb used). 1 mark if
all capital letters and full stops are in right place. Total of 9 marks.

Text-level analysis
What is a flashback? How do authors use this technique to make
stories more effective?

Example answer: A flashback is a part of a story that explains

something that happened in the past. Authors often describe a
present event that isn’t clear, building up suspense.Then they present
a flashback which explains what is happening in the present, and why.

1 mark for being able to explain what a flashback is. 1 mark for being
able to explain how it makes a story effective. Total of 2 marks.

Year 6 Progress checks

 Year 6

Progress checks
KS2, Year 6

Year 6

English

Summer term
Grammar

1 These sentences come from an argument text

about the benefits of school uniform. Can you
underline the connectives?

School uniform is essential because it is

important that people know which school a pupil
comes from. It makes people look and feel smart,
so pupils are more likely to behave better.

Now write a few sentences to say why you

think school uniform is not a good idea. You
need to include at least two connectives.

Add a compound sentence to your text:

Add a complex sentence to your text:

Text-level analysis

2 Name two features of an argument text.

1.
2.

Year 6 Progress checks

 3 Why are paragraphs used in argument texts?

4 Write a very brief poem about a tree

containing personification.

Spelling

5 Three sentences will be read out to you. Write

them on the lines below.

Year 6 Progress checks

 Answers and
Year 6 English, Summer term
Mark scheme

Grammar
Underline the connectives in these sentences:

School uniform is essential because it is important that people know

which school a pupil comes from. It makes people look and feel smart,
so pupils are more likely to behave better.

1 mark for each connective underlined. Total of 2 marks.

Now write a few sentences to say why you think school uniform is not
a good idea. You need to include at least two connectives.

Sentences to make sense (1 mark). 1 mark for each connective used

correctly (total of 2 marks).

3 marks in total.

Write a compound sentence:

1 mark for a sentence that contains a connective where one part of

the sentence does NOT rely on the other, for example:

I went to the shop, then I went home.

Write a complex sentence:

1 mark for a sentence that contains a connective where one part of

the sentence relies on the other, for example:

I had to look for my PE kit because I had left it at school.

Text-level analysis
Name two features of an argument text.

Any two of the following features given for 1 mark: title, formal
language, paragraphs, connectives, persuasive words and phrases,
mention of facts to support views.

Year 6 Progress checks

Why are paragraphs used in argument texts?

To separate different points into different sections. (1 mark)

Write a short poem about a tree containing personification.

Poem to contain good description (award up to 2 marks) and some

personification (a writing technique in which a non-living object, in
this case a tree, is given the characteristics of a person) (1 mark).
Total of 3 marks.

Spelling
Read these sentences to your child and ask them to write them
in full. When they have finished, check the spellings of the words
underlined.

The archaeologist had a guilty conscience.

The government referred the journalist to a different

department.

I have a homework project on microorganisms.

The footballer was transferred to his preferred team.

He was cooperating with the company who owned the property.

1 mark for each word spelt correctly.Total of 8 marks.

Revise any English topics your

Y6 child finds tricky with our
Learning Journey worksheets:
www.theschoolrun.com/learning-journey

Year 6 Progress checks

 TheSchoolRun Y6 Progress checks
Guidance on administering the English tests

Each term’s English test is marked out of 20.

There is no time limit for answering the questions.

The tests will cover any of the following: spelling, grammar,

punctuation, handwriting and text-level work.

If the test starts with a spelling section, read the spellings (or
sentences containing spellings) out to your child for them to write.
Then give them the rest of the test to do in their own time.
The mark scheme offers suggestions about how to review the tests
once your child has completed them and how many marks children can
score for each particular question. You will need to use your judgement
as often there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer!

The tests are designed to follow TheSchoolRun Learning Journey for

each specific school term. They will not necessarily follow what your
child’s teacher is doing at school that week / month, as teachers tend
to choose to cover National Curriculum objectives in an order that they
feel suits their class. Therefore, please don’t worry if your child cannot
complete certain questions. The point of this test is to help you see
where they might need extra practice.

The learning objectives for each primary school year group are covered
in TheSchoolRun’s Learning Journey worksheets. Revise relevant English
topics with your child at www.theschoolrun.com/learning-journey

Year 6 Progress checks