We know the jump from KS2 to KS3 can be tough, especially for lower ability learners who need more time with core literacy skills. We’ve also heard your comments about the demand for simpler content at KS3 to support those less able students. Therefore we have expanded our English content to make that transition smoother, clearer, and more accessible with new topics, rewritten questions, and audio enhanced spelling practice.
What’s new
✏️ Spelling
New early KS3 spelling topics now include
- Plurals
- Silent letters
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
We have also added around 120 audio based spelling questions to better test homophones and frequently confused words such as to and too or their and there.
✒️ Punctuation
Brand new topics
- End punctuation
- Speech marks
- Parentheses
- Bullet points
We have also rewritten many existing questions to remove KS4 level references and reduce cognitive load.
📚 Grammar
Two new grammar topics designed for clarity and confidence
- Tenses
- Point of view
🔤 Vocabulary
Six new vocabulary lists from 1.2 to 6.2 support reading comprehension and academic language development.
Downloadable planning resources
To make planning even easier, teachers can access our downloadable resources:
These resources provide a clear overview of key knowledge tested in Educake’s early KS3 content and support long term curriculum sequencing.
Included in our transition quizzes
Many of these new and updated skills are already included in our transition quizzes. These quizzes give teachers a quick and reliable way to identify gaps as students move from KS2 to KS3 and help you support learners who need extra practice with spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary.
