Simply, Age Related Expectation. This is a term used to describe how your child is getting on and whether they are working at about the right level for their age. 

Simply, putting letter sounds together to read words. Children will learn to read words by first saying each of the sounds out loud, they then need to ‘blend’ the sounds together to read the whole word. 

Simply – a style of joined up writing. Cursive letters always start from on the line. Children may be taught ‘pre-cursive’ writing before they join. This is where they start letters on the line but don’t actually link them together yet.

Simply, it’s just two letters that together make one sound. So in rain ‘ai’ is a digraph because a and i together makes one sound. There are also Split digraphs, see definition further down the page.

Simply – Early Years Foundation Stage. This is the learning which children follow from birth to 5 years old. Nurseries, pre-schools and Reception or Foundation classes all use these standards.

Simply – Educational Psychologist. A professional who works with children and families who may have additional needs. Typically EP’s visit children in school and can carry out assessments and offer support for a range of learning difficulties.

Simply, Good Level of Development. This is a term used at the end of Reception/ Foundation where children are assessed against the Early Learning goals to see if they have achieved the average level for their age. 

Simply – Key Stage 1 is years 1 and 2. Infant Schools are schools for children in Reception and Key Stage 1. The National Curriculum dictates what children need to learn when they are in years 1 and 2.

Simply – Key Stage 1 is years 3,4,5 and 6. Junior Schools are for children in Key Stage 2. The National Curriculum dictates what children need to learn when they are in Key Stage 2.

Simply – the value on a digit depending on it’s place in a number. For example in the number 245 the 2 represents 200, the 4 is 40 and the 5 is 5.

Simply – Speech and Language Team. Professionals who can work with children who may need extra help with their speaking and also use and understanding of language.

Simply, breaking words down into separate sounds. Children will learn to spell words by separating out the sounds and writing them in order. For example the word ‘train’ would be segmented into ‘t’ ‘r’ ‘ai’ and ‘n’. 

Simply, Special Educational Need and Disabilities Co-ordinator. These are professionals working in schools who support children who may have additional needs. This may include assessing children, liaising with families, referring to outside agencies like speech and language teams etc.

Simply, Spelling, punctuation and grammar. Schools teach these elements for children’s writing. In year 2 and year 6 there are Statutory tests for SPAG (unfortunately nothing to do with spaghetti bolognese!) 

Simply – words which cannot be sounded out. These words have to be learn by sight, the normal phonics rules do not apply.

Simply – three letters which make one sound. For example ‘igh’ in the word night go together to make a sound like ‘eye.’