In this case study, we speak to Rebecca, a Literacy Lead and KS1 Lead at a primary school in Islington, about her experience of using the Mrs Mactivity Spectacular SPaG Scheme. Following feedback from a School Improvement Partner that identified SPaG as an area for development, the school was looking for a solution that would strengthen SPaG teaching across the curriculum while supporting teacher workload.

Since implementing the scheme from Years 1-6, teachers have benefited from high-quality, differentiated resources and clear lesson progression, while pupils have become more aware of SPaG expectations and more intentional in their language choices. Rebecca shares how the scheme was introduced, the impact it has had and what advice she would give to other schools considering Mrs Mactivity.

You can also explore more Mrs Mactivity case studies from schools using our schemes and resources.

Which Mrs Mactivity resources does the school use?

Spectacular SPaG is used as our whole-school SPaG scheme from Years 1-6. Many teachers also use the primary maths scheme and resources and find them especially valuable for providing practical ideas or additional practice for pupils with SEND.

Why did you choose Mrs Mactivity?

We were impressed by how comprehensive the scheme is. The SPaG resources are fantastic because the pre-planned PowerPoint teaches a very specific SPaG objective. There are then differentiated activities for each objective. We have found these really helpful for ensuring that SPaG is taught explicitly without adding to teacher workload.

What challenge was the school trying to solve?

Our School Improvement Partner visit identified the teaching of SPaG as a gap across the school.

How easy was the scheme to implement?

Very easy. We had one quick 30-minute meeting with teachers to talk through the expectations and we have been good to go ever since.

What impact has the scheme had on teaching and learning?

Children are beginning to understand that SPaG is a separate skill from simply being able to write. They are more intentional with their SPaG choices and have a greater awareness of expectations. Having completed activities available to refer back to provides a useful reminder when applying their learning.

Children in UKS2 are increasingly able to reflect on their learning and revisit resources they have used previously to check and edit their work.

What do pupils like most about the scheme?

Pupils enjoy the sense of achievement they get when they succeed with an activity. They also like having a dedicated SPaG book that they can keep and refer back to.

What do teachers like most about Mrs Mactivity?

The resources are high quality and help support teacher subject knowledge. Having differentiated activities ensures the scheme is accessible to a wide range of learners.

We also like that each worksheet is assigned a level rather than a year group. This helps reduce stigma for some pupils, although some teachers choose to remove the level altogether.

Does Mrs Mactivity represent good value for money?

Yes, because we have access to a wide range of additional resources rather than just SPaG.

What would you say to other schools considering Mrs Mactivity?

Definitely do it if you need to improve your pupils’ understanding of SPaG, improve teacher subject knowledge and reduce teacher workload.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you for always being so quick to support with enquiries when needed. Quick answers really help us to keep the learning moving.