What does this piano notation mean?

[gratoooitus]

DS is just starting on Grade 4 pieces and is wondering what these miniature notes on and above the stave are called, and how they should be played.

I've not seen it before but think it might be use your left hand.

You play them by rolling off them onto the main note. They are called Grace notes. Just glance them before landing on the next note.

As far as I remember it's an acciaccatura or "grace note".

The small notes above the stave to show how the music on the main stave should be played. (Source: I’m a piano teacher!)

The small note on the stave is an appoggiatura. The notes above tell you how to play it - so for the first one, it should be played as two crotchets.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appoggiatura

The notation above the stave shows how they should be played ie the notes in the first example are played as crotchets, in the other bar they are played as semiquavers. The ornaments are called appoggiaturas ( acciaccaturas are written with a little line through them and are played “crushed in” ie before the beat)