A Little about the Phonics Screening Checks
The Phonics Screening Check is a compulsory assessment that all children in Year 1 must take. It is used to assess a students phonic decoding skills. To pass, a student must correctly read around 32/40 words correctly.
The 40 words in the check are split into sections progressing from simple word structures to trickier words with more than one syllable. The often confusing thing about the screening check is that 20/40 of the words the children are expected to read are ‘nonsense’ (alien) words that have no meaning. This really tests a child’s phonic decoding skills.
How can you support your child?
The most effective way to support your child is to continue reading with them daily. Please take the time to read the article below about the importance of reading in the early years.
Below are links to past papers. You can use these to practice reading nonsense and real words with your child.