Year 1 Phonics Screening Check

The purpose of the phonics screening check is to confirm that all children have learnt phonic decoding to an age-appropriate standard. It is usually administered in June.

What is the phonics screening check?

The phonics screening check contains 40 words divided into 2 sections of 20 words. Both sections contain a mixture of real words and pseudo-words.

Pseudo-words are words that are phonically decodable but are not actual words with an associated meaning. They are included in the check specifically to assess whether your child can decode a word using their phonics skills.

All pseudo-words in the check are accompanied by a picture of an imaginary creature. Children are taught that when a word has a creature next to it, it is a pseudo-word. This ensures that they are not trying to match the pseudo-word to a word in their vocabulary.

The check is designed to give teachers information on how your child is progressing in phonics. It will help to identify whether your child needs additional support at this stage, so that they do not fall behind in this vital early reading skill.

More information can be found on the government publications website