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Phonics Screening What is phonics screening? The Phonics Screening Check is meant to show how well your child can use the phonics skills they’ve learned up to the end of Year 1, and to identify students who need extra phonics help. It is a short assessment that takes about 5-10 minutes to complete. The phonics screening will be administered in June. What is on it? The checks consist of 40 words and non-words that your child will be asked to read one-on-one with a teacher. Non-words (or nonsense words, or pseudo words) are a collection of letters that will follow phonics rules your child has been taught, but don’t mean anything – your child will need to read these with the correct sounds to show that they understand the phonics rules behind them. What will my child’s score mean? Your child will be scored against a national standard, and the main result will be whether or not they fall below, within or above this standard. In 2013, 2014 and 2015 the "pass threshold" was 32, which means children had to read at least 32 words out of 40 correctly. The threshold mark is communicated to schools at the end of June, after the test has been taken, so that teachers can mark the Check. You will be told how your child did, but schools’ results will not be published. If your child’s score falls below the standard, they will be given extra phonics help and can re-take the Phonics screening check in Year 2. What is phonics screening? The Phonics Screening Check is meant to show how well your child can use the phonics skills they’ve learned up to the end of Year 1, and to identify students who need extra phonics help. It is a short assessment that takes about 5-10 minutes to complete. The phonics screening will be administered in June. What is on it? The checks consist of 40 words and non-words that your child will be asked to read one-on-one with a teacher. Non-words (or nonsense words, or pseudo words) are a collection of letters that will follow phonics rules your child has been taught, but don’t mean anything – your child will need to read these with the correct sounds to show that they understand the phonics rules behind them. What will my child’s score mean? Your child will be scored against a national standard, and the main result will be whether or not they fall below, within or above this standard. In 2013, 2014 and 2015 the "pass threshold" was 32, which means children had to read at least 32 words out of 40 correctly. The threshold mark is communicated to schools at the end of June, after the test has been taken, so that teachers can mark the Check. You will be told how your child did, but schools’ results will not be published. If your child’s score falls below the standard, they will be given extra phonics help and can re-take the Phonics screening check in Year 2.

How can I help my child prepare?  You can help your child prepare for their Phonics Screening Check by going over the phonics they’ve learned in Reception and Year 1.

Phonics A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in speech. When we teach reading we teach children which letters represent those sounds. For example – the word ‘hat’ has 3 phonemes – ‘h’ ‘a’ and ‘t’. A digraph is a 2 letter grapheme e.g. ‘ ch ’ in ‘chip’ A trigraph is a 3 letter grapheme e.g. ‘ igh ’ in ‘high’

Phonics  What is ‘blending’?  Blending is the process of pushing sounds together in a word. Children are taught to sound out words and then push the sounds together into a recognisable word.  What is segmenting?  Segmenting is the process of separating sounds in words. Children a taught to listen and isolate sounds in words. Then they are taught to represent those sounds in letters. This is the process of spelling.  What is ‘blending’?  Blending is the process of pushing sounds together in a word. Children are taught to sound out words and then push the sounds together into a recognisable word.  What is segmenting?  Segmenting is the process of separating sounds in words. Children a taught to listen and isolate sounds in words. Then they are taught to represent those sounds in letters. This is the process of spelling.

Reading  Children need to do things little and often to retain and so reading regularly helps.  Helps to build up sight words and recognise tricky words. (words that cannot be decoded). – said – silly apples in dresses.  National Curriculum - “ ‘Pupils’ reading and re-reading of books that are closely matched to their developing phonic knowledge and knowledge of common exception words supports their fluency, as well as increasing their confidence in their reading skills. Fluent word reading greatly assists comprehension, especially when pupils come to read longer books.”  Children need to do things little and often to retain and so reading regularly helps.  Helps to build up sight words and recognise tricky words. (words that cannot be decoded). – said – silly apples in dresses.  National Curriculum - “ ‘Pupils’ reading and re-reading of books that are closely matched to their developing phonic knowledge and knowledge of common exception words supports their fluency, as well as increasing their confidence in their reading skills. Fluent word reading greatly assists comprehension, especially when pupils come to read longer books.”

Reading comprehension  Reading comprehension- ‘ ability to read text, process it and understand it’s meaning’.  Just because you child can ‘read the words’ does not necessarily make them a ‘good reader’.  Understanding of what they are reading- CUBE- WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY?  At school- Observe these skills to assess your child’s progress in reading.  Reading comprehension- ‘ ability to read text, process it and understand it’s meaning’.  Just because you child can ‘read the words’ does not necessarily make them a ‘good reader’.  Understanding of what they are reading- CUBE- WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY?  At school- Observe these skills to assess your child’s progress in reading.

Ideas for reading with your child  Expression  Word search for tricky words.  Discuss the front cover and guess what the story is going to be about.  Discuss the pictures.  Guess the ending/make up new ending.  Characters  Beginning middle and end.  New vocabulary.  Expression  Word search for tricky words.  Discuss the front cover and guess what the story is going to be about.  Discuss the pictures.  Guess the ending/make up new ending.  Characters  Beginning middle and end.  New vocabulary.

Reading for enjoyment  It is SO important that your children read for enjoyment.  School books are important but please enjoy other books too.  Visit the Library  Don’t forget to write in their reading records, we love hearing about books you have been reading and can always suggest things to help with any difficulties.  It is SO important that your children read for enjoyment.  School books are important but please enjoy other books too.  Visit the Library  Don’t forget to write in their reading records, we love hearing about books you have been reading and can always suggest things to help with any difficulties.

Thank you for listening and your continued support. Together we can make a big difference.