1. Phonics Screening Check 2017
Elm Park Primary School
Mrs Toms

2. What is the Phonics Screening Check?
- A national test all children in Year 1 will take part in.
- All children will sit the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check during the week commencing 12th June 2017.
It is designed to test whether children can decode words to an appropriate standard.
For the past 4 years, Elm Park has achieved significantly above the national average.

3. How is the test administered?
A teacher will carry out the check with children individually.
The test will be carried out in a quiet room.
The test will take approximately minutes.
Children will only have 1 opportunity to take the test.

4. What happens during the check?

5. What happens during the check?
Children will read 20 real words and 20 pseudo (alien words).
They will sound out the word and blend it back together.
If the correct sound has been identified and the word is said correctly, the child is correct.
If the incorrect sound is said or the word is not blending back together correctly, the child is incorrect.

6. Assessing
The pass mark is generally 32/33/34 out of 40, but this is subject to change.
The government will announce the pass mark once all responses have been submitted by schools.
Once the government have announced their pass mark, you will be notified by letter.

7. What are we doing in school?
Children attend phonics lessons every day for 30 minutes.
Children play games in school during phonics & guided reading to support their phonic knowledge.
Phonics is reinforced during Literacy lessons to aid spelling.
Guided reading sessions weekly support reading unfamiliar words at higher levels.

8. How can you help your child?
Continue to read with your child approximately 3 times per week.
Read everything! Read signs, posters, magazines, comics etc.
Find out if your child knows the sounds within words e.g. Elm Park (contains ‘ar’ sound).

9. How can you help your child?
Resist the urge to teach your child to remember pseudo (alien) words! The words they see will never be the same.
Instead, read a range of real and silly words and focus on the sounds. Place the sounds into new silly words.
learp – mearp – gearn – bearp

10. How can you help your child?
Play games! A list of internet games & apps is provided on the blog.
Ask your child to test you & let them be the teacher.
Ask them to teach other children, younger siblings, pets etc!

11. Where can I find more information?
Visit the official government website (gov.uk) and search for the 2017 Phonics Screening Check (listed with the Key Stage 1 Assessment sections).
Watch the DfE video on Youtube for how judgments are made about incorrect and correct answers.
Speak to a member of staff in school.

12. Are there any questions?