Helping Your Child Feel Ready for the Phonics Screening Check
- Fabulous at Phonics!
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
The Phonics Screening Check can feel mysterious when you first hear about it, but it’s actually a simple, friendly way for teachers to see how confidently children can use phonics to read words. With a little calm practice at home, most children feel steady, ready and proud.
This guide explains what the check involves and how you can support your child in gentle, achievable ways.
What Is the Phonics Screening Check?
The Phonics Screening Check is a short, one to one reading task completed by all Year 1 children in June. Your child reads forty words aloud to their teacher. Some are real words and some are alien words, and all of them can be sounded out using phonics. The check helps teachers see which phonics patterns are secure and which ones may need a little more practice, so they can support your child’s next steps in reading.
The check usually takes five to ten minutes and happens in a familiar, relaxed space. Most children see it as a quick reading game. Schools give children plenty of practice beforehand so they know exactly what to expect. Teachers introduce the layout, the alien characters and the style of the words in a calm, steady way so the check feels familiar and manageable.
The threshold score has been 32 out of 40 every year since 2012, although the official score is always published after the check has taken place. If a child does not meet the threshold, they will receive support and have another opportunity to take the check again in Year 2. The Year 2 re‑check also takes place in June, alongside the new Year 1 cohort.
What Your Child Will Be Asked To Do During the check, your child will read forty words that are organised into two sections. Each section contains a block of alien words followed by a block of real words. The alien words are clearly marked with bright, colourful alien characters so children can recognise them straight away. This structure helps children settle into a rhythm and allows teachers to see how confidently they recognise graphemes and blend sounds.
Alien words are included because they show how securely children can decode unfamiliar words. They are not designed to trick or confuse. They simply help teachers understand how well phonics knowledge is being applied. How You Can Help At Home Short, steady practice works best. Say each sound slowly and clearly. Let your child blend out loud. Repeat familiar patterns so reading feels predictable and safe. Celebrate effort. Pause when your child needs a moment. Calm breaks help learning settle.
Little and often is far more effective than long sessions. Download the Free PSC Confidence Pack I have created a gentle, parent friendly pack to help you practise at home without overwhelm. It has been designed by a phonics specialist with deep experience supporting schools through the Phonics Screening Check, so every activity reflects the structure, wording and feel of the real check.
Inside you will find real and alien word practice, digraph and split digraph activities, a polysyllabic reading task and simple cut and stick and matching activities. Low ink versions are included for easy printing.
Everything is designed to feel achievable and confidence building.
If you would like more support, you are welcome to join our Facebook community. It is a friendly space for ideas, reassurance and simple phonics guidance. If you ever feel your child would benefit from something more structured, you can explore our phonics subscription boxes or book a one to one tuition session. Both options offer calm, confidence building support for readers who need a little extra help. You Are Doing Brilliantly Thank you for supporting your child’s reading journey. A little calm practice goes a long way and you are already giving them such a strong foundation.
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