LincewoodPrimary School
Berry Lane, Langdon Hills,
Basildon, Essex. SS16 6AZ
Tel: 01268 412888 Fax: 01268 491139
Email:
Headteacher: Tim Eastwell
Dear Parents/Carers, 28th April 2017
Year One Phonics Screening Check – Parents Information
Please find below, details of the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check which takes place the week beginning the 12th June 2017.
1. What is the Phonics Screening Check?
This June, children in Year One will be taking part in a phonics screening check. The check was introduced by the Government in 2012 and requires that all Year One pupils are screened to check their ability to read words by using their sounds. It sets a benchmark level that pupils are required to meet at the end of Year One. The check comprises of reading 2 lists of words - 20 real words and 20 non words. The non words (alien words) have a small picture of an alien, which indicates it is not a real word.
The check itself only takes approximately 10 minutes, depending of the speed of the children reading. Children at Lincewood are regularly assessed and checked for their phonic ability, so this is nothing out of the ordinary. Children are not told that they will be “tested”, instead, it is treated as an everyday activity which the children are used to taking part in. All pupils in Year One have taken part in various “practise” checks as part of our ongoing assessments and the children really enjoy working with an adult to read these words.
2. When does it take place?
The Phonics Screening checks takes place throughout the week commencing 12th June 2017. I will be administering the check. Please can you ensure your child is in school this week to avoid them having to take this check at a later date. All schools across the country administer the check during the same week.
3. What skills do the children need?
During the phonics check itself, children simply have to read a selection of words by using their phonic knowledge. Many children may need to break the words into phonemes (sounds) by segmenting the sounds and blending together e.g. portrait may be read as p-or-t-r-ai-t – portrait. It is vital that not only can children break down the sounds; but that they can also blend the sounds to say the full word in order to be awarded the mark. This is something we have been working hard on in school, so that children are confident blending sounds in longer words.
4. Check results
You will be informed as to whether your child has met the required level to pass the check alongside your child’s school report in July. Children who do not meet the required level will be re-tested in Year two.
5. Practise
Over the next week or so, please can you ensure your child has some opportunity to practise their sounds and the application of these sounds in words. We have provided you with some sample words for your child to practise reading at home. Children are familiar with the “pseudo” words accompanied by an alien. The words without a picture indicate to the child that it is a real word therefore must make sense when reading.
Here is a list of the terminology used in school, which we would appreciate if you could support at home
Phoneme – This is the smallest unit of sound. Phoneme is commonly referred to as a sound e.g. church has 3 phonemes (sounds) ch-ur-ch. (Phonemes can be made by 2/3 or even 4 letters) e.g. light – l-igh-t
Digraph – 2 letters 1 sound e.g. ur, ir
Split digraph – 2 letters, 1 sounds, split by a consonant e.g. a-e, e-e, i-e, o-e, u-e e.g phone – o-e make the long o sound but it is split by an “n”
Trigraph – 3 letters, 1 sound – e.g. igh, ear
Please do not refer to this activity as a test, or apply any pressure to your child. It is part of our ongoing work on helping children become fluent readers and is not treated as anything out of the ordinary.
If you have any further questions or queries, I will be holding a meeting for all parents onFriday 12th May2017 at9.00amduring which I will explain the process in more detail.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs K Taylor
Foundation and KS1 Phase Leader