The Phonics Screening Check is a short test where children in Year 1 read words aloud.

Children sit in a one-to-one setting with their teacher and are asked to read aloud exactly 40 words to demonstrate their phonics skills. Children use their phonics knowledge to read each word, decoding its word structures using the phonics skills they have learned throughout Reception and Year 1.

Half of the words are real words, but the other half are ‘alien’ words (sometimes called ‘pseudo words’ or ‘nonsense words’). These unfamiliar words have been made-up to ensure children use their decoding skills rather than their existing vocabulary.

The Phonics Screening Test exists to monitor phonics teaching within schools, and children’s level of early literacy attainment is recorded.