to not understand why I should be preparing DS for the phonics screening at the end of Y1?

[StealthPolarBear]

MIL seems to think I should be practising very specific things with him so he does well. Surely the school and we should be working on phonics anyway and this is screening?
Or am I missing the point?

My DS had this

We did zilch preparation - wasn't even aware he was having it

Well as I understand it it's to check how well the schools are teaching phonics and checking for problems with individual children. It's not an exam they have to pass and coaching for it is ridiculous. What next, revising for your APGAR?

Ditto rubyslippers. Unless you count reading regularly with DD which is something we would have done anyway and not linked to the phonics test.

No need to do anything extra.
Just read at home regularly with your child, listen to them read and if they get stuck on words help them sound each sound out and blend it. If they struggle maybe help them go through their phonics sounds.

But this is not prep for any form of screening test. This is just good practise for what people do at home anyway isn't it?

weeeellll, I was working on phonics with dd anyway, as that is her weak area. we did some reading of alien names but working on the areas she was weak in anyway and which may not have turned up in the test. icked the alien idea as icould not be bothered to reinvent the wheel.

I shall reuse the aliens again even though she has done the test... she still needs practice. the letter groups she needs to practice will get harder.

Yes exactly! It's not a test I should be coaching my child to pass!

I revised for DS's APGAR. He still only got a 9 though

Don't worry, I am sure he will still get into a bog standard ccomp while his peers with 10s will go to grammar school. He'll be fine
:o

Maybe but that 9 is a blot on his permanent record for the rest of his life.

Wish I could give you words of comfort but Tbh its probably going to affect his educational performance from now on. If you have any more I can recommend a tutero (tutor in utero)

Don't worry, I've learned my lesson and tape my iPod earphones to my bump every night so DC2 gets the benefit of the Genius Baby podcasts. They're already on level 3!

Depends on how happy you are rthat the school will successully teach your child to read.

About half way through reception, it dawned on me that ds's teacher was not going to teach him to read so I took matters into my own hands and taught him myself.

He was the only child in his class to "pass" the phonics test (according to his TA). (Funnily enough, I had another thread a week or ss ago about his school claiming they supposedly didn't yet have the results of the test...).

So what am I trying to say? It doesn't matter as such whether your son "passes" or "fails" the test - I see it as a reflection of the school and its teaching rather than its pupils. On the other hand, if teaching is poor, it may well be wothwhile and in your son's best interests to practice phonics at home with him.

Oh yes I agree :) I will be practicing phonics with him, and reading as normal. But I don't see the test as somehting to specifically revise for - MIL used to be a teacher so maybe that is why.