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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Yr 1 Phonics Test - inappropriate word?!

47 replies

PrettyPenguin · 24/04/2015 22:22

I'm a bit at the practise questions - which I presuming were downloaded from DfE or wherever it is they come from - that my daughter brought home this week.

There are real words mixed in with made up words (to test the child's grasp of phonics). The made up words all have little pictures of aliens/monsters next to them. Apparently 'thigh' is a made up word

But the biggest shocker is the inclusion of the word 'quim' in the made up words!!!! I suppose I ought to be glad it wasn't 'twat' or 'cunt' but still...

AIBU or should I mention this to the teacher/head?

OP posts:

FarFromAnyRoad · 24/04/2015 23:09

FYI - if you're playing Scrabble on bloody FB then that version doesn't accept QUIM. I know, I've tried!

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 24/04/2015 23:11

Neither quim nor thigh has ever appeared in the phonics screening check. Either as real or pseudo words. I'm not sure complaining to the DFE will get you anywhere.

More likely is the teacher downloaded some materials of a resources site somewhere, probably made by someone who hadn't heard the word before. Or with a very warped sense of humour.

OrlandoWoolf · 24/04/2015 23:15

I am imagining Rowan Atkinson reading out those words in his style. He could make any word seem rude.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 24/04/2015 23:21

From Orlando's link:
Quim, quog, quab

That really is a list of odd pseudo words. Other than the fact that quim is not a pseudo word, quog is not quite an illegal spelling but is far more likely to be spelt quag. And I doubt the teacher would accept the pronunciation 'quob' which is the more likely pronunciation of 'a' after 'qu'.

pinkstinks · 25/04/2015 00:05

Wasn't it in the avengers film? "Mewling quim" ?!

Original poster

PrettyPenguin · 27/04/2015 21:31

Why has my post turned into two separate threads?

OP posts:

RaggyAnnie · 27/04/2015 21:39

I have never heard the word quim before. It is a lovely sounding word.

NumanoidNancy · 27/04/2015 21:55

Uh oh, don't say that RaggyAnnie, someone on here will use it on a babynaming thread next and then where will we be...

0x530x610x750x630x79 · 27/04/2015 22:02

Having said that - it's a useful word to know when playing Scrabble!
you're not allowed to use rude words in scrabble, or is that just a house rule?

redgoat · 27/04/2015 22:29

Where are you finding these words? Because 'quim' and 'thigh' are not used as made-up words in the 2012, 2013 or 2014 phonics checks!

lithewire · 27/04/2015 22:51

It was pinkstinks and then there was a palaver over whether its use was sexist or too rude for a 12A film. I'd never heard of it until then.

I'd think the kids would be very unlikely to pick up on it as a rude word, the worst you'd get is them repeating it if they think it sounds funny. Hopefully not in the supermarket

EepMeep · 27/04/2015 23:35

Lol... That's hilarious. A lovely old dirty word. Unless the children are familiar with the Canterbury Tales etc I'm sure it will go unnoticed :)

Purplepoodle · 28/04/2015 06:38

Never ever heard of the word.

However thigh as a made up word!!

mugglingalong · 28/04/2015 06:55

You know of course now that it is your duty to find out the origin of this list and contact the people who developed it then come back here and report on their response!

DoraGora · 28/04/2015 07:36

Isn't the whole purpose of made up words to avoid real ones, however esoteric they might be? On that basis quim is out. Percy wouldn't be allowed, either.

mugglingalong · 28/04/2015 07:57

DoraGora My understanding is that it is to check whether they are just sight reading or if they have understood the underlying phonics principles. A word like quim would probably still work as presumably few 6 yr olds will have encountered or read it. Thigh could be confusing. My 5yr old could read it but didn't know what it meant. My 8yr old knew what it meant so presumably some 6 yr olds would. They might then think that as it is an alien word it can't be pronounced in the same way as the part of your body. I would also be concerned if the teacher didn't know what thigh meant and that it is a real word.

hackmum · 28/04/2015 08:19

I am familiar with the word quim! I would definitely have a word with the teacher. I wonder where they got the resources from? They must be from some independent website - I can't imagine the DfE would allow anything like that.

I'm surprised by "thigh", not just because it's obviously a real word but because it's quite difficult compared with the other sorts of words used in these tests, which mostly follow simple rules.

Bifflepants · 28/04/2015 08:24

You can use quim in Facebook Scrabble. You just have to change the dictionary over to the Collins English dictionary before you start the game. I regularly use quim.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 28/04/2015 08:42

Dora there was an argument made by some that words outside the vocabulary of most 6 year olds should be used instead of non-words. Since it essentially has the same effect I'm not sure it makes much difference other than soothing those that get a bit twitchy about non-words.

'Thigh' is surprisingly quite simple, hackmum. At least in as far as it's a two-sound word that uses letter combinations that are usually taught in the first term of reception. An average child at the end of year 1 should be able to read it with no difficulty.

TapDancingMollusc · 28/04/2015 08:56

Having said that - it's a useful word to know when playing Scrabble!
you're not allowed to use rude words in scrabble, or is that just a house rule?

I play FB scrabble and my board is usually littered with cunt, wanker, bastard, cum, fuck... by my opponents. I try not to use them in scrabble as I don't know the people I'm playing and wouldn't want to cause offence even though most of those words are in regular use in this house. I know not everyone is like us.

Unless that's their response to a particularly high scoring word, of course...

Wiktionary has this alternate definite for quim.

Adjective
quim

(Ulster) Affectedly nice, prim.
(Ulster) Moving with ease and precision.

Might be worth having a word with the teacher?

TooBusyByHalf · 28/04/2015 09:06

I would mention it to the teacher (not the head, that's telling tales).
Quim was the name of a rude dyke mag in the 80s /90s that I was an avid reader of.

DoraGora · 28/04/2015 09:20

It's a slight digression, but, doesn't a succession of obscene words spoil the scrabble game?

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