Can’t make up my mind about Year 1 phonics check

[Rainallnight]

DD has Year 1 phonics check coming up soon. School have sent home some phonics materials for the Easter holidays (first time they’ve done this), and are putting on a phonics workshop for parents.

I can’t make up my mind whether to do extra phonics work with DD to ‘prepare’ for the test.

A big part of me thinks that this is basically the Government’s test of the school, and I’m not going to make my five year old do extra work for it. Her ability on the day of the test should be her ability with all other things being equal, not as a result of extra pressure/prep. Is that unreasonable?

But on the other hand, if this is the benchmark, then presumably it’s important for Year 2 that they reach that standard?

Can’t decide.

The phonics test was introduced by the govt to check how thoroughly the school teach phonics. Because God forbid a child uses any other strategies to read a text. I agree that testing "nonsense" words is completely ridiculous. A good reader uses more than phonics to read fluently. Some good readers will convert nonsense words to real words in the actual test, because that's how fluent readers instinctively read. (They may hit an unfamiliar word and automatically use a combination of context, phonics and grammar to quickly read it fluently within the sentence.)

I would just continue to read to your child and listen to your child read to you as often as they want to. But don't feel you should "practise" for this ridiculous test. Hopefully at some point the powers that be will ditch it. I believe that at some point in the future the testing of "nonsense" words will be looked back on and ridiculed.

Some good readers will convert nonsense words to real words in the actual test, because that's how fluent readers instinctively read. (They may hit an unfamiliar word and automatically use a combination of context, phonics and grammar to quickly read it fluently within the sentence.)

That's just rubbish. If a reader isn't using phonics then how will they ever read an unfamiliar word? Readers can be apparently good in y1 because they have memorised all the usual words they have shown, that won' help them in juniors and beyond. How can you read the difference between eccentric, eclectic and electric without phonics?

OP, if your DC doesn't know their phonics then continue to work on it with them. Not for the test but for their future reading ability.

Some good readers will convert nonsense words to real words in the actual test

Additionally, children are told about the monster words in the test, they are clearly signposted, so there is no reason any child should be converting them into words they already know.

I teach Year 2. If she doesn't get the required mark in Year 1, she will have to do it again in Year 2, which will mean going out of class for interventions. Decoding the "nonsense" words help with the skill of what to do when you meet an unfamiliar word.just do 5 minutes here and there - it doesn't need to be onerous.

@feeona123

We got sent home some real words and ‘monster’ words to work on. To be honest we haven’t looked at them. If the school actually read with my child this term then I’d be more inclined to put more effort in.

If your child is having phonics lessons (which they will be) they will hear your child read every day. It might not be 1:1 and it might not be written in their reading diary but they will know how they are doing with reading. They have 30 children to support across all areas of the curriculum often with a ta. However you have far less children and could hear them read every day 1:1 which would mean they would make huge progress. Choice is yours??!

I’m a teacher and mum and didn’t do anything extra but I did spend a lot of time teaching my children phonics because I believe they were helpful to my children. For some children it’s extremely helpful, other learn by rote and that’s fine. Don’t put any pressure but definitely encourage reading. As for the poster who said they would do more if the school read with their child, that’s an awful attitude and I would question why you couldn’t read with your child at home.

Noooo! Don't do any prep, please. It might be helpful to boost your school's scores, but if they need help, it may mean they aren't streamed for phonics or helped at school. Also, our school does phonics every day, so a week of practice probably won't increase or decrease their score by that much. Just keep reading their school book every day.

At our Infant school the brightest children were given the phonics test in Reception, in which they got all 20 words correct. The test was given again in yrs 1, 2 and 3 at the Junior school. Unsurprisingly, those children could still read all the words.

Sorry Quisto but that just isn't true. Children cannot physically take the Year 1 phonics screening before Year 1. Entries are completed on a data base and that is populated by the children's dates of birth so it's not possible for them to have taken the test in Reception, 'brightest' or not. They might have had a go at it informally but they won't have taken it.
Children take the test in Year 1 but this was moved to Autumn of Year 2 during the pandemic. They only take the test again the following year if they don't meet the 'pass threshold'. I am surprised if your infant and junior schools wasted time on children doing a test they'd already successfully completed, given how much else there is to catch up on.

Every term my sons have

Maths
English
Comphrension
Reading
Writing

That's standard. It helps the teachers k no what levels kids are working at and giving them some help when they need it.

Me personally I would do the extra work. I wouldKe a game of it. We are now in easter holidays so it would fill a few hours so we are bit in front of TV or having to go out just to keep them entertained.

Plus it is good for parents as you can see how well your child has done over the term

My son is currently doing practice for yr 6 SATs - obviously not exactly the same as a 5 yr old and the phonics test but similar in that it will have little bearing on his future (I know how the results are used in yr 7 and beyond as I work in the school he's going to in September). His school have not narrowed the curriculum in yr 6 but they are now doing some practice tests.

When he's been doing tests as homework this week and bored and struggling a bit, I have stressed to him that it doesn't ultimately matter what he scores but that it is great practice for the future and a good habit to build. It is part of the cycle of things that every now and again we have to work a bit harder for a relatively short time, often on boring stuff, to get what we want in the end.

You'd phrase this differently for a Yr 1 and I definitely don't think that you need to make it a chore at all but, as other posters have said, it is good to keep the reading and phonics going a little bit through the longer holidays and there is benefit to her from the practice. The phonics test itself is unimportant for your family so isn't the reason to do it.

I agree that you shouldn’t have to do extra work to make sure your child passes the screening test, but at this stage in the year, most children should be able to pass or nearly pass. If they can’t, then they would probably benefit from doing extra phonics and reading activities to get them where they need to be.

I’d keep practicing with nonsense words to a minimum. It’s enough for children to know that if there’s a picture of a monster next to the word then they shouldn’t expect it to sound like a real word they know, but if they’re using their sounds and blending the way they’ve been taught to with all words, they shouldn’t be much of a problem.

@TeenPlusCat

Some good readers will convert nonsense words to real words in the actual test

Additionally, children are told about the monster words in the test, they are clearly signposted, so there is no reason any child should be converting them into words they already know.

IME they sometimes do though because whenever they read they are always trying to make sense of things. Why teach them that things don't have to make sense when comprehension is so important? Phonics is really useful but this is just confusing IMO and for the kids put through it time and again and just miss the mark it's not fun IMO.

OP I wouldn't bother prepping for the test per se, much better to develop a love of reading by reading to them every day, listening to them read everyday, going to the library frequently and helping and encouraging them. Reading is so, so important. I would consider going to the phonics workshop though as it could be really helpful in supporting your dd's reading.

Children come across loads of “nonsense” names in books - Biff is one of the first words many children learn to read.
Gruffalo, Dobby, Quidditch, Narnia - children’s books are full of novel words.
It’s weaker readers who struggle to read the word written and use guessing as a strategy, that’s what the check picks up.

@feeona123

We got sent home some real words and ‘monster’ words to work on. To be honest we haven’t looked at them. If the school actually read with my child this term then I’d be more inclined to put more effort in.

Surely if you don’t think the school is doing enough that’s even more of a reason to do some extra at home?

It's really no big deal but it's not hard to do 5mins every now and then, I used to do stuff with them in the bath!

Kids with strong phonics knowledge pass the check.

It's very good for picking up children who are weaker in phonics but rely on look and say type measures and so sound quite fluent when books are heavy on key words in ks1, then fall apart later on.

It's very clear in the check which are "alien words" so able readers know not to mistake them for familiar words.

Don't prepare for it, other than doing the normal reading/homework school set. If your child doesn't pass it it's because they need more phonics help and if you coach them through it they wont get the help they need.

Surely if you don’t think the school is doing enough that’s even more of a reason to do some extra at home?

It's actually better for all children if parents don't make up for a weak school. It means the school is more likely to get pushed to change/improve. Change/improvement will benefit all children including the disadvantaged ones who often don't get the extra help at home.

No practice required, child is little and test is either to see how child is doing so that the school can use this as an idea of extra support required or is pointless. I did no extra work on it with my child, some other parents got all competitive about it but I just ignored them

Some good readers will convert nonsense words to real words in the actual test

This just isnt true. You can get 8 out of 40 wrong before you fall below the expected standard. The readers who fall below 32 aren't secure in phonics. Read mrz posts on here.

Another (ex) teacher chiming in to say not worth practising. It's boring, pointless and solely used to judge the school. Children who didn't pass in year 2 were put in a booster group for extra support. So if your coaching does nudge your child over the pass line, you might just be doing them out of support later on!
Things that I was never able to do enough of in school included: reading individually with children, reading TO children, memorising sight words and later, spellings and times tables. These are the things I'd say teachers really need parents to do at home.

My ds is in Y5
Now but i practised it with him. The nonsense words felt silly but we just did it a few times to het him used to it. I think he scraped by from memory. My son has often struggled at school and takes longer learning certain things loke phonics and time tables so we practise extra with him at home. I think its an important lesson to have in life that if you find something tricky it just means you need to try harder, more, try again etc. I never had to work on anything until i started uni and that was no good at all. I didnt know how to study as I'd never had to before. Better to learn from early on that work pays off.

I'm a teacher and have a DD in year 1.

My DD had loads of gaps in her phonics due to the school doing hybrid learning (50% of the time in school other 50% online which she didn't attend).

I've do 20 minutes with her after school 4 days a week and it's made a huge difference. Her reading and writing has come on loads. We focus on one sound for a couple of days and certain sight words.

We’re prepping for it. We were just told that our child is one of group (maybe 8 or so) selected next term for extra phonics sessions after school - it’s about 30mins once a week. The teacher said it’s for the those that have been repeatedly failing the test, so now of course we’re worried our daughter has fallen behind and so we’re going to be practicing for 10 mins or so every day over Easter too.

@OfstedOffred

Surely if you don’t think the school is doing enough that’s even more of a reason to do some extra at home?

It's actually better for all children if parents don't make up for a weak school. It means the school is more likely to get pushed to change/improve. Change/improvement will benefit all children including the disadvantaged ones who often don't get the extra help at home.

That might or might not be true, but the idea a responsible parent would sit back and let their small child flounder in something as absolutely fundamental as reading as some kind of “that’ll show you” to the school is horrifying. Ok, some parents just can’t help (I know one with EAL who is just incapable of pronouncing a couple of the sounds) but surely if you can support your child you do so. School just doesn’t have the staffing or time to sit and do individual practice of times tables, phonics etc regularly enough.