Year 1 phonics screening test

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

I'm hoping this won't come across as a humble brag, so I'm saying up front: My daughter did hers this year and did well - it looks like she got 39/40. However, I'm a secondary school teacher and I find assessments very limiting to my own lesson planning and the emotional well being of my students too.

I'm very interested in this test as it's the first 'formal' one kids come across. I understand what this year 1 test is, what the questions are, that it's not at all daunting to most kids, but I can't find online what the threshold was to be working at expected levels and I'm wondering how many kids score above the threshold.

Does anyone know where I can find the percentages/data?

Pass mark was 32.

Don't think any data has been published yet for this year but here it is for previous years

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/577806/SFR42_Phonics_KS1_2016.pdf

The threshold is 32 and has been since it was introduced. In our school 90% achieved the check, not sure what the national average is yet but last year it was in the 80s.

81% passed last year.

It isn't a test. It's a screening check to identify those children who have difficulty decoding accurately in order to provide targeted support.

The children read 40 words aloud to their teacher. There are no questions.

It's a screening (not dissimilar from those used in dyslexia screening) to see if DC can decode text.

There are no questions - it's a list of 40 words to read and it takes a couple of minutes. It's pitched so that every NT Anglophone child who had received between 3 and 6 terms of schooling should be able to fly through it.

Those who are identified as struggling should be considered for extra support going forward. If a systemic problem is uncovered (eg all pupils struggling with a particular correspondence) that should prompt the teacher to see if anything in the teaching can be adjusted.

It's what good teachers do anyhow. It really should be a 'no surprises' test. Better to identify those with potential problems early on, where there is still plenty of time to work on skills.

It's the check most of the children should do well if the school is teaching phonics properly.
Nothing to brag about!

I didn't even know it was happening so didn't get the chance to make her practice. Bad mum. Didn't think they'd actually get tested in year 1!

They aren't tested ...it's a screening check! You can't practise ...it would be counterproductive.

Of course they can practise. They can practise taking their time with the words, making sure they sound them out.

The "practise" is just learning to decode words accurately, which is a normal part of year 1.

Thanks. 95% of students are considered capable of accessing the curriculum at any given year so a pass rate in the 80-90% range is interesting.

I know there were no questions. The guidelines for teachers say no help, no prompts if a child sounds out the phonics but doesn't blend etc... sounds like a test to me. Teachers teach when they can, if they're being told not to correct or help or prompt, that's a test.

DS got 40 . Whatever that means lol He's way above everyone in his class. We never study them with him. He's been doing year 2 words for a while as he has run out of year one words.
They can practice a list that may or may not include words that will be used on the day according to his school. I posted something previously about not understanding what this test was all about in terms of going forward with results, since any learning difficulties would/should have been picked up by teacher throughout the year.
For us it does not make much sense as DS is very bright.

You never study what with him? Reading?

The purpose of PSC is not to test the children's ability. It's to identify children who hasn't grasped phonics for whatever reason.

Seems to me like the teacher should know who is struggling without a nationwide test though.

Was that question for me Doublefecker ? If it was No.. I never ... not the words they give for the test and no I never read with him, my son reads an entire book in a day... 2 magazines per week, national geographic kids and the Beano , does word search and has the EPIC app on his iPad I never encouraged any of it , he just just likes it , he's also bilingual ... I don't see how me reading with him will improve anything , I read my own stuff

Seems to me like the teacher should know who is struggling without a nationwide test though.

Agree. This is just a standardisation of what good teachers do anyhow. And it is useful to have a common screening programme, so that every schoolchild is checked.

Oh just realised what you asked... as I said in his school they give out a list of words that may or may not be used on the test, we are meant to study them with him... we don't really

"if they're being told not to correct or help or prompt, that's a test"

It's a screening test. Not an exam test.

If you correct, help if prompt, it would not screen effectively for those who need to be considered for additional support.

Muva, I think you are totally wrong.
My ds was a fluent reader before starting school. I still listen to him read to me everyday even at yr4.
Reading to oneself and reading aloud is totally different skill.

Good for you sweetie ... but totally wrong about what exactly ?lol I didn't say anything lol did I mention my son doesn't read out aloud ? because he does and in bed and when in the car and at the restaurant after dessert and for eveyone when the step kids are around ... but thanks ... :) will tell him a mumsnetter said that lol

Out loud*

Wow, thanks for calling me "sweetie", that's lovely.

You're welcome sweetie. :)