http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/14011/1/phonics%2 ... report.pdfYear 1 phonics screening check
Pilot 2011: Technical report
What is this document about?
This document provides a technical evaluation of the Year 1 phonics screening check, including information relating to Ofqual’s common assessment criteria of validity, reliability, minimising bias, comparability and manageability as set out in its Regulatory Framework for National Assessment arrangements (Ofqual, 2011).
Please note: Some schools still do not 'pursue a rigorous phonics programme' in that the teachers may not know what a truly 'rigorous phonics programme' looks like in reality. They need the knowledge and skills to be able to fully evaluate their schools phonics provision and this is not always the case.The impact of the Year 1 phonics screening check
It is hoped that the Year 1 phonics screening check will encourage schools to pursue a rigorous phonics programme for all children at the start of primary school.
The Year 1 phonics screening check should identify children who have not learned to decode using phonics to an age-appropriate standard by the end of Year 1. These children should then receive additional support to ensure they can improve their decoding skills.
By promoting the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics and identifying children who need extra support, it is hoped that introducing the Year 1 phonics screening check will lead to an increase in the number of children able to read competently by the time they reach the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.
Also, the pilot check resulted in 32% of children reaching or exceeding the threshold mark of the Year One Phonics Screening Check - but subsequent annual results have risen to: 58%, 69%, 74% up to and including the 2014 check.
This suggests that phonics teaching is improving and teachers are mindful of the effectiveness of their phonics provision.
A report brought out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) in May 2014, however, indicates that many teachers who favour systematic synthetic phonics teaching still promote multi-cueing reading strategies which will not serve their children well.