Build confidence for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check
A friendly, free app to help your little one feel confident before the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check. Practise real words and alien words together.
Practice, Made Simple
Designed with Year 1 children in mind — covering phonics phases from Reception onwards, in a friendly, low-pressure way.
Real Words
Have a go at reading everyday decodable words, organised by phonics phases 2–5. Start simple and build up gently.
Alien Words
Made-up words with friendly creature pictures — just like in the real check. A fun way to practise sounding out.
Try a Full Check
A 40-word practice run that follows the real check format — so your child knows exactly what to expect on the day.
See How It's Going
Keep track of sessions and see progress over time. Handy for parents and teachers who want to spot patterns.
What's the Phonics Screening Check?
The Phonics Screening Check is a short check that most children in England take towards the end of Year 1 (ages 5–6). It helps schools understand how securely children can use phonics to read words.
Children read 40 words aloud to a teacher: 20 real words and 20 made-up ("alien") words. It usually takes just a few minutes.
There is an expected standard (a set score decided each year — for example, the threshold mark was 32 out of 40 in 2025). Children are typically described as meeting or not yet meeting that standard.
If a child doesn't meet the expected standard in Year 1, they'll usually be given extra support and take the check again in Year 2.
The alien words are included to check children are sounding out using phonics, rather than recognising words from memory — and they're shown with a little alien picture so children know it's a made-up word.
Ready to Have a Go?
Completely free, no sign-up needed. Just a relaxed way to build a little confidence before the check.
Give It a Try (opens in new tab)