Prepare Your Child 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 — no pressure, just a bit of fun.
A Little Bit of Practise, 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?
It's a short, friendly check that all children in England do towards the end of Year 1 (ages 5–6). It's simply a way for schools to see how well children are getting on with their phonics.
Children read 40 words aloud to their teacher: 20 real words and 20 made-up "alien" words. It only takes a few minutes, and there's no pass or fail — just a helpful snapshot.
The alien words are there to check that children are sounding out properly, rather than just recognising words they've seen before.
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)