Phonics Screening Check 2026: Dates & Free Practice
Everything you need for this year’s Year 1 phonics screening check in one place: when it happens, what it involves, and free practice using the 2026 paper — no login, nothing paywalled.
When is the phonics screening check 2026?
The 2026 phonics screening check takes place in the week commencing Monday 8 June 2026 (8–12 June). Schools have some flexibility — the following week can be used for any child who was absent — so always confirm the exact day with your child’s school. The check is set by the Department for Education and normally falls in the second full week of June each year.
What’s in the 2026 check
The format is exactly the same as previous years: 40 words, split into two sections of 20, mixing real words with made-up alien words. Your child reads each one aloud, one-to-one with a teacher, in just a few minutes. New to all this? The parent’s guide walks you through it, and the pass mark guide explains the 32-out-of-40 standard.
Why a current-year page helps
Searches for the phonics screening check spike sharply in the weeks around the June check, as parents look for last-minute reassurance and practice. Having the 2026 paper ready to go — in the real format, free, with no sign-up — means you can turn that bit of pre-check nerves into ten useful minutes rather than an anxious scroll. Bookmark this page and come back to it whenever you have a spare moment before the check.
Practise the 2026 paper free
The 2026 paper is already built into Phonics Check Buddy, so your child can practise the genuine words in the real format, on any phone or tablet.
Prefer to build up gradually? You can also work through the 2012–2025 past papers first, then finish on 2026 as the check gets closer.
What the check week looks like
During the check week your child will be taken aside, one at a time, by a teacher they already know — usually somewhere quiet and familiar. They read the 40 words from a simple booklet while the teacher records each answer. There’s no time limit and no computer, and it’s over in a few minutes. Most children find it far less of an event than their parents do; many don’t realise it was anything special at all. Schools often keep the atmosphere deliberately low-key for exactly this reason.
In the final week or two
You don’t need to change anything dramatic close to the check. Keep practice short and cheerful, do a couple of full past papers so the format feels familiar, and make sure the made-up words get a look-in since they’re the least familiar part. More than anything, protect your child’s confidence: a relaxed child who trusts their phonics will always read better than an anxious one who’s been drilled.
After the check
You’ll usually hear the result in your child’s summer report, reported as whether they met the expected standard of 32 out of 40. If they don’t meet it, there’s a straightforward Year 2 retake and no cause for alarm — our guide on what happens if they don’t pass talks it through calmly.
A calm countdown to June
There’s no need to cram. A few minutes of playful practice a few times a week, plenty of shared stories, and a relaxed attitude will do far more than pressure ever could. Our ten ways to help at home has simple ideas for the weeks leading up to the check. Keep it light, celebrate the effort, and your child will walk in feeling ready.