The Phonics Screening Check 2012-2017: an independent enquiry into the views of teachers and parents
If you are a head teacher of an infant or a primary school in England, a teacher who has assessed children on the Phonics Screening Check or a parent any of whose children have been assessed on the check we hope you will take part in this independent survey. It is important that we achieve a large and representative sample to ensure our evidence has credibility in informing debates at DfE on the effect of current literacy policy in England. Please take part in the survey whether or not you agree with government literacy policy.
Professor Margaret M. Clark, Visiting Professor, Newman University in collaboration with Professor Jonathan Glazzard, Leeds Beckett University.
The Phonics Screening Check is a statutory assessment administered to all children in Year 1 in state schools in England since 2012. The check consists of 40 words to be read aloud to the teacher (20 real words and 20 pseudo or alien words). Any child who fails to read at least 32 out of 40 words correctly must re-take the check at the end of Year 2.
The survey forms are accessed from the following links:
Head teachers of infant and primary schools https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PhonicsHT
Teachers who have assessed children on the check https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PhonicsT
Parents of children assessed on the check https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PhonicsP
What is the aim of the research? This is an independent research project to inform government policy, evidence-based by the views of teachers and parents. Your participation is entirely voluntary. Your answers will remain anonymous. Our aim in collecting geographical information, and years in teaching, is to enable us to assess how representative a sample we achieve.Should you wish to contribute further to the research either in writing or by an interview please contact us.
Why is this survey important? There were no questions about the future of the Phonics Screening Check in the Government consultation in 2017 on Primary assessment in England. It was merely stated that it is a statutory assessment. Thus it appears the government is firmly committed to its continuation. We feel it is time to give teachers and parents a voice through the medium of an independent survey exploring the effect government policy is having on children’s literacy experiences in school, whether the check is value for money and whether it should remain statutory.
