2026 phonics screening check assessment and reporting arrangements

Question 1

1. About this guidance

Accepted Answer

This guidance sets out the statutory requirements for key stage 1 (KS1) national curriculum assessment and reporting for the academic year 2025 to 2026. It comprises the phonics screening check normally conducted in year 1 or, for some pupils, in year 2. It is produced by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE), and is relevant until the end of the academic year 2025 to 2026.

The assessment and reporting arrangements (ARAs) apply to:

maintained schools
academies, including free schools
special schools, including maintained special schools and special academies
alternative provision (AP), including pupil referral units (PRUs), AP academies and AP free schools
secure units
maintained nursery schools with pupils who will reach the age of 6 before the end of the school year
Ministry of Defence (MoD) schools

This guidance is for:

all staff responsible for the phonics screening check
headteachers and senior leadership teams
governors and trustees
local authority assessment co-ordinators

This document (the ARA) contains provisions made in terms of Article 9 as amended of The Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 1 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 2004. The 2004 Order is made by the Secretary of State under powers as provided for by Section 87 of the Education Act 2002. This ARA gives full effect to the provisions in the 2004 Order concerning assessment during KS1 and has effect as if made by the 2004 Order. The ARA also contains guidance that does not form part of the law. See Legal requirements and responsibilities for further information.

Question 2

2. Changes for the academic year 2025 to 2026

Accepted Answer

2.1 New Test Operations Services provider

From September 2025, Pearson Education Limited (Pearson) will provide the Test Operations Service, supporting national curriculum assessments on behalf of STA.

You can find more information about this in the New Test Operations Service provider: information for schools and local authorities.

2.2 National Curriculum Assessments Portal

The Primary Assessment Gateway has been replaced by the National Curriculum Assessments Portal (NCA Portal), developed by Pearson.

The NCA Portal uses multi-factor authentication (MFA) to help protect pupil data and ensure secure access. On the first sign in of each day, users will need to enter a unique 6-digit verification code, which will be sent to their registered email address.

Schools can use the NCA Portal to:

decline phonics screening check materials if they have no pupils working at the standard of the check
confirm if they are an academy not using their geographic local authority for monitoring the check
access phonics screening check materials during the check administration period
submit the headteacher’s declaration form (HDF)

For full instructions and support on how to access the system and manage user accounts, please refer to the guidance on how to access the NCA Portal.

2.3 National curriculum assessments customer service

The national curriculum assessments helpline, which will now be operated by Pearson, will remain open with the same contact details:

telephone: 0300 303 3013 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm)
email: assessments@education.gov.uk

During September, when activities for the previous and current academic years are still ongoing, arrangements will be in place to ensure that the most appropriate agents are available to answer your queries. When you make a call, there will be recorded instructions to ensure your query is directed appropriately.

NCA Portal users can now also submit helpdesk requests directly via the ‘Support’ section within the NCA Portal. Requests submitted by telephone or email will appear within the user’s NCA Portal account, allowing them to track progress, receive updates and respond to queries securely within the system.

Question 3

3. Important dates

Accepted Answer

These dates are subject to change. If any changes are needed due to circumstances beyond our control, we will inform schools at the appropriate time in our assessment updates and on GOV.UK.

3.1 Important dates for 2025

Date	Action
Monday 13 October	Form available on the NCA Portal for schools with no pupils working at the standard of the phonics screening check to decline phonics screening check materials
Monday 13 October	Form available on the NCA Portal for academies to confirm if they are using a non-geographic local authority for monitoring their phonics screening check
Monday 13 October	Schools can order braille versions of the phonics screening check from the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013
Friday 14 November	Deadline for schools with no pupils working at the standard of the phonics screening check to decline phonics screening check materials on the NCA Portal

3.2 Important dates for 2026

Date	Action
Friday 9 January	Deadline for academies to have a written agreement in place with their chosen local authority for monitoring the phonics screening check
Friday 9 January	Deadline for academies to confirm on the NCA Portal if they are using a non-geographic local authority for monitoring their phonics screening check
March	Phonics screening check administration guidance published
Tuesday 21 April	Deadline to order braille versions of the phonics screening check from the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013
Monday 18 May to Friday 22 May	Schools receive phonics screening check materials
Monday 1 June to Friday 19 June	Local authorities carry out monitoring visits to a sample of schools – see Monitoring the phonics screening check
Monday 8 June	Phonics screening check materials (excluding braille) available on the NCA Portal
Monday 8 June	Phonics screening check HDF available on the NCA Portal
Monday 8 June to Friday 12 June	Schools administer the phonics screening check
Monday 15 June to Friday 19 June	Timetable variation week for pupils who were absent for the phonics screening check
Monday 22 June	Phonics screening check materials and threshold mark published on GOV.UK
Tuesday 30 June	Deadline for schools to submit the phonics screening check HDF on the NCA Portal
Monday 8 June to Friday 17 July	Schools must submit their phonics screening check results to their geographic local authority by the deadline specified by the local authority
Friday 17 July	Deadline for local authorities to submit phonics screening check data to DfE using COLLECT

Question 4

4. Responsibilities

Accepted Answer

4.1 Headteachers’ responsibilities

All references to headteachers include acting headteachers or anyone with delegated authority in the absence of the headteacher.

Headteachers of participating schools have a duty to ensure that:

the requirements in the ARA are implemented in their school
teachers and other staff comply with the ARA
the deadlines in the ARA are met
the needs of all pupils are considered and suitable access arrangements are put in place to enable them to take part in the check, where possible
parents are issued with a privacy notice that explains how pupils’ personal data is processed

Headteachers of maintained schools, academies (including free schools) and special schools (including maintained special schools and special academies) must ensure all check administrators are appropriately trained to administer and score the check according to this guidance and have read the information about preparing to administer the phonics screening check.

Headteachers of maintained schools, academies (including free schools) and special schools (including maintained special schools and special academies) must also:

identify which pupils will reach the age of 6 before the end of the academic year (most pupils will be in year 1) and should take the check in June 2026
consider whether any pupils will need braille versions of the check and order these from the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 by Tuesday 21 April
consider whether any pupils will need modified versions of the check and download these from the NCA Portal (excluding braille) during the check period in June 2026
keep all check materials secure and treat them as confidential from the point they arrive in school or are downloaded from the NCA Portal until Monday 22 June
be able to give an accurate account of everyone with access to check materials from the point they arrive in school or are downloaded from the NCA Portal until Monday 22 June – this includes unused check materials and electronic versions downloaded from the NCA Portal
make a judgement on whether pupils are in a fit physical and mental state to take the check
ensure the check is administered once to each pupil within the check window starting on Monday 8 June
ensure the check is administered by a check administrator known to the pupils
know what to expect if they receive a monitoring visit
co-operate with any monitoring visit requests, including visits by STA or local authority representatives
ensure pupils’ responses are scored accurately and consistently
report any incident that affects the integrity, security or confidentiality of the check
comply with the national data submission requirement, by submitting check results to the local authority for all eligible pupils, by the deadline communicated to them by the local authority
complete and submit the phonics screening check HDF on the NCA Portal by Tuesday 30 June
ensure any pupils in years 1 or 2 who do not meet the expected standard continue to receive support in phonics

Headteachers of academies must also have a written agreement in place with their chosen local authority for monitoring the phonics screening check. If you have selected a non-geographic local authority, you must confirm this on the NCA Portal by Friday 9 January.

Phonics screening check headteacher’s declaration form

Headteachers must submit the phonics screening check HDF on the NCA Portal, as detailed in Article 5A(1)(c) of the 2004 Order.

The HDF confirms that the 2026 phonics screening check was administered and scored according to the published guidance or that any issues were reported to STA. Alternatively, it may confirm that the check was not administered because all pupils are working below the standard or are unable to access it. The form will be available from Monday 8 June and must be completed by Tuesday 30 June.

If you cannot complete the HDF, or if you make any errors in your submission, you should notify the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

4.2 Local authorities’ responsibilities

Local authorities must take reasonable steps to ensure that participating schools follow the guidance in this ARA. This also applies to academies that have an agreement in place with the local authority.

Local authorities should ensure that participating schools:

are aware of the need to store all phonics screening check materials securely
meet the requirements for transferring records between schools, including the completion of the common transfer file (CTF) as noted in the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005

Responsibilities include:

ensuring training and advice is available to schools on all aspects of the check
carrying out monitoring visits to a sample of schools participating in the 2026 check – see Monitoring the phonics screening check
informing STA of any irregularities which could affect the integrity, security or confidentiality of the national curriculum assessments, or could lead to judgements that do not reflect pupils’ independent work
following the phonics screening check data collection and submission guidance to collect, quality-assure and submit results data to DfE for checks administered in June 2026

4.3 Schools’ responsibilities

Teachers must comply with the provisions of this ARA when carrying out assessment and reporting functions.

4.4 Governing bodies’ responsibilities

Governing bodies of maintained schools must carry out their functions to ensure that the phonics screening check is administered in their school according to this ARA.

4.5 Academy trusts’ responsibilities

An academy’s funding agreement will usually require the academy trust to ensure that the phonics screening check is administered in the school according to this ARA.

Question 5

5. Phonics screening check

Accepted Answer

5.1 Overview of the check

The phonics screening check is designed to confirm whether pupils have learnt phonic decoding to an age-appropriate standard. It will identify pupils who need extra help to improve their decoding skills. The check consists of 20 real words and 20 pseudo-words that pupils read aloud to the check administrator.

5.2 Check participation

Participation in the check depends on the type of school – see How the arrangements apply to different types of schools. Schools do not need to register pupils for the check.

Pupils who should take the check

Pupils who will have reached the age of 6 and completed the first year of the KS1 English programme of study by the end of the academic year (most pupils will be in year 1) must take the check in June 2026.

If you have pupils in year 2 who have not taken the check before or did not meet the expected standard in the 2025 check, they must also take the check in June 2026.

Pupils who should not take the check

Pupils should not take the check if they:

have shown no understanding of grapheme-phoneme correspondences
have not completed the first year of the KS1 English programme of study
have recently moved to the country and are unable to understand letters and sounds in English
use British Sign Language or other sign-supported communication, such as communication boards, to spell out individual letters
are non-verbal or selectively mute
have been absent during the entire check window, including timetable variation week – they must be recorded as absent

Decisions on participation in the check

Headteachers make the final decision about whether it is appropriate for a pupil to take the check. In any instances where pupils are not entered for the check:

schools must inform the pupil’s parents and should explain the decision
if appropriate, schools should provide parents with documentary evidence to support the decision
schools should explain how they are helping the pupil to learn to decode using phonics

5.3 Access arrangements

You may need to adapt the phonics screening check for some pupils. You must base adjustments on normal classroom practice for pupils with specific needs.

You do not need to request permission to make adaptations, but you must ensure any modifications are necessary and do not advantage pupils (see Delivery of phonics screening check materials) and do not amount to maladministration (see Maladministration).

5.4 Past check materials

Past test materials are available to help teachers prepare for the phonics screening check. These include past standard and modified versions of the phonics screening check (excluding braille), as well as scoring guidance.

You can request copies of past braille check materials from the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or from MTH@iwanttoconnect.co.uk.

5.5 Ordering or declining phonics screening check materials

You do not need to order standard materials for the phonics screening check in June 2026. We will send them to schools (including special schools, PRUs and secure units) based on data from the January school census.

If you do not have any pupils working at the standard of the check and do not need check materials, you must notify us using the ‘Decline phonics screening check materials’ form available on the NCA Portal by Friday 14 November.

You can order uncontracted (Grade 1) Unified English Braille (UEB) versions of the phonics screening check from the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or from MTH@iwanttoconnect.co.uk by Tuesday 21 April.

5.6 Delivery of phonics screening check materials

Schools will receive phonics screening check materials, including any braille orders, in the week beginning Monday 18 May.

If you have not received your check materials by Friday 22 May, you should contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Delivery locations

We will deliver the check materials to school addresses taken from Get Information about Schools (GIAS). Schools must ensure their details are up to date and sign into GIAS using DfE Sign-in to make changes.

Where schools operate across multiple sites, the headteacher should transport check materials securely between them, if this is practical. However, some schools may have very dispersed sites and others may move to a temporary site part way through the academic year. If you would like to discuss alternative delivery arrangements, you should contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Additional materials and modified formats

Schools can download check materials from the NCA Portal from Monday 8 June. This includes the answer sheet and modified versions of the check (excluding braille), including Word versions with colour images, Word versions with black and white images, and Word versions without images.

If you need to order braille check materials after Tuesday 21 April, you should contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

5.7 Security of phonics screening check materials

Headteachers must ensure the integrity of the check is maintained so that no pupil has an advantage. Schools must follow the guidance on keeping materials secure in the phonics screening check administration guidance and treat all check materials as confidential from when they are received or downloaded from the NCA Portal until Monday 22 June.

5.8 Administering the phonics screening check

Schools should administer the phonics screening check during the week beginning Monday 8 June. If a pupil is absent during that week, you can still administer the check to them until Friday 19 June. Pupils must only attempt the check once during the check window.

Schools must follow the phonics screening check administration guidance, which we will publish in March.

5.9 Monitoring the phonics screening check

Local authorities have a statutory duty to make monitoring visits to at least 10% of maintained schools that are administering the check. Local authorities are also expected to monitor at least 10% of academies that have selected them for monitoring.

Local authorities will carry out monitoring visits to a sample of schools between Monday 1 June and Friday 19 June.

In some circumstances, a local authority may be able to conduct a monitoring visit after 19 June, namely where a phonics screening check is administered outside of the usual check window due to a pupil’s absence or a timetable variation. Local authorities are able to conduct a monitoring visit up to 5 school days following the last day on which a phonics screening check is administered, as per Article 6A of the 2004 Order. Therefore, if a school administers its last phonics screening check on Friday 19 June, within the timetable variation window, the local authority can conduct a monitoring visit up until Friday 26 June.

For further information, schools and local authorities should refer to the guidance on phonics screening check monitoring visits, which we will update in March.

Academies

Academies must choose which local authority is responsible for monitoring their phonics screening check and must have a written agreement in place with their chosen local authority.

Academies will be presumed to be working with their geographic local authority, unless they have confirmed on the NCA Portal that they have chosen an alternative local authority by Friday 9 January.

If a school becomes an academy on or after Monday 1 September 2025, they will be part of their geographic local authority arrangements for monitoring the phonics screening check and will be unable to select an alternative local authority until the academic year 2026 to 2027.

5.10 Reporting phonics screening check results

We will publish the 2026 phonics screening check threshold mark on GOV.UK on Monday 22 June. Schools do not need to wait until the threshold mark is published before submitting their data to the local authority.

Maintained schools and special schools (including maintained special schools) must report their pupils’ phonics screening check scores to their geographic local authority by the deadline they specify.

Academies (including special academies) must report their pupils’ check scores to their geographic local authority by the deadline they specify, even if they have used a different local authority for monitoring.

Local authorities must submit phonics screening check data to DfE by Friday 17 July. There is no facility to amend data once the collection has closed.

Further support for schools and local authorities is available in:

5.11 How results will be used

DfE does not publish school-level results for the phonics screening check. However, national, regional and local authority data will be published in 2026, including by pupil and school characteristics.

Pupil and school-level results will be shared securely with schools. Schools will also have access to national and local authority phonics screening check attainment scores, to allow them to benchmark their pupils’ performance.

DfE will also produce and securely share phonics screening check results with academy trusts, DfE regional teams, local authorities and Ofsted for school improvement purposes and to inform inspection.

DfE may use aggregated data to inform future policy and to direct support and resource where it is needed. This may include setting criteria to allocate additional funding.

Pupils who have not met the expected standard at the end of year 1 must be considered for a retake in June 2027. Schools are expected to maintain a programme of support for these pupils.

Question 6

6. Maladministration

Accepted Answer

The term ‘maladministration’ refers to any act that:

affects the integrity, security or confidentiality of national curriculum assessments
could lead to results that do not reflect pupils’ unaided work

This could include, for example:

schools reporting pupils’ phonics screening check scores incorrectly
allowing pupils to have more than one attempt at the phonics screening check
schools adapting the phonics check in a way that results in an advantage to pupils – see Access arrangements

STA has a statutory duty to investigate any matter brought to its attention relating to the accuracy or correctness of any pupil’s phonics screening check results. The maladministration investigation procedures explain how we process allegations, as well as roles and responsibilities relating to school visits. This is supported by guidance for local authorities carrying out maladministration investigation visits on behalf of STA.

If headteachers, teachers, check administrators and other staff do not comply with the provisions of this ARA and other published guidance, this could result in the school being investigated for maladministration. In cases where the accuracy or correctness of a pupil’s results may be affected, the Secretary of State has power to determine the pupil’s result and notify the headteacher accordingly.

Anyone with concerns about the administration of the phonics screening check, or any allegations of maladministration, should report these to STA’s Maladministration team at STA.maladministration@education.gov.uk or the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Question 7

7. Reporting to parents

Accepted Answer

7.1 Annual reports

Headteachers of maintained schools, including maintained special schools, must prepare annual reports for every pupil’s parents. Headteachers must arrange for parents to discuss the report with their child’s teacher.

The term ‘parent’ is defined in Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 as:

a parent of a pupil
any person who is not a parent of a pupil, but who has parental responsibility for the pupil
any person who has care of a pupil

Academies’ requirements are set out in their funding agreements.

7.2 What reports must cover

The report must start from the day after the last report was given, or the date of the pupil’s admission to the school, if later. It must be made available to parents before the end of the summer term.

The report must cover the pupil’s:

achievements
general progress
attendance record

By the end of the summer term in year 1, headteachers must report to parents their child’s phonics screening check score (including for pupils who have since left the school). Headteachers should also report to parents if their child was absent, did not participate in the check, or the reason why they have not received a result – for example, where results are affected by maladministration.

Schools must also report results to parents of year 2 pupils who take the check in June 2026.

For maintained schools, reports must cover pupils’ general progress in statutory subjects. This includes subjects within the KS1 national curriculum as well as religious education, unless a child has been withdrawn from this subject by their parents under Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

These content requirements are based on Schedule 1 of the 2005 Regulations.

7.3 Pupils who change schools

If a pupil changes schools before the end of the academic year, the headteacher of the receiving school should ensure an annual report is written for the pupil and issued to the pupil’s parents. The report should draw upon information transferred from the pupil’s previous school – see Transferring records to a pupil’s new school. The parents should have the opportunity to discuss the report with their child’s teacher.

7.4 Pupils registered at more than one school

Regulation 9 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 allows the dual registration of families that travel for occupational purposes. Regulations 9(3) and 9(4) define which school would be the base school (school of ordinary attendance). Regulation 9(1) applies to a pupil who:

has no fixed abode because their parent is engaged in a trade or business that requires them to travel from place to place
is at the time registered as a pupil at 2 or more schools

If a pupil is registered at more than one school, each headteacher should write an annual report for the parents. Each headteacher should also arrange for the parents to discuss the report with their child’s teacher, if they wish.

Question 8

8. Keeping and maintaining records

Accepted Answer

8.1 Pupils’ educational records

Maintained schools and non-maintained special schools must ensure that educational records are maintained and disclosed to parents on request, as prescribed in the 2005 Regulations. Educational records include information about pupils (and former pupils):

processed by, or on behalf of, the governing body or a teacher
originating from, or supplied by, local authority employees
originating from, or supplied by, teachers or other employees of the school

Information processed by a teacher solely for the teacher’s own use is excluded from the definition of educational records.

Maintained schools and non-maintained special schools must also keep curricular records on every pupil. Curricular records form a ‘subset’ of a pupil’s educational record. They are a formal record of a pupil’s academic achievements, skills, abilities and the progress they make at a school. These records must be updated at least once every academic year.

Schools are data controllers and are therefore required to comply with data protection legislation including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. This means schools are responsible for ensuring that any processing of personal data (the collection, retention, storage and security of all personal information they hold) meets the provisions of the DPA 2018 and complies with data protection legislation. This includes:

personal information appearing in a pupil’s educational record
any other information they hold which identifies individuals, including pupils, staff and parents

8.2 Disclosure of educational records

There are several pieces of legislation under which information may be accessed from public organisations, including schools. These include the UK GDPR, DPA 2018 and Freedom of Information Act 2000. Access to a pupil’s educational record held by a maintained school or non-maintained special school is covered by a parent’s right of access under the 2005 Regulations.

Under the 2005 Regulations, a maintained school’s governing body must ensure that a pupil’s educational record is made available for parents to see, free of charge, within 15 school days of receipt of the parent’s written request. If a parent makes a written request for a copy of the record, this must also be provided within 15 school days of receipt of the request. Governing bodies can charge a fee for these copies, but this must not be more than the cost of supply. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) provides further information on charges.

The 2005 Regulations describe the material that is exempt from disclosure to parents. This relates to information that the pupil could not lawfully be given under data protection legislation. It also relates to information that they would not have a right of access to. This includes material that may cause serious harm to the physical or mental health or condition of the pupil or someone else. A school may not fulfil a parent’s request for these records if there is a court order in place which limits a parent’s exercise of parental responsibility. This affects the parent’s entitlement to receive such information.

The ICO can provide further advice.

8.3 Transferring records to a pupil’s new school

Headteachers of maintained schools, including maintained special schools, must ensure the statutory requirements for the transfer of records between schools are fulfilled, including the completion of the CTF. This requirement is set out in the 2005 Regulations, as amended.

If a pupil moves to another school in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the pupil’s CTF and educational records must be passed to the new school. Academies are not subject to this requirement but are expected to adhere to the following protocols as a matter of good practice.

Schools should arrange to exchange data by another secure method if transferring information to a school outside England, where school to school (S2S) is not available. Information must be transferred within 15 school days of the pupil ceasing to be registered at their previous school.

The pupil’s CTF should be sent to the new school either:

through the S2S secure file transfer system
over a secure network that can only be accessed by the local authority, the governing body or a teacher at any school within that local authority

If either school is unable to send or receive information in this way, local authorities may provide the file. However, there must be agreed and secure local arrangements in place.

If the new school is unknown, DfE recommends that the school should still complete the CTF and load it onto S2S. If a school does not receive CTFs for a new pupil, they can ask their local authority to search for the files on S2S.

Schools can refer to the CTF and S2S guides for details on:

what information CTFs should contain
handling records for pupils where their destination is not known
sending CTFs between schools

Schedule 2 to the 2005 Regulations, as amended, explains more about the content of CTFs.

Question 9

9. Legal requirements and responsibilities

Accepted Answer

9.1 How the arrangements apply to different types of school

Maintained schools (including maintained special schools)

Maintained schools, including maintained special schools, with pupils in KS1 must administer the statutory phonics screening check.

Maintained nursery schools

Maintained nursery schools with pupils who will reach the age of 6 before the end of the academic year must administer the phonics screening check.

Academies (including free schools, special academies and AP academies)

All references to academies include free schools as, in law, they are academies. The following information also applies to special academies and AP academies.

An academy trust’s funding agreement may say that the trust must ensure each of its academy schools follows guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Education in relation to assessments of pupils’ performance. If so, academies must comply with the ARA and take part in statutory assessments on the same basis as maintained schools. The phonics screening check ARA is only applicable if the academy provides education to pupils at this stage.

Academies are not required to follow the national curriculum. They need to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which, as a term of their funding agreement, includes English, mathematics and science. For AP academies, this only includes English and mathematics.

Academies must choose which local authority is responsible for monitoring their phonics screening check. They must have a written agreement in place with their chosen local authority, and inform STA if this is not their geographic local authority, by Friday 9 January. Academy trusts must make sure their academies have complied with the monitoring and data submission requirements in this publication.

Independent schools

Independent schools cannot formally administer the phonics screening check. They will be able to download the 2026 phonics screening check materials from GOV.UK from Monday 22 June, after the check administration window.

Pupil referral units

Pupils who attend a PRU but are on the register of a maintained school or academy are expected to take the statutory phonics screening check. Their results should be reported by the school where the pupil is registered.

Pupils who attend a PRU and are not on the register of a maintained school or academy are expected to receive a comparable education to a pupil in a mainstream school. Therefore, it is recommended that the phonics screening check forms part of their educational provision, where appropriate.

Ministry of Defence schools

MoD schools take part in the national curriculum assessments in line with the administration in England. This includes administering the phonics screening check.

Overseas schools

Overseas schools that are not MoD schools cannot formally participate in the phonics screening check. They will be able to download the 2026 phonics screening check materials from GOV.UK from Monday 22 June, after the administration window.

Non-maintained special schools

Non-maintained special schools cannot formally administer the phonics screening check. They will be able to download the 2026 phonics screening check materials from GOV.UK from Monday 22 June, after the check administration window.

Home-educated pupils

Pupils who are electively home educated (EHE) cannot formally participate in the phonics screening check unless they are on the register of a maintained school or academy.

Home educators will be able to download the 2026 phonics screening check materials from GOV.UK from Monday 22 June, after the check administration window.

9.2 Special educational provision and reasonable adjustments

Mainstream schools must use their best endeavours to ensure that special educational provision is made for those pupils who need it.

All schools must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled pupils are not at a substantial disadvantage compared to their peers.

9.3 Regulatory concerns

If you have any regulatory concerns that STA has not fully addressed in line with the published procedures, you can raise these with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England.

Question 10

10. Help and support

Accepted Answer

10.1 Useful websites and links

10.2 General enquiries

For general enquiries about the phonics screening check, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or email assessments@education.gov.uk.

For enquiries about submitting data to DfE, local authorities can use the data collections service request form.

Schools can discuss the suitability of, and order, braille versions of the phonics screening check from the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or from MTH@iwanttoconnect.co.uk.

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