Transparency data

Phonics screening pilot at year 3

Headline results from the 2016 year 3 phonics screening check pilot.

• From: Department for Education and Standards and Testing Agency
• Published: 2 February 2017

This publication was withdrawn on 20 November 2025

Following the pilot in 2016, the decision was taken not to employ an additional phonics screening check in year 3. The phonics screening check is taken at the end of year 1 and pupils who don’t meet the expected standard at that point take the check again at the end of year 2. Phonics teaching is embedded in classrooms and has proven to be a successful approach to teaching children to decode, ensuring the building blocks of reading are achieved in those vital early years.

Applies to England

Documents

Year 3 phonics screening check pilot

Ref: DFE-00051-2017

PDF, 227 KB, 9 pages

Details

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to run a pilot of the phonics screening check with year 3 pupils who had not met the required standard by the end of year 2.

As well as testing year 3 pupils’ phonics standard, the pilot also asked schools to complete a teachers’ questionnaire.

This report presents headline phonics results from the pilot, as well as a summary of responses to the teacher questionnaire.

Published 2 February 2017