Is the Phonics Screening Check harder for children with dyslexia?

If your child did not meet the expected standard in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, please take a deep breath. You are not alone, and this score is not a failure. It is simply a snapshot of where your child is today on their reading journey.

In this guide, we will look at what the Phonics Screening Check actually measures. We will share what the latest official statistics tell us about early readers. Most importantly, we will give you concrete, stress-free ways to support your child at home starting tomorrow.

What is the Phonics Screening Check?

The Phonics Screening Check is a short assessment taken by children in England at the end of Year 1. It is usually carried out in June.

Your child sits one-on-one with a teacher they know. They are asked to read 40 words aloud.

Half of these words are real, everyday words like ship or cat. The other half are made-up words, often called "pseudo-words" or "nonsense words," like glarb or voo. These nonsense words have a picture of an alien next to them so children know they are not real.

Why does the test use nonsense words?

Nonsense words are used to test pure decoding skills.

Children with strong visual memories often memorise real words. They can look at the shape of a word and guess it. A nonsense word forces the child to look at the letters, match them to sounds, and blend those sounds together.

While this is useful for teachers, it can be highly confusing for a child with dyslexic tendencies. These children often try to make sense of what they see. They might automatically correct a nonsense word to a real word they already know. For example, they might read strom as storm.

What the 2026 phonics attainment data shows us

When your child struggles with reading, it can feel like everyone else is flying ahead. The data shows a very different story.

According to the Phonics screening check attainment: 2026 report published by the Department for Education, a significant number of children do not meet the expected standard in Year 1.

These official statistics remind us that learning to blend sounds is a developmental process. Children develop these neurological pathways at different speeds. Missing the threshold does not mean your child cannot learn to read. It simply means they need more time and a different type of instruction.

If a child does not meet the mark in Year 1, they receive extra support at school and take the check again at the end of Year 2.

Why a low score is not a diagnosis

It is vital to know that the Phonics Screening Check is not a diagnostic tool.

It cannot diagnose dyslexia. A formal diagnosis of dyslexia can only be carried out by an educational psychologist or a qualified specialist assessor.

Instead, think of the check as a helpful early warning signal.

If your child scored poorly, it tells us that the current way phonics is being taught in their classroom is not sticking. They likely need a highly structured, multisensory approach to reading.

This transition period can be emotionally challenging for young children. If you feel the school environment itself is causing your child stress, you might find our guide on Is My Child's Year 1 Transition Harder Than It Should Be? helpful.

How to support your child at home without creating reading dread

When a child struggles, our instinct as parents is to push harder. We buy flashcards and practice every night.

But if reading becomes a battleground, children shut down. We want to protect their curiosity and self-esteem. Here is how you can help at home without the tears.

1. Keep sessions short and sweet

Five minutes of relaxed, focused practice is much better than thirty minutes of frustration. Stop before your child gets tired or upset. Always end on a success, even if it is a very small one.

2. Use multisensory play

Dyslexic learners benefit from involving multiple senses at once.

• Build words with plastic magnetic letters on the fridge.
• Write letters in a tray of sand or shaving foam.
• Use playdough to shape tricky letter combinations.

This helps build stronger pathways in the brain than looking at a flat page.

3. Read aloud to them

Do not stop reading bedtime stories. Listening to you read builds your child's vocabulary, comprehension, and love for stories.

When reading is hard, we must still nurture their imagination. For more on this, read our advice on Making Space for Curiosity: When Reading is a Struggle.

4. Try structured digital tools

If you want to use technology to support your child's learning, look for tools built on structured literacy principles.

Our app, Lexy, is designed specifically for this. It uses a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham-informed approach to help children practice phonics and build reading fluency at their own pace. It is not a diagnosis or a replacement for school support, but it provides a gentle, engaging way to practice at home.

What to ask your child's teacher tomorrow

You do not have to figure this out alone. Book a short meeting with your child's class teacher or the school Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

Here are three calm, constructive questions you can ask:

• "What specific speech sounds or blends did my child struggle with during the check?"
• "What targeted, structured phonics intervention will they receive in school this term?"
• "How can we align the words we practice at home with the phonics scheme you use in the classroom?"

Most schools are well-prepared for this. They have interventions ready to help children catch up before the Year 2 retake.

Remember, reading is a marathon, not a sprint. Your child is just at the beginning of their journey, and with the right, patient support, they will get there.