What your child is learning
By the end of Year 1, your child is expected to read and spell words containing:
- Consonant digraphs — ch, sh, th, ng (two letters, one sound)
- Vowel digraphs — ai, ee, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, ow, oi (two letters, one long vowel sound)
- Trigraphs — igh, ear, air, ure (three letters, one sound)
- Split digraphs (later in Year 1) — a-e (cake), i-e (bike), o-e (bone), u-e (tune)
This material is set out in the DfE's Letters and Sounds guidance, which most state schools follow.
Say sounds, not letter names
The single most important thing to know: say the pure sound, not the letter name.
Wrong way: "S-H" makes "shh". Saying the letter names ("ess") confuses children when blending.
Right way: Just say "/sh/". One pure sound.
Same with single letters. The first sound in "cat" is /c/, not "see". The first sound in "mum" is /m/, not "em".
Search YouTube for "Mr Thorne pure sounds" — there's a free 5-minute video that demonstrates every sound. Worth your while before the next phonics homework.
The Phonics Screening Check
In June of Year 1, every state-school child in England sits the Phonics Screening Check.
- It's a 1:1 check, not a test in the formal sense.
- The teacher shows 40 words. Half are real (rain, night, fish). Half are pseudo-words (vight, spair, floob).
- Pseudo-words are deliberate. They check that your child is decoding, not just remembering words they've seen.
- The pass mark is set nationally each year, typically around 32/40.
- Children who don't pass retake in Year 2. It is NOT a measure of intelligence — it's a check that phonics teaching has stuck.
If your child is anxious about it, don't hype it. The teacher will introduce it casually. Your job is to keep phonics practice short, fun, and positive in the weeks before.
5-minute games at home
Daily 5 minutes beats weekly 30 minutes. Try these:
Instead of "I spy something beginning with C," try "I spy something with the /sh/ sound." (Answer: shoe, shelf, shower.)
Cheap on Amazon. Make and break words on the fridge: "Can you change ship to chop? What digraph changed?"
Make up nonsense words: "Can you read floam? brish? jeep?" Children love how silly it sounds — but it's exactly what the screening check uses.
Shop signs, cereal boxes, road signs. Point at a word and ask "What digraph do you see?" Three or four words is enough.
Bedtime story. Pick one digraph (say, "sh"). Whenever they hear it, they tap your hand. Builds the noticing habit.
When to talk to the teacher
Most children land somewhere on the typical curve. Some catch on fast. Some take longer. That's normal.
Have a quick conversation with the teacher if:
- By the spring term of Year 1, your child still can't read CVC words (cat, dog, sit) reliably
- They consistently confuse the same letters (b/d, p/q) for weeks at a time
- They actively avoid reading or get upset about it
- They learn a sound on one day and have completely forgotten by the next
The teacher will know if your child is on track for their age or needs extra support. Earlier conversations are easier than later ones. A short, simple message asking "How is my child getting on with phonics? Is there anything we should be doing at home?" is enough.
The British Dyslexia Association has a free parents' line if you want to talk through concerns before raising them with school.
Well done!
You finished this lesson. You worked hard and learned something new today. 🎉
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