Can children stop reading practice sessions once they’ve passed the PSC?

We have designed the Year 1 programme to teach your pupils more than just the content of the Phonics Screening Check, which checks that pupils can decode words but not whether they can read fluently. By following the progression of our programme, and reading the full range of Phase 5 books, you can ensure that your pupils develop their decoding, word reading and fluency.

It might be tempting to rush children through the Year 1 programme if they grasp the new content quickly or are confident readers. However, it is essential for pupils’ reading and spelling that they follow the full programme, which builds up a deep knowledge of the Phase 5 GPCs as well as offering plenty of opportunities for children to develop their love of reading, subject knowledge and vocabulary by reading our fantastic range of Phase 5 books.

You can use the Stretch and challenge books to extend your most confident readers. Don’t be tempted to use the Little Wandle Fluency books. These have been very carefully designed to be for Year 2 children, in both their level and content, and can only be introduced once children have been reading Phase 5, Set 5 books for at least six weeks at the beginning of Year 2.