If your child doesn't reach the threshold in Year 1, they take the phonics screening check again in June of Year 2. It's the same kind of check, 40 words with half of them alien words, read one to one with a teacher, but it's a new paper.
About one child in five is in this position each year. In 2026, 82% of Year 1 pupils met the standard; by the end of Year 2 the figure was 89%, so most children who miss it in Year 1 get there the second time.
Who takes the check in Year 2
From the government's 2027 assessment and reporting arrangements, Year 2 pupils take the check in June 2027 if they:
- did not meet the expected standard in the 2026 check, or
- have not taken the check before (for example, they were absent or joined from another country).
The headteacher makes the final decision about whether a pupil takes the check. If a child isn't entered, the school has to tell you and explain why. Children who are non-verbal, for example, may not take it. There's no separate parental opt-out.
When the retake happens
At the same time as Year 1: check week in 2027 is Monday 14 to Friday 18 June, with the following week for anyone who was absent. Results go to parents by the end of the summer term, the same as in Year 1.
Using the year between
A child who scored, say, 27 in Year 1 usually knows most of their sounds. The marks tend to go in a few predictable places:
- Vowel teams in Section 2. ai, oa, ew, ue, ie, au and the split vowels like a-e and u-e. These are the most common gap.
- Alien words read as real words. A child who reads strom as storm is guessing from the shape. Practise reading every sound in order, left to right, without guessing.
- The long words at the end. Two-syllable words like turnip or dolphin. Cover the second half, read the first, then uncover.
- Losing confidence. If the first check felt like a test they failed, keep practice short and positive. Ten minutes, most days, ending on a word they can read.
Run one section of a past paper at the start, note which sounds go wrong, work on those for a few weeks, then try a different year's paper.
Talking to the school
Ask the teacher which sounds your child missed, and what the school's phonics programme covers next. Most schools give Year 2 children who missed the threshold small-group phonics sessions, so it helps to practise the same sounds at home in the same order.
Questions parents ask
What happens if my child fails the phonics screening check?
Nothing goes on a permanent record. The school gives extra phonics support and your child takes the check again in June of Year 2.
Is the Year 2 phonics check the same test?
It's the same format, 40 words with 20 alien words, but it's that year's new paper, the same one Year 1 children take.
What if my child doesn't pass in Year 2 either?
There's no third check. The school keeps supporting their phonics through Year 3 and beyond as part of normal teaching.
Can I opt my child out of the retake?
There's no parental opt-out. The headteacher decides whether a pupil takes the check, and must explain to parents if a child isn't entered.