Preparing for the Phonics Screening Check led by Alice Smith

This practical and informative session is designed to support schools in preparing for, delivering, and building beyond the Phonics Screening Check. With a focus on strong leadership, high-quality teaching, and sustained pupil progress, the session will provide clear, actionable guidance for ensuring success for all learners.

The training will cover:

Effective reading leader actions – how subject leaders can drive consistency, monitor impact, and support staff in the lead-up to the check Polishing daily phonics teaching – refining routines, pace, and precision in sound teaching to maximise pupil outcomes Making the most of interventions – using targeted, responsive support to close gaps and accelerate progress Supporting parental engagement – practical ways to involve families in reinforcing phonics learning at home On-the-day routines – ensuring pupils are familiar, confident, and well-prepared for the screening experience SSP-specific guidance – aligning preparation with your chosen Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme Administering the check – key guidance to ensure the process is smooth, consistent, and compliant Time to reflect with colleagues – opportunities to share practice, problem-solve, and align approaches across teams Tips to support pupil success – building confidence, reducing anxiety, and enabling children to demonstrate what they know
Importantly, the session will also look beyond the check, exploring how to continue the phonics journey for all pupils—whether they meet the expected standard or require further support—ensuring that phonics remains a strong foundation for reading development across the school.

This session offers a valuable opportunity for teachers and leaders to strengthen practice, build confidence, and ensure that phonics teaching leads to long-term reading success, not just short-term outcomes.