2025 key stage 1 phonics screening check technical pre-test
Information for schools Key dates Trial information Privacy notice for school staff
What are the purposes and aims of the trial?
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has been commissioned by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) to trial test materials for the key stage 1 phonics screening check (PSC). As part of that process, we are asking a number of schools to trial a new PSC. The trial is aimed at testing the performance of individual questions rather than the performance of any pupil and means that schools can have confidence that the checks function appropriately for pupils and that the results will be valid and reliable.
More information about your participation in the trial and what it involves for your school can be found in the information for schools.
How have schools been selected to take part?
The schools have been randomly selected by STA and make up a nationally
representative sample. If your school has been selected, we will have written to your headteacher and if your school is Local Authority (LA) maintained or is part of a multi-academy trust (MAT) with more than 5 schools, we will have informed your LA or MAT that your school has been selected.
It is important that all schools that have been selected participate in the trial so that the data from the trial includes pupils from all backgrounds across the whole of England. This means that you can have confidence that future national curriculum tests are accessible by all pupils and not just those with the highest abilities or from more privileged backgrounds.
Is participation in these tests required?
Since 2016, participation in all these trials is statutory. For more information, please visit this page.
Along with your selection letter or email you would have also received a copy of a letter from STA with more details about the statutory nature of these trials. If you do not have a copy, please contact NFER using the details at the end of this page and the team will be happy to share a copy of this letter with you.
What does being selected to take part involve?
Your school will be asked to trial new test materials for the key stage 1 PSC.
We will arrange for a representative from NFER to come to your school to support a member of staff to administer the checks to a sample of up to 20 pupils from Year 1. The checks should be administered to pupils that will be entered for the key stage 1 PSC in June 2025.
The date of the trialling will be arranged at your convenience within the testing period 16 to 27 June 2025.
Each pupil will take one check, lasting 10 minutes. The check will be administered by a member of school staff known to the pupil. At the end of the administration, they will be asked to complete a short questionnaire.
How will my school benefit from being selected for the trials?
Your involvement in this trial is an excellent opportunity for pupils to practise and for your feedback to be considered in the development of future assessments. Participating pupils will receive a sticker to acknowledge their help with these trials. Regrettably we are unable to give feedback to the schools who take part in the development of tests.
How will NFER protect the data collected from my school?
The data and scanned images will be maintained as strictly confidential by NFER and will be passed to STA, the Data Controller, for the purposes of informing the analysis of the check results and ensuring that the check is operating appropriately for all pupils. No individual school or pupil will be identified by NFER or STA in any report arising from the trial. For more details about the use of data for this trial please refer to the privacy notices below:
Who can you contact for more information?
Our aim is that your experience of taking part in the trial is a positive one and we are on hand to support you throughout if required. Please feel free to contact our team by email with any queries, or if you require further information, on [email protected]