What has changed in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Administration Guidance?

What has changed in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Administration Guidance? 

The 2026 Phonics Screening Check Assessment and Reporting Arrangements has landed - hot off the GOV.UK press - and, while a lot of it will feel very familiar to you, there are some genuinely important changes that you need to know before June. 

The headline from DfE Assessment arrangements for 2025–26 remain broadly unchanged in terms of the check itself - it's still 40 words, still 20 real and 20 pseudo, still one-to-one with a familiar adult (good to know).  

The main changes are behind the scenes; the administrative machinery has had a significant overhaul. Let's find out what that entails and how it might affect you. 

The changes: what's new for 2026? 

Change 1 — a new test operations provider 

2025 - Previously, the test operations were managed directly by STA. Schools used the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG) for all admin tasks. 

2026 – Pearson Education Ltd now provide the Test Operations Service on behalf of STA. This is a significant behind-the-scenes shift. For most teachers, day-to-day contact with this change will mainly be felt through the new portal (see change 2), but it's worth knowing the administration sits with Pearson now. The helpline still uses the same number and email, so no change there.  

NCA Portal 

• 0300 303 3013 

• assessments@education.gov.uk 

   

Change 2 — the Primary Assessment Gateway is gone and has been replaced by the NCA Portal 

2025 - All admin was previously done through the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG) — schools also had to submit their holiday dates on the PAG. 

2026 – Now, PAG has been replaced by the National Curriculum Assessments Portal (NCA Portal), developed by Pearson. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also now required (fingers crossed that will all go smoothly!) This is the change most likely to catch people out. Here is the link to familiarise yourself. https://www.ncaportal.education.gov.uk/login

As previously mentioned, the NCA Portal uses multi-factor authentication (MFA). Every day, on first sign-in, users will need to enter a 6-digit verification code sent to their registered email address. Make sure staff have their registered email addresses to hand and that inboxes aren't likely to swallow the code into spam! 

What schools use the NCA Portal for: 

Declining phonics screening check materials (if no pupils are working at standard) 

Confirming if your academy is using a non-geographic LA for monitoring 

Downloading check materials during the check administration period 

Submitting the headteacher's declaration form (HDF) 

Submitting helpdesk requests via the built-in 'Support' section and tracking those requests within your account 

Change 3 — helpdesk requests now trackable in-portal 

2025 – Previously, helpdesk queries were handled by phone or email only, with no in-system tracking. 

2026 – Now, helpdesk requests submitted via the NCA Portal 'Support' section will appear in your account. 

A very useful improvement! You can now submit support queries directly within the NCA Portal and they'll appear in your account so you can track what's happening without picking up the phone repeatedly. Requests submitted by telephone or email should also appear in your portal account. This will make chasing up queries considerably less frustrating, which is good news! 

Change 4 — updated language around the check description 

2025 - Previously the check described as confirming whether pupils have learnt phonic decoding to "an appropriate standard." 

2026 - Now, it is stated as confirming whether pupils have learnt phonic decoding to "an age-appropriate standard." This small but deliberate change reinforces that the benchmark is developmental and age-related, not just a general measure. 

Change 5 — results now shared more widely, including with Ofsted  

2025 - Previously, data used to inform future policy and direct support. No explicit mention of sharing data with Ofsted or DfE regional teams. 

2026 - Now, the DfE will explicitly share results with academy trusts, DfE regional teams, local authorities and Ofsted for school improvement purposes and to inform inspections. This one is worth flagging to your headteacher if they aren’t aware already!  

However, the data still won't be published publicly but it will be visible to inspectors. The message: your phonics results matter beyond the classroom walls. 

Change 6 — headteachers' training responsibilities restructured 

2025 - Previously, the training responsibility was listed within the main headteacher responsibilities bullet list. 

2026 - Now, a distinct, separate paragraph explicitly states headteachers must ensure all check administrators are appropriately trained. 

The requirement for check administrators to be trained has always existed but the 2026 ARA gives it its own clear paragraph, separated from the general responsibilities list. It's a signal that STA wants this to be actively evidenced — not quietly assumed. So, you have a responsibility to make sure anyone administering the check has read the training materials and watched the training video. 

Key Phonics Screening Dates in 2026 

9th Jan
Academies: deadline for written agreement with chosen LA for monitoring AND to confirm non-geographic LA on NCA Portal. 

March 

Phonics screening check administration guidance is published.  

21st April  

Deadline to order braille versions of the check.  

18th – 22nd May  

Check materials delivered to schools. If nothing arrives by 22 May, call 0300 303 3013 immediately. 

8th June 

Check materials and HDF available on NCA Portal. 

8th – 12th June 

Official CHECK WEEK — administer the phonics screening check. 

15th-19th June 

Administer phonics screening check to any absent pupils. 

22nd June 

Threshold mark published on GOV.UK and check materials released publicly. 

30th June  

Deadline to submit the headteacher's declaration form (HDF) on NCA Portal. 

17th July 

LA deadline to submit data to DfE via COLLECT. No amendments possible after this closes. 

What hasn't changed — but is still worth remembering! 

Some things remain exactly as they were. It's worth a refresher because these are the areas that come up in monitoring visits and maladministration investigations. 

The format is still 40 words.  20 real words + 20 pseudo-words, read aloud one-to-one. The check itself is unchanged. 

Year 2 pupils who didn't meet the standard in June 2025 must retake in June 2026. No registration needed — DfE sends materials based on census data. 

One attempt per pupil during the check window, administered by a familiar adult. It must be someone the pupil knows. This is non-negotiable. 

Materials are strictly confidential from arrival until 22nd June. That means from the moment they land in school — or are downloaded — until the day after the last check can be given, the headteacher must account for everyone with access. 

10% of schools get a monitoring visit. Local authorities monitor at least 10% of maintained schools and 10% of academies. Visits happen before, during and after check week. Don’t think that it won’t ever happen to you, believe me it does! 

Parents must be told the score before the end of summer term, including pupils who have since left the school, were absent, or didn't participate. This is a statutory reporting requirement. 

Absent pupils must be recorded as 'absent' and must complete the check by the end of Year 2. 

No permission needed to make access adaptations. Excellent! However, adjustments must be based on normal classroom practice and must not create an advantage for pupils.  

A note on the bigger picture 

In terms of the 2025 these are useful benchmarks when presenting your own results to governors or discussing progress with parents. 

80% met standard by end of Year 1 nationally (2025) 

89% met standard by end of Year 2 nationally (2025) 

The threshold mark has been 32/40 for nine consecutive years so fingers crossed, it will stay this way. 

And finally: 

Thinking about the children 

During the test, allow children time to breathe and consider the sounds. Offer supportive smiles and stay positive. 

 Familiarising the children with the test and the materials beforehand will ensure that when they come to take the test, it won’t be a shock or surprise to them. We have some very similar resources here: 

Phonics Screening Check | Classroom Secrets 

Don’t underestimate the value oral blending practise. Sometimes children can know the sounds inside and out but struggle to put them together. Oral blending activities can really support this. 

EYFS Phase 1 Phonics Oral Blending Activity Ideas Resource | Classroom Secrets

Keep any intervention style support fun and achievable. Use a range of engaging blending card games and phonics activity packs. 

Phonics Blending Cards | Classroom Secrets 

Phonics Activity Packs | Classroom Secrets 

Keep parents and carers informed and updated of what the check is and what their child will have to do during the test. You might find this handout useful to send home. 

Year 1 Phonics Screening Information For Parents Resource | Classroom Secrets 

Last Top Tips for Schools: 

✔ Train all staff early 

✔ Keep materials secure at all times 

✔ Stick strictly to guidance 

✔ Prepare pupils using past or similar style materials (not real test content) 

✔ Prioritise pupil wellbeing during the check 

Sources and further reading: This blog is based on the 2026 Phonics Screening Check Assessment and Reporting Arrangements, published by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), an executive agency of the Department for Education. Administration guidance for 2026 will is published at gov.uk/government/publications/key-stage-1-phonics-screening-check-administration-guidance. The national curriculum assessments helpline: 0300 303 3013 / assessments@education.gov.uk. NCA Portal: ncaportal.education.gov.uk