Deputy News 

Later this year, our Year 1 students will be taking part in the Victorian Government Phonics Screening Check. This is a short, one-on-one assessment designed to help teachers better understand each child’s progress in learning to read.

At Sacred Heart, we are proud to have implemented this assessment before its trial phase in partnership with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools. This early adoption reflects our commitment to being once again ahead of the curve in supporting student learning.

The check focuses on phonics – the ability to recognise the sounds that letters and groups of letters make, and to blend these sounds together to read words. During the assessment, students are asked to read a series of real and made-up words. This helps teachers see whether children can apply their phonics knowledge to both familiar and unfamiliar words.

The purpose of the Phonics Screening Check is not to pass or fail students, but to provide clear information about how each child is developing in their early reading skills. These insights allow teachers to identify students who may need extra support, as well as those who are ready to be extended.

Phonics is a vital part of learning to read, but it is only one piece of the bigger picture. At Sacred Heart, we often talk about Scarborough’s Reading Rope, which shows how different strands of reading skills are woven together to build strong, fluent readers based on research.

Phonics is just one strand of the rope. To become successful readers, children also need vocabulary, background knowledge, language comprehension, and reading fluency. Just like a rope is only strong when all its strands work together, reading requires the weaving of all these skills.

By taking part in this assessment, we can ensure that all students are on track in their literacy journey, while also tailoring teaching to meet their individual needs.

Kate & Sarah

Deputy Principals