Education Qld: Year 1 phonics testing begins this term
Year 1 students across Queensland state schools will this term undertake compulsory testing under a last-ditch national plan.
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Year 1 students across Queensland state schools will undertake compulsory phonics testing under a national plan to improve literacy before it is too late.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek will on Thursday announce that from this term, the state’s 45,000 Year 1 students will undertake mandatory phonics testing — a five to seven-minute test performed individually with a teacher to identify how well they are able to sound out words.
Children who are struggling will be given more help, while those who are advancing quicker than their peers will be given tougher challenges.
The mandatory phonics testing will be followed by mandatory numeracy testing, to come into effect from term one next year.
PARENTS MAY BE ANXIOUS ABOUT THESE NEW TESTS, BUT THEY NEEDN’T BE. READ TODAY’S EDITORIAL AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION
The new compulsory testing for Year 1s is part of a national deal struck between the federal government and every state and territory government.
In Queensland, the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement means an extra 5 per cent funding injection from the federal government to lift the School Resourcing Standard from 20 to 25 per cent.
It equates to an extra $2.8bn in Commonwealth funding to Queensland state schools over the next 10 years.
According to the UK government, students who underwent phonics testing improved their literacy from 2023-24.
Eighty per cent of students met the expected standard in the phonics check, compared with 79 per cent the year prior.
Mr Langbroek also announced an extension of the state’s relief teaching scheme, to ensure teachers delivering the test were backfilled in the classroom so they were not burdened with more work.
He said reducing red tape for teachers was a priority for the government.
“That’s why we’re providing more support for teachers who undertake the phonics and numeracy checks,” Mr Langbroek said.
“We’re making sure our children receive a world-class education without adding to teachers’ workloads.”
Mr Langbroek said young Queenslanders deserved the best start to their education and said the extra checks would ensure kids excel.
“It also allows teachers to swoop in earlier if children are falling behind to support them to get back on track,” he said.
The mandatory checks will be put in place to give teachers a better idea of identifying students in need of more support to provide them with further learning while, on the other hand, understanding students who would benefit from extra challenges.
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