Kindergarten English Checklist: What Your Child Should Know

Phonics & Word Reading

Your child is building the foundation for reading — learning how letters and sounds work together, recognizing common words by sight, and developing the skills to sound out new words independently.

• Understanding print

  Demonstrate understanding that print carries meaning, follows left-to-right top-to-bottom directionality, and is organised page by page in books

  • Track words with a finger moving left to right across the page
  • Turn pages in the correct sequence when handling a book
  • Point to where reading starts on a page

• Knowing all letters

  Recognise and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet; name the letters in order and use letter names to distinguish between alternative spellings

  • Name all 26 letters in both cases when shown in random order
  • Recite the alphabet from A to Z
  • Use letter names to explain spelling choices (e.g. 'Is it c or k in cat?')

• Single Letter Sounds

  Know the primary sound for each consonant and the short and long sounds for the five major vowels; respond speedily to single-letter graphemes

  • Say the most common sound for each consonant when shown the letter
  • Distinguish short vowel sounds in CVC words (e.g. /a/ in 'cat' vs /e/ in 'bed')
  • Associate long and short vowel sounds with common single-letter spellings

• Onsets & Rimes

  Blend and segment onsets and rimes in single-syllable words; isolate and pronounce individual phonemes (initial, medial, final) in CVC words; add or substitute phonemes to make new words

  • Blend onset and rime to say a word (e.g. /c/ + /at/ → 'cat')
  • Identify the first, middle, or last sound in a CVC word
  • Change one sound to make a new word (e.g. change /c/ in 'cat' to /b/ → 'bat')

• Rhyming words

  Recognise and produce rhyming words; join in with predictable phrases and rhymes in stories and poems; learn to appreciate and recite poems by heart

  • Identify which words rhyme from a set (e.g. cat, bat, dog)
  • Generate a word that rhymes with a given target
  • Join in with repeated refrains and rhyming patterns during shared reading

• Syllables

  Count, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words; divide written words into syllables as an aid to reading and spelling

  • Clap out syllables in spoken words (e.g. 'butterfly' = 3 claps)
  • Blend syllables to form words (e.g. 'rain' + 'bow' → 'rainbow')
  • Segment a word into its syllable parts orally

• Blending Sounds to Read Words

  Apply phonic knowledge to blend sounds in unfamiliar words containing taught grapheme-phoneme correspondences; respond speedily to graphemes for all 40+ phonemes

  • Sound out and blend unfamiliar phonically regular words (e.g. /sh/-/o/-/p/ → 'shop')
  • Read words containing taught GPCs without excessive sounding out
  • Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying differing letter sounds (e.g. 'big' vs 'bag')

• Vowel Digraphs

  Read and spell words containing common vowel digraphs (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, oe, oo, oi, oy) including where a digraph can represent more than one sound

  • Read words with vowel digraphs (e.g. 'tree', 'boat', 'rain', 'coin')
  • Distinguish between different sounds for the same digraph (e.g. 'oo' in 'book' vs 'moon')
  • Spell words using common vowel digraph patterns

• Consonant Digraphs

  Read and spell words containing consonant digraphs and less common consonant spellings (ch, sh, th, ck, tch, ng, ph, wh, k for /k/)

  • Read words with consonant digraphs (e.g. 'shop', 'chip', 'that')
  • Identify the sound made by ph (/f/) and wh (/w/) in words
  • Spell words ending in -ck (e.g. 'duck') and -tch (e.g. 'match')

• Reading High-Frequency Words by Sight

  Read common high-frequency and exception words automatically by sight, including words with irregular spelling patterns

  • Read common exception words instantly without sounding out (e.g. 'the', 'said', 'was', 'you')
  • Note unusual correspondences between spelling and sound in exception words
  • Recognise at least 20-30 high-frequency words in connected text

• Reading fluently

  Read aloud books matched to phonic ability accurately and with growing fluency; reread familiar texts to build confidence, speed, and expression

  • Read a phonically appropriate text with 90%+ accuracy
  • Reread familiar texts with improved pace and expression
  • Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding

• Reading Contractions

  Read and understand contractions with apostrophes, knowing the apostrophe represents omitted letters

  • Read common contractions in text (e.g. 'I'm', 'we'll', 'don't')
  • Match contractions to their expanded forms (e.g. 'I'm' = 'I am')
  • Explain that the apostrophe shows where letters are missing

• Compound Words

  Recognise and spell compound words by identifying the two component words that combine to form a single word

  • Identify the two words in a compound (e.g. 'sunshine' = 'sun' + 'shine')
  • Spell compound words by combining known words
  • Create compound words from given word pairs

• Reading Inflectional Endings

  Read words containing taught GPCs with common inflectional endings (-s, -es, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) and the prefix un-; read multi-syllable words with taught patterns

  • Read suffixed words fluently (e.g. 'jumping', 'wanted', 'faster')
  • Identify the root word when a suffix is added
  • Read words with prefix un- (e.g. 'unhappy', 'undo')

• Trigraphs

  Read and spell words containing trigraphs — three-letter graphemes representing a single sound (igh, air, ear, are)

  • Read words with trigraphs (e.g. 'night', 'chair', 'near')
  • Distinguish between different sounds for 'ear' (e.g. 'hear' vs 'bear')
  • Identify the single phoneme represented by three letters in a word

• Diphthongs and complex vowels

  Read and spell words containing diphthongs and complex vowel patterns (ow, ou, ew, ue, ie, aw, au) and words ending in -y as a vowel sound

  • Read words with variable vowel sounds (e.g. 'ow' in 'cow' vs 'snow')
  • Decode words with diphthongs (e.g. 'cloud', 'blue', 'pie')
  • Read words ending in -y pronounced as /ee/ or /igh/ (e.g. 'happy', 'my')

• Split Digraphs and Magic E

  Read and spell words containing split digraphs (a-e, e-e, i-e, o-e, u-e) where a final 'e' makes the preceding vowel long

  • Read words with split digraphs (e.g. 'cake', 'bike', 'home', 'cube')
  • Compare minimal pairs showing the effect of the split digraph (e.g. 'cap' vs 'cape')
  • Spell words with split digraphs correctly

• R-Controlled Vowel Sounds

  Read and spell words containing r-controlled vowels (ar, er, ir, ur, or, ore) and vowel-r patterns where 'r' modifies the vowel sound

  • Read words with r-controlled vowels (e.g. 'car', 'bird', 'fork', 'her')
  • Recognise that 'r' changes the vowel sound (e.g. 'cat' vs 'cart')
  • Spell words with common r-controlled patterns

Reading Comprehension

Your child is building reading skills — understanding stories by identifying characters and events, asking questions about what they read, and connecting books to their own experiences.

• Listening to Texts Read Aloud

  Listen to and discuss poems, stories, and non-fiction at a level beyond independent reading; confirm understanding of texts read aloud by asking and answering questions about key details

  • Answer questions about a story or non-fiction text read aloud by the teacher
  • Discuss events, characters, or ideas from chapter books read to the class
  • Ask for clarification when something in a read-aloud is not understood

• Characters, settings, and events

  Identify characters, settings, and major events in stories; become familiar with key stories, fairy tales, and traditional tales and retell them with key details in sequence

  • Name the main characters in a story
  • Describe where and when a story takes place
  • Retell a familiar story including beginning, middle, and end events

• Main Topic of Informational Texts

  Identify the main topic and retell key details of informational texts; describe connections between individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information

  • State what a non-fiction text is mostly about in one sentence
  • List two or three important facts learned from an informational text
  • Explain how two events or ideas in a text are connected

• Reading between the lines

  Ask and answer questions about key details in literary and informational texts; make simple inferences based on what characters say and do

  • Answer 'who', 'what', 'where' questions about a text using evidence
  • Infer a character's feelings from their actions (e.g. 'She's sad because she's crying')
  • Make logical guesses about unstated information using text clues

• Self-Correcting While Reading

  Check that text makes sense while reading and self-correct inaccurate reading by re-reading or using context

  • Notice when reading does not make sense and stop to re-read
  • Self-correct errors mid-sentence (e.g. 'Wait, that doesn't sound right')
  • Use meaning, sentence structure, and visual cues together to monitor reading

• Book Features and Author's Reasons

  Identify front cover, back cover, and title page of a book; identify the reasons an author gives to support points in informational text

  • Point to and name parts of a book (front cover, back cover, title page)
  • Use the title page to find the title, author, and illustrator
  • Identify a reason the author gives for a claim in a simple non-fiction text

• Predicting what happens next

  Predict what might happen next in a story based on what has been read so far; discuss the significance of titles and events

  • Make a prediction before turning the page and explain reasoning
  • Discuss why a title fits or hints at the story content
  • Revise predictions as new information is encountered in the text

• Comparing Characters Across Stories

  Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories; identify similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic

  • Identify what two stories have in common (e.g. 'Both have a bear character')
  • Compare information from two books about the same topic
  • Discuss how characters' experiences are similar or different across stories

• Connecting reading to experience

  Link what is read or heard to own experiences; draw on background knowledge and vocabulary to support understanding of texts

  • Make text-to-self connections (e.g. 'This reminds me of when I...')
  • Use personal experience to understand a character's feelings
  • Relate events in a story to own life to deepen comprehension

• Discussing Texts as a Group

  Participate in discussions about what is read, taking turns and listening to others; explain understanding clearly; actively engage in group reading activities

  • Share ideas about a book in a group discussion
  • Listen to and respond to others' opinions about a text
  • Take turns speaking and build on what classmates have said about a book

• Different Types of Texts

  Recognise common types of texts (storybooks, poems, non-fiction); name the author and illustrator and define the role of each in telling or presenting a text

  • Distinguish between a story, a poem, and a non-fiction book
  • Point to and name the author and illustrator on the cover
  • Explain that the author writes the words and the illustrator makes the pictures

• Pictures and Text Working Together

  Describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear; use pictures to support and extend comprehension

  • Use pictures to predict or confirm story events
  • Describe what is happening in an illustration and how it relates to the text
  • Explain how an illustration adds information not stated in words

Grammar & Punctuation

Your child is learning the building blocks of writing — how to make complete sentences, use capital letters and punctuation marks correctly, and understand basic word types like nouns and verbs.

• Building sentences

  Understand that words combine to make sentences — a sentence expresses a complete thought; produce and expand complete sentences in speech and writing

  • Distinguish between complete sentences and fragments
  • Compose a complete sentence with a subject and verb
  • Expand a simple sentence by adding detail

• Starting and Ending Sentences

  Begin sentences with a capital letter and end them with the appropriate mark (full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark); recognise and name end punctuation

  • Write sentences beginning with a capital letter
  • Choose and use the correct end punctuation for statements, questions, and exclamations
  • Identify and name full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks when reading

• Basic Nouns & Verbs

  Use frequently occurring nouns (people, places, things) and verbs (action words) appropriately in speech and writing

  • Use common nouns accurately in sentences (e.g. 'dog', 'school', 'book')
  • Use action verbs appropriately (e.g. 'run', 'eat', 'play')
  • Identify nouns and verbs in simple sentences when prompted

• Question Words

  Understand and use question words (who, what, where, when, why, how) to form and answer questions

  • Ask questions using appropriate question words
  • Answer who, what, where, when questions about familiar topics
  • Recognise that question words signal a question is being asked

• Joining Words with 'And'

  Join words and clauses using the conjunction 'and' to create longer sentences

  • Combine two simple sentences using 'and' (e.g. 'I like cats and dogs')
  • Join two related clauses with 'and' (e.g. 'We went to the park and we played')
  • Use 'and' in lists of items within a sentence

• Regular Plural Nouns

  Form and use regular plural nouns orally and in writing by adding -s or -es; understand that plural means more than one

  • Say and write correct plural forms (e.g. 'one cat, two cats'; 'one wish, two wishes')
  • Choose -s or -es correctly based on the ending sound
  • Explain that plural nouns name more than one

• Prepositions

  Understand and use the most frequently occurring prepositions of location and direction (e.g. to, from, in, out, on, off, for, by, with)

  • Use prepositions correctly in sentences (e.g. 'on the table', 'under the bed')
  • Follow instructions involving prepositions (e.g. 'Put the book on the shelf')
  • Describe positions using prepositional phrases

• Grammar words: letter, word, sentence

  Use basic grammatical terminology when discussing reading and writing: letter, capital letter, word, singular, plural, sentence, punctuation, full stop, question mark, exclamation mark

  • Name punctuation marks correctly when pointed out in text
  • Use terms like 'capital letter' and 'full stop' when editing writing
  • Explain what a 'sentence' is using the correct term

• Spaces Between Words

  Separate words with spaces in writing; understand that spaces mark word boundaries in print

  • Leave clear finger-spaces between words when writing
  • Count the number of words in a written sentence by identifying spaces
  • Correct writing that has missing spaces between words

• Capitals for Names, Days and I

  Use capital letters for proper nouns (names of people, places) the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'

  • Capitalise names of people and places consistently in writing
  • Write the pronoun 'I' as a capital letter
  • Capitalise days of the week (e.g. 'Monday')

Writing Composition

Your child is learning to write their own stories and explanations — planning what to say, putting events in order, and sharing their writing with others for feedback.

• Saying Sentences Before Writing Them

  Say out loud what is going to be written; compose sentences orally before writing them down as preparation for independent writing

  • Say a complete sentence aloud before attempting to write it
  • Rehearse a sentence orally more than once to hold it in memory
  • Practise sentences with a partner before writing independently

• Writing Process Vocabulary

  Know and use the vocabulary of the writing process — compose, plan, draft, revise, edit, proofread, genre, audience, purpose, narrative, recount, instruction, paragraph, sequence, and detail — and understand that these words describe distinct steps and decisions that all writers make, not just tasks to tick off

  • Use 'compose', 'revise', and 'edit' correctly when describing the stages of writing
  • Explain who the 'audience' is for a piece of writing and how that changes what they write
  • Describe the purpose of a piece of writing (to persuade, inform, entertain, or instruct) and match their language to it

• Simple Stories with Beginning and Ending

  Write simple narratives by sequencing sentences to describe events in order; narrate a single event or linked events with a beginning, middle, and ending or reaction

  • Write a short story with at least three sequenced sentences
  • Use time words like 'first', 'then', 'next' to order events
  • Include a reaction or ending to a narrative (e.g. 'I felt happy')

• Responding to Writing Feedback

  With teacher guidance, re-read own writing aloud to check it sounds right; listen and respond to questions and suggestions from teacher or peers to add detail, clarify meaning, and strengthen writing — this is the scaffolded beginning of writing self-evaluation, not an independent skill

  • Reread own writing and spot a missing word or unclear sentence
  • Add a detail in response to a question (e.g. 'Can you tell me more about...?')
  • Make at least one improvement to a piece based on feedback

• Writing to inform

  Compose informative or explanatory texts using drawing, dictating, or writing that name a topic and supply some information about it

  • Write or dictate two or three facts about a familiar topic
  • Label diagrams or drawings with informative details
  • Name a topic and provide relevant details about it

• Writing opinions

  Compose opinion pieces using drawing, dictating, or writing that name a topic or book and state a preference or opinion about it

  • State an opinion clearly (e.g. 'My favourite animal is a dog because...')
  • Give at least one reason for an opinion
  • Draw, dictate, or write to express a preference about a book or topic

• Shared Research Projects

  Participate in shared research and writing projects; recall information from experiences or gather information from sources to answer a question

  • Contribute ideas and information to a class writing project
  • Draw or write facts learned from personal experience about a topic
  • Help gather information from books or adults for a group research task

• Sharing and Publishing Your Writing

  Read own writing aloud clearly enough to be heard by peers and the teacher; use digital tools to produce and publish writing

  • Read own sentences aloud with clear voice and appropriate expression
  • Share a piece of writing by reading it to the class
  • Type simple words or sentences using a computer or tablet

Speaking & Listening

Your child is developing essential communication skills — learning to listen carefully, speak clearly, participate in conversations, and express their thoughts and ideas confidently with others.

• Listening and responding

  Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers; follow agreed-upon rules for discussion such as listening to others and taking turns speaking

  • Demonstrate attentive listening by making eye contact and responding relevantly
  • Follow classroom discussion rules (e.g. raise hand, wait for turn)
  • Show understanding of what was said by paraphrasing or responding appropriately

• Exploring Ideas Through Talk

  Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining, and exploring ideas; use strategies to build vocabulary through talk

  • Wonder aloud about possibilities (e.g. 'What if...' or 'I think it might be because...')
  • Try out new vocabulary in conversation after hearing it in a story or lesson
  • Explore ideas through talk before committing them to writing

• Group discussions

  Participate actively in collaborative conversations staying on topic; continue a conversation through multiple exchanges; maintain attention in discussions

  • Stay on topic during a conversation for multiple turns
  • Build on what another speaker has said (e.g. 'I agree because...')
  • Maintain focus and contribute meaningfully in group discussions

• Describing Aloud

  Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with detail; speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly; give well-structured descriptions and explanations

  • Describe a familiar person or place using several details
  • Speak clearly and loudly enough for the whole group to hear
  • Organise ideas logically when sharing information or telling about an event

• Expressing & Justifying Opinions

  Articulate and justify answers, arguments, and opinions; participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, and debates

  • State an opinion and give a reason (e.g. 'I think ... because ...')
  • Participate in a class presentation or performance with confidence
  • Explain thinking when answering a question rather than just giving a one-word answer

• Asking Questions

  Ask relevant questions to extend understanding; ask and answer questions to seek help, get information, or clarify something not understood

  • Ask a question when something is unclear or more information is needed
  • Answer questions with relevant and specific information
  • Request clarification politely (e.g. 'Can you explain that again?')

Spelling & Word Study

Your child is learning to spell by connecting sounds to letters — building simple words, adding common endings like -ing and -ed, and memorising important words that don't follow regular spelling patterns.

• Segmenting words into sounds

  Segment spoken words into phonemes and spell CVC and simple phonetically regular words by writing a letter or letters for each sound

  • Write CVC words from dictation (e.g. 'cat', 'bed', 'hot')
  • Segment words into individual sounds before choosing letters to write
  • Spell simple words phonetically drawing on sound-letter knowledge

• Phonics Vocabulary

  Know and use the vocabulary of phonics and word structure — phoneme, grapheme, GPC (grapheme-phoneme correspondence), blend, segment, digraph, CVC, vowel, consonant, syllable, root word, suffix, prefix, and homophone — and understand that these words describe the building blocks that phonics instruction is built on

  • Say the sounds for common graphemes (e.g. 'sh', 'ch', 'th', 'ee', 'igh') and use 'phoneme' and 'grapheme' correctly when explaining
  • Blend sounds together to read an unfamiliar word and explain what they are doing using the word 'blend'
  • Segment a word into its individual sounds for spelling and use the term 'segment' to describe the process

• Spelling Verb Endings

  Spell words with common suffixes (-s/-es for plurals and third person verbs, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) where no change to the root word is needed

  • Add -s or -es correctly to make plurals (e.g. 'cats', 'boxes')
  • Spell words with -ing and -ed endings (e.g. 'jumping', 'helped')
  • Add -er and -est to adjectives (e.g. 'quicker', 'quickest')

• The Prefix un-

  Spell words using the prefix un- to change meaning; understand that un- creates opposites or reverses actions

  • Spell words with un- prefix correctly (e.g. 'unhappy', 'unfair', 'undo')
  • Explain how un- changes the meaning of a word
  • Create new words by adding un- to known words

• Tricky words

  Spell common exception words from memory that do not follow regular phonic patterns, including the days of the week

  • Correctly spell high-frequency irregular words (e.g. 'said', 'the', 'was')
  • Write all seven days of the week correctly
  • Recall and write exception words in dictated sentences

• Spelling from Dictation

  Write simple sentences from memory when dictated by the teacher, applying taught GPCs, spelling rules, and common exception words

  • Write a dictated sentence using phonically plausible spellings
  • Include correct spelling of taught exception words in dictation
  • Apply sentence punctuation in dictated writing

Vocabulary

Your child is building their word knowledge — asking about unknown words, understanding opposites, recognising how word parts give clues to meaning, and using new vocabulary in their own speech and writing.

• Discussing and Questioning New Words

  Ask and answer questions about unknown words in texts; discuss word meanings and link new vocabulary to words already known

  • Ask 'What does ___ mean?' when meeting unfamiliar words during reading
  • Use context and pictures to work out what a new word might mean
  • Explain a new word by connecting it to a known word (e.g. 'enormous means really really big')

• Sorting & Categorising Words

  Sort common objects and words into categories to understand how concepts relate; demonstrate understanding of opposites (antonyms) for common verbs and adjectives

  • Group words or objects by category (e.g. animals, foods, colours)
  • Identify and produce opposite pairs (e.g. 'big/small', 'hot/cold', 'go/stop')
  • Explain why items belong together in a category

• Shades of Meaning

  Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing similar actions and among adjectives differing in intensity; make real-life connections between words and their use

  • Compare similar verbs by acting them out (e.g. 'walk', 'march', 'strut', 'prance')
  • Order adjectives by intensity (e.g. big, huge, gigantic)
  • Connect vocabulary to personal experiences (e.g. note things at school that are 'colourful')

• Using New Vocabulary

  Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, being read to, and responding to texts in own speech and writing

  • Incorporate new vocabulary from read-alouds into conversations
  • Attempt to use interesting or topic-specific words in own writing
  • Use newly learned words appropriately in different contexts

• Word Parts as Clues

  Use knowledge of common inflections and affixes (-ed, -s, un-, -er) as clues to the meaning of unknown words; understand how the prefix un- changes meaning

  • Recognise that -ed signals past tense (e.g. 'jumped' = already happened)
  • Explain how un- makes a word mean the opposite (e.g. 'unhappy' = not happy)
  • Use word parts to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word

Handwriting & Transcription

Your child is mastering the physical skills of writing — learning to form letters and numbers correctly, hold a pencil properly, and develop neat, legible handwriting.

• Sitting and holding a pencil

  Sit correctly at a table holding a pencil comfortably and correctly; form lower-case letters in the correct direction starting and finishing in the right place

  • Hold a pencil with a comfortable tripod or near-tripod grip
  • Write all 26 lowercase letters with correct starting points and direction
  • Maintain consistent letter size on lined paper

• Writing digits 0-9

  Form digits 0-9 correctly and legibly

  • Write all digits 0-9 clearly with correct starting points
  • Form digits the appropriate size relative to letter height
  • Write numbers legibly so they can be read by others

• Forming Capital Letters

  Form capital letters correctly; print many upper- and lowercase letters legibly

  • Write all 26 capital letters with correct formation
  • Distinguish between uppercase and lowercase forms in own writing
  • Use appropriate sizing so capitals are taller than lowercase letters

• Letter Formation Families

  Understand which letters belong to which handwriting families based on similar formation patterns and practise letters in groups

  • Group letters by similar strokes (e.g. c, a, d, g, o family — all start with a curve)
  • Explain why certain letters are practised together
  • Form letters within the same family consistently using the shared movement pattern

English Thinking

• Reading for Meaning

  Understand that reading is about making meaning, not just saying words correctly — a text that can be decoded but not understood has not been read

  • Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer)
  • reading comprehension research on comprehension-decoding separation