Choosing where to start and moving up

Everyone starts at Seed

New learners begin at Seed, and we recommend every child starts there, whatever they already know. PhonicSky is built as a deliberate progression: Seed, then Seedling, then Sprout, then Bloom. Each level lays the groundwork for the next, so starting at the beginning gives your child the strongest foundation and the smoothest path to independent reading. Seed is also free for everyone, so there's nothing to lose by starting at the start.

If your child already recognises some letters, they'll simply move through the early Seed lessons quickly. Nothing is wasted, and the early wins build confidence.

The Skill Check (optional)

The Skill Check is a quick, optional way to understand where your child is right now. From your dashboard or from My Learners, choose Skill Check and click Start. You'll answer 10 short questions about your child's letters, sounds, reading, and writing. It takes about two minutes, and "Not sure" is a perfectly fine answer to any question.

When you finish, you'll see a friendly snapshot: how your child is doing across letters, sounds, reading, and writing, plus a couple of suggested modules to try first. You can then jump straight into Kids Mode, or retake the check anytime.

One thing to be clear about: the Skill Check is a snapshot from your answers, not a formal evaluation, and it doesn't change where your child starts. Everyone still begins at Seed. Think of it as a way to see your child's strengths and feel confident about the road ahead, not a test that sorts them into a level.

Moving up to the next level

Your child moves up by finishing a level. Once they complete all the lessons in their current level, the next one opens up, and they carry on from Seed to Seedling to Sprout to Bloom in order.

There's no separate readiness test to pass. Completing every lesson in a level is the signal that your child is ready for the next, because the lessons themselves are what build that readiness step by step.

A note on Premium levels

Seed is free for everyone. Seedling, Sprout, and Bloom are part of Premium. So moving up depends on two things , finishing the current level, and having a Premium subscription for the levels beyond Seed. If your child finishes Seed on the free plan, you'll be prompted to upgrade to unlock Seedling and continue the journey.