Staggering number of children starting reception not toilet trained, study finds
A survey of teachers has found that nearly a quarter of children starting school in 2025 are not toilet trained, with warnings that more children are struggling with basic life skills.
In an annual survey of primary school staff by pre-school charity Kindred Squared, teachers estimate that 26 per cent of children in reception classes this year had frequent toilet problems; this figure is more than a third (36 per cent) in the North East.
Kindred Squared warns that more and more children are arriving at the school door “without the basic life skills needed to engage with the curriculum”.
Staff also reported that approximately 28 percent of children starting school were unable to eat or drink independently, and 25 percent had difficulty with basic life skills.
It comes amid a Government push to increase the proportion of children arriving at reception as ‘school ready’; This means that children have reached certain developmental milestones, such as basic language skills, being able to eat, go to the toilet, dress and sit independently, play and listen.
But Kindred’s survey of 1,000 primary school staff found that they predict more than a third (37 per cent) of children will start school before they are ready for school, up from 33 per cent in 2024.
Teachers in the North East, West Midlands and North West reported sharper declines in school readiness.
Staff estimated that they spent 1.4 hours per day changing diapers or helping children who were not toilet trained, and lost a total of 2.4 hours per day of teaching time because students lacked basic skills.
Kindred Squared chief executive Felicity Gillespie said: “School readiness has reached a critical point, with 37 per cent of children arriving at the school door without the essential life skills needed to engage with the curriculum.”
“This is no longer just a classroom issue; it is a systemic crisis fueled by limited school resources, low expectations, rising costs of living and parents not getting the right information and understanding early enough to truly support their child’s development,” he added.
The government has set a target for 75 percent of children to be school ready by 2028. In the latest figures from the Department for Education, 67.7 per cent of children were judged to have a good level of development by the end of the 2023/24 reception period.
Staff also reported that approximately 28 percent of children were unable to use books properly, for example trying to swipe or tap books on a phone or tablet.
More than half of staff said that children and parents spending excessive time in front of screens was a significant factor in children not being ready for school.
But in a survey of 1,000 parents of four- and five-year-olds, 88 per cent said their child was ready to start school this year, while more than a third (35 per cent) said their child was more ready than most children.
Almost all parents (94 per cent) said they would like to see national guidance to make sure their children are ready for school.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “The findings of this survey reflect what we are hearing from our members, with school leaders reporting that the number of children starting school without basic ‘school readiness’ skills such as toilet training is increasing.
“More support before children start school in the early years is vital for both pupils and families. As this report points out, it can be very difficult for parents to know where to start and what to prioritize. Early detection and intervention to support children with SEND will also make a big difference; increased levels of Submission will partly account for these rising numbers.
“We have welcomed this Government’s commitment to early years and its investment in family centers and funded childcare hours; it is measures such as these that will really make a difference. But this must only be a start after years of underinvestment in community and health services under the previous government – more support is still desperately needed, especially as levels of need rise.”
The government is focusing on investments in the early years as part of its opportunity mission.
£12 million has been distributed to 65 local areas to establish Best Start family centers which will offer parenting support and youth services.
“It’s very clear that there is a huge problem with children not being ready for school when they start reception,” said Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).
Expanding family and child care services are the right things to do, he said, but there is no quick fix as local support services have decreased over the last 15 years.
