Quarter of Kids Starting School Can’t Use the Toilet
A shocking new survey reveals over 25% of children starting school last year weren’t fully toilet trained. Even more worrying – nearly a third struggle with basics like handling books properly.
Kids Swipe Books Like Smartphones!
Early years charity Kindred Squared asked primary school staff about the new intake. Nearly 30% of reception starters couldn’t use books the right way. Some kids even tried to swipe or tap pages – just like on a phone or tablet.
Teachers also report a rise in kids being “not school ready” – up from 33% to 37% in just one year. It’s not just books. 28% of kids need help eating or drinking, and 25% struggle with simple life skills.
Toilet Trouble Costs Schools Hours Daily
The survey found 26% of children suffer frequent toilet accidents. The problem is worse in the North East, where the figure hits 36%. Staff waste a shocking 1.4 hours each day dealing with toileting issues.
In total, schools lose 2.4 hours of teaching time every single day because kids lack basic skills.
Too Much Screen Time to Blame
More than half of school staff blame excessive screen time – for both kids and parents – as the top cause behind poor school readiness.
The government wants 75% of children to be school-ready by 2028. Latest official figures show 68.3% hit a good development level by the end of reception in 2024/25. Yet 88% of parents still think their kids are ready to start school.
