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  • 18th November 2025

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In the news

THE INDEPENDENT: New website to help parents teach basic skills amid concerns over children’s school readiness

By Grace Essex | April 16, 2025

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson told The Independent new School Readiness website will teach skills such as going to the toilet and putting on a coat. Read the full article here.

THE SPECTATOR: There’s an obvious reason pre-school children are falling behind

By Grace Essex | April 16, 2025

Kristina Murkett writes in The Spectator about school readiness including statistics and information from the Kindred Squared School Readiness report 2024, and links to the Starting Reception website. Kirstina concludes that: “The answer is, of course, screen time”. Read the full article here.

NETMUMS: Is your child reception-ready? New website teaches parents how to toilet train and prepare their child for school

By Grace Essex | April 16, 2025

On National Primary School Offer Day, Netmums shares a link to a new initiative to help parents prepare their children for school. The Starting Reception website developed by a coalition of leading early years experts, is being shared widely with parents and carers from today. Read the full article here.

THE TIMES: Children should be using cutlery before school age, parents told

By Grace Essex | April 15, 2025

Ahead of Primary School Offer day, The Times article reports on the “government-backed checklist” that sets out the skills children are expected to have before starting reception, amid concerns over falling levels of school readiness. Read the full article here.

THE FINANCIAL TIMES: Nearly half of English councils cut family support spending last year, data show

By Grace Essex | April 8, 2025

The FT quotes Kindred Squared Director, Felicity Gillespie in this discussion on UK Government funding for family support services. The article also shares statistics from Kindred Squared annual School Readiness Report 2024. “Parents are our children’s first educators. The lack of funding to educate and enable them is a shocking indictment of a societal blind…

THE SPECTATOR: Showing Adolescence in schools lets parents off the hook

By Grace Essex | April 6, 2025

Cristina Odone quotes Kindred Squared Director, Felicity Gillespie, in this article discussing UK parents reaction to the Netflix drama, Adolescence. “The relationships children need to help them navigate their teens are rooted long before they get their first iPhone. Strong familial attachments from birth lay the foundations for our social, emotional and physical development.” Read…

GB NEWS: Pampers launch ‘jumbo-sized nappies’ amid rising numbers of school children not toilet trained

By Grace Essex | March 29, 2025

GB News reports on Pampers launch of new size 9 nappies, quoting Kindred annual School Readiness report 2024 statistics that one in four children now start primary education unable to use a toilet. Read the full article here.

THE SUN: Pampers launches jumbo-sized nappies for schoolkids who are not toilet trained

By Grace Essex | March 27, 2025

The Sun reports on Pampers launch of new size 9 nappies, quoting Kindred annual School Readiness report 2024 statistics on children arriving at Reception without being toilet trained. Read the full article here.

NETMUMS: Parents given full list of 12 key skills they should teach their child BEFORE starting school, including being potty trained

By Grace Essex | March 11, 2025

Netmums reports on the recently published “Starting Reception” definition. The report states that a coalition of top education and childcare experts has unveiled a comprehensive checklist of 29 essential skills that children should master before starting school, including toilet training. Read the full article here.

THE GUARDIAN: Toilet training and cutlery use key part of England’s ‘school-readiness skills list’

By Grace Essex | March 11, 2025

The Guardian reports on the recently launched “Starting Reception” definition resource, backed by the Department for Education. Noting that toilet training and ability to use cutlery are included as key skills for children starting Receptions. Read the full article here.