Kindred² - School Readiness Survey January 2026

School Readiness Crisis Getting Worse

Lack of basic skills draining teaching time for all children

Nappy Changing v National Curriculum: “Stop-Start” classrooms and a day a week of learning time lost to toileting issues

January 22 2026: The annual School Readiness Survey from Early Years charity Kindred Squared has found that the number of children who are ‘school ready*’ has declined significantly since 2024.

According to primary school staff, 37% of children starting Reception are not school ready, up from 33% in 2024.

This year’s survey, for the first time, asked staff how much time was being taken up per day with nappy changing or going to the toilet and staff reported that helping pupils who are not toilet trained is taking up an average of 1.4 hours of each school day. That’s the equivalent of an entire school day per week.

The combined impact is even worse, with a total of 2.4 hours of teaching time lost each day due to a wider lack of basic skills.

28% were reported by primary school staff to be unable to eat and drink independently (up from 26% last year), and 25% struggling with basic language skills (up from 23%). 

Teachers describe "stop-start" classrooms where lessons are constantly interrupted because "everything has to stop" if a child has an accident or requires a nappy change.

*By ‘school ready’ we mean children being developmentally ready to access the learning and development opportunities available to them in Reception, where this is not due to a previously identified Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND).

TOP LINES

• 70% of school staff state that pupils who are not toilet trained have a "major" or "moderate" impact on the progress of the entire class
• Primary school staff report that growing numbers of children are struggling with life skills such as being toilet trained, emotional regulation, and having basic language skills.
• 26% starting Reception were not toilet trained (up from 24% in 2023 and 2024), rising to 36% in the North East
  Over half of primary school staff (57%) believe parents should not even be allowed to send non-toilet-trained children to Reception.
• School readiness inequalities are widening, with sharper declines reported in the North East, West Midlands and North West
  65% of Reception teachers say boys are less developmentally ready than girls, particularly in communication and emotional regulation.
• Despite this, 88% of parents say their child is ready for school, and 35% believe their child is more ready than most, highlighting a persistent gap between parental confidence and classroom experience.

Impact on School Workforce

• The situation is taking a toll on school staff. Staff report increased stress levels, lower morale, and say the lack of school readiness is contributing to staff turnover.
• Teachers describe being "stretched" and "exhausted" by the additional workload of providing basic care.
• School readiness pressures are contributing to workforce strain, with 55% of staff reporting increased stress, 28% lower morale, and 19% higher staff turnover.

Parents want more guidance and earlier

• There is clear demand for earlier, practical support, with 94% of parents calling for national guidance on ‘school readiness’ and 84% wanting this information before their child turns four.
• Kindred Squared, along with a coalition of Early Years orgs, charities and schools has recently produced Starting Reception a new website with an agreed definition of School Readiness and a Potty Training Guide - welcomed by Government ministers. 

The Digital Parent and Screen Time

• The report highlights a growing tension regarding technology. Over half of primary school staff cite children's and parents’ excessive screentime as key factors in poor school readiness. 
• Parents are increasingly turning to AI tools for advice on parenting and school leaders express concern about the reliability of this information.
•  

Books and Reading 

• 44% of parents believe that children should be able to use books correctly upon entering Reception (not swiping or tapping as with electronic devices) although staff report that 28% can’t.
• 95% of parents say their child is read to at least weekly; 45% say reading is daily. 

Primary school staff report that responsibility is falling to schools for basic self-care, emotional regulation, and motor skills and that SEND is a growing pressure on school resources:  

• On the scale of the challenge: "The number of complex needs children that we have now is astronomical." Headteacher

• On the teacher's new reality: "If you go back ten years, you wouldn’t have had children coming into Reception who needed toilet training, and now it’s almost the expectation that schools will do it." Deputy Headteacher

• “With toilet training. I think people believe the school will do it. Whereas in previous years we haven't had to.” Reception teacher 

• On the lack of information: “You have to refer to research and look for the things by yourself, there is no support around, to be honest.” Father of a 5 year old girl

• On concerns about screentime: “YouTube Shorts; The video is changing every few seconds. Obviously, I’m thinking of [my child’s] attention span and it really, really worries me.” - Mother of a 5 year old boy

Parents most often identify the cost of living as a barrier to school readiness:

• “Life is more expensive now, whatever level you’re at. We’ve got families [with] steady jobs where they earn well, but they’re finding it hard and they’re very openly saying that they’re finding life a lot harder now.” – Deputy Headteacher

The survey contains many more quotes from primary school staff and parents. 

Felicity Gillespie, Chief Executive, Kindred Squared, said: “The state of school readiness has reached a critical moment with 37% of children now arriving at the school gate without the basic life skills needed to engage with the curriculum.  

Primary school staff are losing 2.4 hours of daily classroom time to support the catch-up needs of children who are not school ready, including 1.4 hours a day spent on toileting issues for children who are not toilet trained. 

This is no longer just a classroom issue; it is a systemic crisis fuelled by stretched school resources, low expectations, the rising cost of living, and by parents who lack the right information and understanding early enough to truly support their children’s development. 

With 94% of parents now calling for national guidance, we must commit to earlier intervention and clear, consistent support for families during the baby and toddler years to ensure every child is truly ready to thrive.”

Notes to Editors

Read the full Embargoed Report here: LINK

• Methodology details are included in the survey document
  
• In response to last year’s survey, Kindred Squared has worked with leading experts in the Early Years sector to develop a single definition of the life skills children need to be working on to thrive when they are Starting Reception (link).   https://startingreception.co.uk/
  
• The Potty Training Guide (https://startingreception.co.uk/potty-training/) was launched by the coalition of experts in December 2025, welcomed by both the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.  Both are free to early years setting, schools and parents and can be downloaded from (link). 

About Kindred Squared

Kindred² is a charitable foundation working collaboratively with partner organisations to improve early education and early child development.

Website:  Kindred Squared 

Media Contact 

Angus Walker 07976 890868