Not enough children are ready for school, says survey

Young children writing at school.

A new survey by Kindred Squared has revealed insights into school readiness, with 90 per cent of parents in 2024 believing that their child is ready for school, even though teachers say a third of children are not.

Kindred Squared define schools readiness as “the full range of developmental measures and milestones, rather than a narrow measure of ‘academic’ attainment. School readiness is defined by a child’s ability to do a range of tasks, such as dressing themselves or using the toilet independently, by the time they start Reception (age 4-5).

Kindred Squared looked at 1,000 teachers and 1,000 parents to get a picture of what school readiness looks like in the September 2024 Reception cohort.

The report uncovered staggering statistics, with a large proportion of children unable to complete expected tasks, according to their teachers. 45 per cent of children are unable to sit still, 34 per cent do not respond to simple instructions, 36 per cent have difficulty playing or sharing with peers, and 25 per cent are not toilet trained. The survey concludes that a third of children who start Reception in 2024 were not school ready, with many teachers saying the problem is getting worse.

The problem of inadequate school readiness is exacerbated by parent perceptions, who frequently believe their children are at a higher level of school readiness than they actually are. Only 76 per cent of parents believe that their child should be toilet trained before starting Reception, and 44 per cent think children should know how to use books correctly (turning the pages of a physical book) by the time they start formal education.

There is a significant gap between parental and teacher expectations on what children should and shouldn’t be able to do by the time they start Reception, with parental awareness of key developmental milestones declining since last year.

The report digs into why children might not be as ready for school as they should be, with teachers blaming the issue on parenting and screen time. 54 per cent said it was because parents are spending more time on electronic devices than with their children, and another 54 said that it was because children are spending more than the recommended two hours a day on electronic devices.

51 per cent of parents, however, said their children might not be ready for school because parents are working longer hours to keep up with the rising costs of living, and 49 per cent thought it was not the job of a parent to prepare their child for Reception.

School readiness has a clear, tangible impact on both current and future attainment for children. 80 per cent of teachers and 60 per cent believe that starting school behind has a long-term impact on a child’s academic attainment, with teachers clear that skills such as speech and writing are hindered for the rest of a child’s primary school career. Moreover, 84 per cent of teachers say that children lacking key skills has a moderate or major impact on the progress of the class, as teachers spend an average of 2.4 hours of teaching time each day supporting children to catch up.

Kindred Squared asked parents what would help to ensure their children for more ready for Reception. The top results include 51 per cent asking for more affordable nurseries and childcare, 58 per cent would like better information for parents on the definition and importance of school readiness, 41 per cent asked for less time spent on electronic devices when they are with their children. 

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