Commenting on the annual School Readiness Survey from Early Years charity Kindred Squared, which has found that the number of children who are ‘school ready’ has declined significantly since 2024, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

"The findings of this survey reflect what we are hearing from our members – school leaders are reporting increasing numbers of children starting school without basic 'school readiness' skills, like being toilet trained.

"More support before children start school in the early years is crucial – both for pupils and for families. As this report points out, it can be overwhelming for parents to know where to start and what to prioritise. Early identification and intervention to support children with SEND would also make a big difference – increasing levels of SEND will be partly causing these rising numbers.

"We have welcomed this government’s commitment to early years and its investment in family hubs and funded childcare hours – it is measures like these that will really make a difference. However, this must be just the start after years of under-investment in community and health services under the previous government – more support is still desperately needed, especially as levels of need rise."