Study reveals English students struggling with eating, drinking, and bathroom independence amid screen time concerns.
Widespread Lack of Basic Skills
A study by charity Kindred Squared among teachers and school staff shows that 26% of students frequently had toilet accidents, with the rate reaching 36% in northeast England. Additionally, 28% of children couldn’t eat or drink independently, and 25% had difficulties with basic skills like dressing or using school supplies.
The data excludes children whose delays may result from disabilities or special educational needs.
Technology’s Impact on Learning
Teachers note the influence of new technologies, with 28% of students unable to properly use books—attempting to swipe or “click” pages as they would on a phone or tablet screen.
Kindred Squared emphasizes that increasingly many children arrive at school “without basic skills necessary for learning.” This problem is growing as the government aims to increase the number of children starting school fully prepared.
Declining School Readiness
A survey of 1,000 school staff reveals 37% of children begin education without so-called “school readiness,” an increase from 33% in 2024. The greatest deterioration was observed in northeast England, West Midlands, and northwest England.
Teachers estimate spending 1.4 hours daily on diaper changes or helping children who aren’t toilet trained, with a total of 2.4 hours daily lost on non-teaching activities due to students’ basic skill deficiencies.
Government Response and Parent Perspectives
The government has announced £12 million for 65 local family support programs offering parenting advice and youth services. Educational representatives view these measures as necessary but insufficient as a rapid response to long-standing neglect.
A survey of 1,000 parents shows a different perspective: 88% believe their child is ready for school, and 35% think their child is even better prepared than peers. Meanwhile, 94% of parents would welcome nationwide guidelines on preparing children for school.
Screen Time as a Contributing Factor
Over half of teachers indicated that excessive screen time—by both children and adults—significantly affects school readiness. Kindred Squared CEO Felicity Gillespie describes this as a systemic crisis fueled by school overcrowding, rising living costs, low expectations, and lack of appropriate support for parents.
The government aims for 75% of children to start school fully prepared by 2028. Department for Education data shows that in the 2024/2025 school year, 68.3% of children achieved appropriate development by the end of reception year—a slight improvement from the previous year.
