Overview
- Kindred Squared’s latest annual survey of 1,000 primary staff reports a rise in non‑readiness to 37% for the 2025 intake, up from 33% the previous year.
- Teachers estimate losing 2.4 hours of teaching time each day to basic care and independence support, including 1.4 hours on toileting alone.
- Staff say 26% of reception pupils have frequent toilet mishaps and 28% cannot eat or drink independently, with some trying to swipe or tap books like tablets.
- Regional gaps persist, with teachers reporting 45% not school‑ready in the North East and toilet mishaps as high as 36% there, compared with lower shares in regions such as London and the East Midlands.
- A parental perception gap endures, as 88% of surveyed parents believe their child is ready and 94% want national guidance, while staff most often cite excessive screen time as a key driver of poor readiness; official data show a modest rise to 68.3% achieving a good level of development in 2024/25.