Less than half of parents think children should 'know how to use books' by primary school
- Catherine Addison-Swan
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
The survey also indicated that one in four children starting reception are not toilet trained, according to primary school staff
Less than half of parents in the UK believe that children should know how to use a book before they go into reception, a survey has found.
Just 44% of the parents of primary school-age children who responded to the survey said they thought a child should know how to use books correctly by the time they start primary school. An example of using a book correctly was given as when there is "no swiping or tapping as if using an electronic device".
Primary school staff were also surveyed, who said that more than a quarter (28%) of children who started reception in 2024 use books "incorrectly", while one in four (25%) are not toilet trained. This aligns with only three in four (76%) parents thinking children need to be toilet trained before they join reception.
The majority of school staff also highlighted children spending too much time on electronic devices (54%) and parents not reading enough to their children (52%) as key reasons why children may not be school ready. More than 1,000 parents and 1,000 school staff were surveyed by Savanta for the poll by early years charity Kindred2.
It comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out his ambition last month for 75% of children to reach a good level of development when they start school. However, Kindred2 has warned that the problems highlighted in its survey are "both significant and stubborn".
Felicity Gillespie, director of Kindred2, said: "We welcome the Government's pledge to get more children 'school ready' but our report suggests that too many parents are failing to support the development of their children, in spite of – we know – having their best interests at heart.
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