The latest School Readiness Survey from Kindred² paints a stark picture for Reception classrooms - one that many teachers will recognise immediately.

For the past six years, Kindred² has surveyed thousands of teachers and parents to source robust evidence of the proportion of children that are considered ‘school ready’, comparing this to perceptions of parents.

They use this school readiness evidence to highlight the impact on children and schools when pupils arrive in Reception having not met their developmental milestones and the difficulties that children, families and schools face from this.

Behind the headlines is a deeper shift: more children are arriving without the foundational skills needed to access learning, and there's even more pressure on schools to bridge that gap.

1. More children are arriving not school ready

37% of children are now not school ready - up from 33% in 2024 - and over half of staff say the situation is getting worse. Crucially, this is not about academic ability, but about basic developmental readiness: independence, communication and emotional regulation.

2. Life skills gaps are now a major barrier to learning

Teachers report increasing numbers of children struggling with basic developmental skills, with 26% arriving at school not toilet trained, 25% lacking essential communication skills, and 28% unable to eat or drink independently. There is also a rise in children being unable to use books correctly, difficulty following instructions, and a limited ability to play and share. These are not “nice-to-have” skills - they are fundamental preconditions for successful classroom learning.

3. Teaching time is being significantly reduced

Teachers report that an average of 2.4 hours of teaching time is lost every day to catch-up needs, with as much as 1.4 hours of that taken up by toileting alone. Many describe the first term as largely consumed by establishing routines and providing basic care, alongside constant interruptions to the flow of teaching. A disproportionate amount of attention is often required for a small group of children, but the impact extends far beyond them - affecting the learning experience of every child in the classroom.

 4. The impact goes beyond Reception

Over half of staff (56%) say that children who start school behind are unlikely to catch up fully, with early gaps often becoming long-term trajectories. This reinforces what many schools already know: early development gaps do not close automatically - they widen over time without targeted support.

 5. Staff workload and morale are under pressure

The report highlights a growing strain on schools, with 55% of staff reporting increased stress levels, 28% experiencing lower morale, and 19% noting higher staff turnover. Alongside this, there is a rising reliance on support staff, increased financial pressure linked to interventions, and wider disruption across the school community.

6. A disconnect between parents and schools

One of the most striking findings is the disconnect between parents and schools: while 88% of parents believe their child is school ready, teachers report that over a third are not. This is compounded by confusion over responsibility, lower expectations of what children should be able to do, and an inconsistent understanding of what “school readiness” actually means - all of which make early intervention more difficult.

7. Key contributing factors

Teachers identify several key drivers behind declining school readiness, with 52% citing screen use as a major factor and 51% pointing to a lack of early reading. These challenges are compounded by reduced parental time due to cost-of-living pressures and limited access to nursery provision. Importantly, teachers are more concerned about reading levels than parents, recognising that early reading is central to the development of language, attention and overall readiness for learning.

8. Boys are disproportionately affected

Around 65% of teachers report that boys are less school ready than girls, with the most significant gaps seen in communication and emotional regulation. This has important implications for schools, particularly in relation to classroom management, early literacy approaches and the need for more targeted support strategies to address these differences.

9. SEND is part of the picture - but not the whole story

Around 39% of staff cite SEND as a major factor in declining school readiness, but teachers are clear that it is compounding wider issues rather than replacing them. This adds further pressure to already stretched resources and increases the complexity of accurately identifying and effectively supporting children’s needs.

10. What teachers say is needed

There is strong consensus around the need for earlier and more coordinated solutions, including intervention before the age of four, clearer and more consistent national guidance, better support and engagement for parents, and increased access to early years provision. Crucially, school readiness must be seen as a shared responsibility, beginning long before children enter Reception.

The LoveReading4Schools takeaway

For schools, this report reinforces three clear priorities: the need to rebuild the foundations by focusing on language, routines and book familiarity, rather than relying solely on curriculum delivery; the importance of making reading visible and habitual, recognising that early reading remains one of the strongest protective factors in a child’s development; and the need to strengthen the home–school bridge, with supporting parents now central to improving outcomes for children.