The city where primary school places come with a toilet-training guide
The city where primary school places come with a toilet-training guide
As England and Wales prepare for the new academic year, parents are being urged to focus on ensuring their children are equipped with essential skills for school readiness by September. A recent government initiative highlights the importance of developmental milestones, emphasizing that 75% of pupils should achieve a satisfactory level of progress before completing their first year of primary education. However, educators report growing concerns about children arriving unprepared, lacking fundamental abilities like toilet training or the communication skills necessary for learning.
York Council’s pilot program
In a bid to address this, the City of York Council has launched a pilot scheme. Alongside official school place notifications, the council has distributed informational materials on potty training to 1,700 families. These resources are complemented by parent workshops, specialized training for teachers and nursery staff, and informational displays in pharmacies, GP surgeries, and community centers. Jo Mould, a reception teacher with over three decades of experience, acknowledges the challenge of having all children toilet-trained by September as “ambitious” but achievable. “This is a great chance to support families,” she says. “There will be assistance available from health professionals for those struggling, making it a positive step for children’s learning.”
“I think this is a really exciting opportunity. It can be done. There will be support out there from health colleagues for parents whose children are struggling,” says Jo Mould.
Survey reveals lost teaching time
A recent survey by the children’s charity Kindred Squared found that nursery staff are spending over an hour each day on nappy changes, which detracts from instructional time. “It takes two members of staff to change a child, so it does take up human resource and takes the adults away from the children learning,” Mould explains. This underscores the need for early intervention, as more children are entering school with speech and language delays, emotional regulation issues, and toileting challenges.
Parent perspectives
For parents Rachel and Rumayna, whose daughters are starting school in York this September, the process is a mix of anticipation and apprehension. “I’m quite excited for her,” Rachel shares. “I think she’s more than ready to go, nursery has been brilliant at prepping her.” Rumayna, while anxious about her daughter Izzie’s school placement, feels confident about her readiness. “It helps that she’s seen her big brother attend school and been there at drop-off and pick-up—she wants to run in herself,” she says. She welcomes the guidance but stresses the need for non-judgmental support. “You look at your peers and friends and think when they start school surely they have to be potty-trained, so it puts a lot of extra pressure on you,” she adds.
“You look at your peers and friends and think when they start school surely they have to be potty-trained, so it puts a lot of extra pressure on you,” says Rumayna.
Regional variations
School place offers in England and Wales are typically sent on 16 April, giving families time to prepare. In Scotland, the allocation dates differ, while children in Northern Ireland have already received their primary school placements. Peter Roderick, director of public health for York Council, advises parents to seek help if needed. “I don’t think there’s a single parent who hasn’t asked themselves, ‘Is my child at the right stage, and what do I need to do to help them meet that?'” he notes. “It’s about making sure they know who to turn to and what tools, techniques, and tips you need if your child is a bit behind.”
