New school starters 'can't blow their noses'

A head teacher says some parents "don't have a clear understanding of children's developmental needs"

Teachers have told the BBC "too many" children start primary school unable to blow their own noses or take themselves to the toilet.

School readiness was examined in a recent Essex Caring Communities Commission Report (ECCCR).

Liz Bartholomew, head teacher at Mayflower Primary School in Dovercourt, said some parents "don't have a clear understanding of children's developmental needs".

Essex County Council said it was launching a task force to try to increase the number of children who are school-ready by 50%.

Nappy changing

Ms Bartholomew said an increasing number of students were starting primary school without being able to use the toilet themselves.

As a result, Mayflower Primary School had to adapt its building and create a nappy-changing facility.

"Then I have to have two members of staff come out of a classroom to go and change a nappy," Ms Bartholomew added:

"Suddenly I only have one adult looking after 29 four-year-olds."

Head teacher Liz Bartholomew believes it is "difficult for schools" to support families who are struggling

Other issues raised by Essex teachers include pupils not being able to blow their own nose, hold pencils or sit up straight in their chairs.

Ms Bartholomew acknowledged that some children who were not school-ready lived with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Send).

And she believed there was a lack of clear information available about children's developmental stages at appropriate ages.

"There have been so many cuts in years gone by that we just don't have support for parents," she said.

The ECCCR indicates that the education disadvantage gap for children with Send has widened, rather than reduced.

The education disadvantage gap reflects the difference in academic achievement between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

In Essex in 2024, 21% of Send pupils achieved expected standards in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2.

The figure for children without Send is 72% - an attainment gap of 51%.

In the ECCCR, the council said it would set up Caring Essex: School Ready Task Forces in priority areas to increase the numbers of children who are ready for school by 50%.

It said it aimed to "build on and deepen existing collaborations" to help pupils achieve at least the minimum expected Key Stage 2 standards by the age of 11.