Parents told new schools and nurseries guidance to prepare kids for Reception

Parents told new schools and nurseries guidance to prepare kids for ReceptionThe Department for Education has released fresh guidance for teachers and early years staff amid a crisis in children turning up to Reception not school-readyCommentsNewsSophie Huskisson Political Correspondent00:01, 16 Apr 2026View ImageStaff from schools should visit young children at nurseries during the summer before they start Receptio(Image: Getty Images)Staff from schools should visit young children at nurseries during the summer before they start Reception to improve the transition between settings, new guidance says today.‌Early years staff or child minders should also attend prospective kids' transition events such as stay-and-play sessions or teddy bears’ picnics in schools to offer reassurance to little ones.‌The Department for Education (DfE) has released guidance for teachers and early years staff amid a crisis in kids turning up to Reception not school-ready. Children are starting school without vital skills, including using the toilet, holding cutlery or brushing their teeth.‌Under new guidance, school staff and nursery workers are urged to work together so that both sides can support the transition between education settings. Ministers have made clear to parents that primary school offer day is the “starting gun for children beginning their school education”.Nursery workers are encouraged to read books about starting school or look at photos of classrooms to help children visualise their new environments.READ MORE: Parents given potty guidance to stop teachers wasting hours toilet-training kids‌Elsewhere, the advice says educators in all settings should work together to encourage children to use the toilet independently, sit and listen to short stories or simple instructions and carry their own bag and belongings.Keir Starmer has set a target for 75% of five-year-olds to be school-ready when starting reception by 2028.Some 67.7% of kids were school ready in 2024 but, a...