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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Sally Weale Education correspondent

Some children starting school ‘unable to climb staircase’, finds England and Wales teacher survey

Reception pupils use sticks to keep social distancing in a grass playground during the pandemic
The survey of 1,000 primary teachers in England and Wales reported children with poor basic motor skills and under-developed muscles. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

Some children are starting reception school “unable to climb a staircase”, while others use Americanisms in their speech because of too much screen time, according to a survey of teachers.

The pandemic has been blamed for a decline in school readiness among reception-aged children, but some teachers who took part in the annual poll said the “Covid baby” explanation was starting to feel like an excuse.

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