Teachers have warned that the social effects of the pandemic can no longer be used as an excuse for the decline in school readiness among reception-age children. Some youngsters are starting school unable to climb stairs, with poor muscle development due to excessive screen time, and many are not yet toilet trained.

This comes after a local authority in Wales informed parents that they would need to come into school to change their child's nappy if they were not toilet trained. A survey by research group Savanta for early years charity Kindred found that nearly half of teachers in Wales and England reported a further decline in school readiness over the past year.

In addition to around one in four children reportedly not being toilet trained when they started school last September some also arrived with poor basic motor skills and underdeveloped muscles – thought to be due to too much screen use. Teachers also reported clumsiness, delayed walking, and pupils using Americanisms picked up from online content among new starters.

While lockdown restrictions were acknowledged as a factor one senior teacher said: "There's only so long you can blame Covid for that. I'm sorry but a lot of it comes down to parenting as well."

Less than half (44%) of the 1,000 parents of reception-aged children who responded to a parallel survey believed that children should know how to properly use books, turning pages instead of swiping or tapping as if using an electronic device, when they start school. However three-quarters agreed that toilet training was something a child should have mastered before starting reception.

Parents seemed overly confident, with nine out of 10 considering their child ready for school, compared to one in three teachers who disagreed. Both groups concurred that lack of access to health visitors was a contributing factor.

Over eight in 10 teachers are concerned that the cost of living crisis will continue to significantly impact school readiness. Some teachers reported in the survey that parents are now so occupied with work that they don't get the opportunity to spend quality time with their children to develop basic play and conversation skills. Tiffnie Harris of the Association of School and College Leaders has highlighted the financial struggles faced by many parents, alongside a lack of support.