York's Potty Training Pilot Cuts School-Readiness Gap as 20 Councils Adopt the Model

A city-wide experiment aimed at helping parents toilet-train their children before they begin school has produced striking results, prompting twenty local authorities across England to sign up to a similar approach. York ran the pilot, which combined written guidance for families with practical workshops and specialist training for early years staff. The scheme's backers say it offers a template for tackling a growing problem: rising numbers of children arriving in reception classes who are not yet able to use the toilet independently.

New figures shared exclusively with the BBC suggest the initiative has already made a measurable difference. Across York's 55 mainstream primary schools, the proportion of reception pupils recorded as not fully toilet-trained fell from 11% last September to 6% this year. In raw numbers, that means 85 children out of 1,374 new starters, compared with 148 out of 1,364 twelve months earlier. The drop represents a 43% reduction in the space of a single academic year.

The pilot, which began in April, reached families through a wide network of community touchpoints. Information about potty training and offers of support were distributed via GP surgeries, pharmacies, family hubs, schools and nurseries. In addition, every household in York with a child due to start reception in September received a potty training guide alongside their first school offer. The stated aim was for all children to be able to use the toilet on their own by the time they started school, with exceptions made for those with medical conditions or special educational needs.

Parents in the city have broadly welcomed the extra help. Natalie, whose daughter Freya will start reception next year, said getting her child confident enough to use the toilet independently had been a priority. She argued that starting school is difficult enough for young children without the added challenge of managing toileting needs in a busy classroom. In her view, independence matters particularly in an environment where teachers already have many children to look after and cannot always provide one-to-one assistance.

Natalie also suggested that the widespread use of disposable nappies may be contributing to later potty training. She recalled that when she was a child, families typically used terry towelling nappies that had to be washed and hung out to dry, which made delaying toilet training less convenient. Disposable nappies, she said, make it easier for parents to put off the transition. Another parent, Lucy, said she had spotted drop-in sessions at her local children's centre and considered the idea a positive step, adding that it is important for children to be better prepared for this aspect of school life.

Teachers in York report that the benefits extend beyond toileting itself. Jo Mould, who teaches reception at Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy, said she has noticed an improvement in pupils' overall readiness for school this year. She explained that her class has been able to spend more time on teaching in the first few weeks of term than in previous years, because the children arrived more settled and better regulated socially and emotionally. She described the start of the school year as very positive.

The pilot was developed by the children's charity Kindred Squared, which has also carried out research into school readiness. Its latest survey found that around one in four children began school in England and Wales last year without being fully toilet-trained. According to the charity's findings, teachers reported spending more than an hour each day changing nappies. That figure illustrates the scale of the challenge facing reception staff, who must balance the personal care needs of some pupils with the educational needs of the whole class.

York councillor Bob Webb said the impact of the scheme had been extremely positive for both schools and families. He acknowledged, however, that a gap in support can open up for parents between the point when they see health visitors during their child's toddler years and the point when the child arrives at school. In his view, the key to the scheme's success lies in collaboration between health visitors, schools and other community settings, and he added that there is always more that could be done at an earlier age.

The government has described the pilot's results as encouraging. Ministers have also reaffirmed their commitment to a target under which 75% of pupils should reach a good level of development by the end of their first year in school by 2028. The York results will be seen as a useful contribution towards that ambition, given the link between self-care skills and broader developmental progress.

Twenty local authorities across England have now committed to adopting York's model, using it to encourage earlier potty training in their own areas. The expansion means the approach will be tested across a much wider range of communities, with varying levels of health visiting provision, nursery capacity and family support. If similar improvements are replicated elsewhere, the scheme could become a standard part of school-readiness planning.

The issue has gained prominence as teachers increasingly report that children are arriving at school without basic self-care skills. Being able to use the toilet independently is not merely a practical matter; it is closely tied to a child's confidence and ability to participate fully in classroom life. Pupils who need help with toileting may miss learning time, feel anxious or rely heavily on adult support at a stage when they are expected to become more self-sufficient.

The York pilot also highlights the role of early intervention. By reaching families months before their children start school, the scheme aims to prevent difficulties from arising rather than responding once children are already in class. Workshops for parents and training for early years staff are designed to give adults the knowledge and confidence to support children through the transition, addressing a task that many families find stressful or confusing.

For the twenty councils now preparing to roll out their own versions of the scheme, the experience in York offers both encouragement and lessons. Collaboration across health, education and community services appears central to its success, as does sustained engagement with parents well before the school gates open. While the pilot's results are promising, those involved acknowledge that supporting children's development from an early age remains an ongoing challenge requiring continued investment and attention.