As reported by the BBC, just over two-thirds of children in England are currently considered ready for school by the age of five, according to the latest government figures, leaving ministers some way from meeting a key education target
Data released by the Department for Education shows that 68.3% of children achieved a “good level of development” in the 2024-25 academic year, a slight rise from 67.7% the previous year.
The measure is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment, which looks at children’s progress in areas such as communication, literacy, maths, and personal and social development.
The figures form part of a wider set of goals announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in December 2024, when he outlined a series of “milestones” covering education, housing, healthcare and living standards.
Among those pledges was a commitment to ensure that 75% of five-year-olds in England are ready to learn when they begin school.
Speaking on Monday, Starmer said he accepted responsibility for delivering the changes promised by the government as pressure grows over progress against its targets.
The next update on school readiness levels, covering the 2025-26 academic year, is due to be published in November 2026.
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