Primary school hires a nappy changer as so many children aren't toilet trained

An unnamed infant school has hired someone to change nappies because so many pupils aren’t toilet trained when they start their education.

Schools in Walsall have warned many pupils lack basic skills such as being able to hold a pencil properly and knowing how to dress themselves.

Other abilities children lacked included not being able to use cutlery when eating and communicate properly.

Chris Towe, Walsall Council’s portfolio holder for education, said he’d spoken to the heads of 80 infant and primary schools in the borough, and was “shocked” by what they’d told him.

“We are talking about five-year-olds here and it is not acceptable,” he told the BBC.

Describing it as a “massive issue”, Mr Towe continued: “If they haven’t got basic skills, how can they be educated?

“This cannot go on. If it doesn’t stop it is going to get even worse.”

At a Walsall Council meeting he said that many parents had not been taking responsibility in making sure their children are ready for school and that many pupils were two or three years behind where they should be.

Following on from the discovery, the council is now planning to send letters telling parents about the skills children need to have mastered before they start school and where they can get help.

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The news comes after a watchdog warned teachers were being tasked with looking after children who are not toilet trained.

Back in December a report from the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) revealed that parents are failing to teach toilet training to their school-age children.

Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector at Ofsted, claimed that as a result an increasing number of children start reception without knowing how to use a toilet.

Being able to use a toilet is a basic requirement for children to do before the start school, according to Ofsted guidelines.

Children of reception age are also expected to recognise their own name, to sit still and listen and to be able to take off their coats and put on their shoes.

But many parents are failing to arm their children with the basic skills required of their school-age children.

“This is difficult for teachers, disruptive for other children and has a terrible social impact on the children affected. This is wrong,” Spielman said.

“Toilet training is the role of parents and carers and should not be left to schools.

“Only in the most extreme cases should parents be excused from this most basic of parenting tasks.”

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Back in 2017, a childcare expert sparked a parenting debate after revealing she charges mums and dads up to £500-a-day to potty train their children.

Amanda Jenner appeared on ‘This Morning’ to discuss the issue of potty training and whether parents should enlist the help of a professional to help toilet train their little ones.

Amanda believes that potty training can be a real issue for time-pushed parents, but mum-of-one Nilufer Atik, who also appeared on the show believes that paying someone else to train your child how to use the potty is ‘neglectful’ parenting.