'I need to book annual leave to potty train my son'

The call follows new figures that confirm one in four children are not toilet trained by the time they start school.

In an annual survey of primary school staff by early years charity Kindred Squared, teachers estimated 26 per cent of the children in their reception class this year were having frequent toilet mishaps, rising to over one in three (36 per cent) in the North East.

It comes amid a Government push to increase the proportion of children arriving in reception “school ready” – meaning they have hit certain developmental milestones such as basic language skills, being able to eat, go to the toilet, and dress themselves independently, and being able to sit, play and listen.

"As I go up and down the country speaking to teachers, I hear the same thing. More children are starting school without the basics – struggling to sit still, listen and follow simple instructions," education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said.

"From using the toilet independently to communicating clearly, that lack of readiness has real consequences for how classrooms function day to day, for standards in our schools, and for opportunities across the country – which is why getting more children school ready is something we should all care about."

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