Why are growing numbers of children starting school without being toilet trained? In today’s podcast clip, I look at the potty-training scheme pioneered in York, where families were sent practical guidance before their children started Reception.
The York pilot has been linked to a sharp fall in the number of children arriving at school not fully toilet trained, and around 20 other local authorities in England are now looking at adopting the approach.
Is this sensible support for parents — or does the fact that potty-training guidance is needed at all tell us something bigger about childhood, parenting and school readiness in Britain today?
Recorded 5 October 2026.
This content is intended for English learners who are practising listening, pronunciation, vocabulary, shadowing, elocution and natural spoken British English.
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