Children who have fallen behind by the age of four: They can't even talk properly, dress themselves, or even use a toilet, warns Ofsted chief

The Daily Mail reports:

Children are starting school unable to speak properly, dress themselves or even use the toilet, the head of Ofsted warns today.

In a damning verdict on the standard of some modern-day parenting, Amanda Spielman will highlight the rising number of pre-school children who are not taught basic speech or hygiene.

In a speech to nursery leaders in London today, Mrs Spielman will issue a plea to daycare staff to step in and help such children by teaching them basic skills.

She will say some infants are 'unlucky' in their 'family culture' because they do not have bedtime stories or nursery rhymes, and are not even taught the alphabet.

She will reveal research which shows some four- and five-year-olds know only a third of the words they should, meaning they cannot follow what is going on at school and quickly fall behind – a disadvantage that can stay with them for life.

While Mrs Spielman will not explicitly accuse families of feckless parenting, she will acknowledge that parents 'clearly have the most important role here' when it comes to solving the issues.

One sad situation.