# 75% of five-year-olds ready for school

> “Giving children the best start in life, with a record 75% of five-year-olds in England ready to learn when they start school.”
>
> — Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, Labour Party; Press release on the Plan for Change milestones (Prime Minister's Office), 5 December 2024

- **Status:** In plan
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Education](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/education)
- **Speaker:** [Sir Keir Starmer](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/keir-starmer), Prime Minister
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 5 December 2024
- **Where:** Press release on the Plan for Change milestones (Prime Minister's Office)
- **Deadline:** 31 December 2028
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** Children starting school in England
- **When:** By 2028
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-blueprint-for-decade-of-national-renewal (checked word for word at its source on 20 October 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 21 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-school-ready-75pc-2028

## Where it stands

The Department for Education's strategy Giving every child the best start in life (7 July 2025) sets the measure: by 2028, 75% of children reaching a good level of development by the end of reception. In 2024/25, 68.3% did (Early years foundation stage profile results, 27 November 2025). The deadline is taken as the end of 2028, so the results for children finishing reception in summer 2028 settle it. The card moves when the strategy's money is allocated or its new services are running.

## Timeline

- 5 December 2024, Promised: The Prime Minister sets 75% of five-year-olds ready to learn as a Plan for Change milestone
- 7 July 2025, In plan: The Department for Education's best start in life strategy aims for 75% at a good level of development by 2028 ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life))
- 31 December 2028, Deadline (to come): 75% of children due to be ready to learn when they start school (editorial date, end of 2028)

## About the cost

No cost was given with the milestone.

## Sources

- [Prime Minister's Office: PM sets out blueprint for decade of national renewal (5 Dec 2024)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-blueprint-for-decade-of-national-renewal)
- [HM Government: Plan for Change, milestones for mission-led government (PDF, 5 Dec 2024)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6751af4719e0c816d18d1df3/Plan_for_Change.pdf)
- [Department for Education: Giving every child the best start in life (7 Jul 2025)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life)
- [Department for Education: Early years foundation stage profile results, 2024/25 (27 Nov 2025)](https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results/2024-25)

## Checks

- Verified by Pavel Guzhikov, checked by AI Journalist; approved on 21 October 2026.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 20 October 2026.

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