– Sally Goddard Blythe, director of the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology in Chester and early education expert, states that developmental problems can have a major impact on later academic performance and that there is an obvious connection between poor physical dexterity in primary school and performance in literacy and numeracy tests taken at the age of 11.

– Up to 50% of children have fundamental impairments and many of them enter school incapable to simply hold a pencil, sit still or stand up straight. A largely overlooked issue, this is why Blythe recommends to check all kids for basic physical difficulties at five.

Image: ALAMY

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