A REPORT showing half of children are not ready for school at the age of five makes ‘scary’ reading, according to an East Lancashire MEP.

Paul Nuttall, who is UKIP deputy leader and education spokesman, has responded to the research from the University College London’s Institute of Health Equity which found standards of literacy, numeracy and physical skills were far behind almost all other western countries.

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It found just 52 per cent of children aged five had ‘good levels of development’, with Blackburn with Darwen Council sixth worst in the country.

Mr Nuttall said: “A good basic education is essential for all our children and those who start behind are immediately at a disadvantage and often are never able to catch up.

“This report raises huge questions as to why this country is seemingly going backwards in terms of education rather than forwards and each day seems to throw up more damning statistics. Without a well educated workforce we cannot compete in the global market and that is essential in this day and age.

“It certainly throws up questions as to whether the government's encouragement, bordering on insistence, that mums return to work as a matter of urgency, instead of devoting themselves to spending the early years of their children's lives with them at home, is the right path.”