Free breakfasts coming to 750 schools across England

Nearly 70,000 children in some of England’s poorest communities will soon be entitled to a free breakfast at school.

From April, 750 schools will start offering the meals as part of a scheme designed to put “up to £450 a year back in parents’ pockets”.

Around 180,000 children are expected to benefit from the first phase of the initiative – with 67,000 pupils attending schools in deprived areas.

The clubs will provide at least 30 minutes of free childcare. It is hoped this will help parents get into work.

Schools are encouraged to provide healthy and varied breakfasts meals, ranging from “wheat bisks and porridge to fresh fruit and yoghurt”.

Labour has pledged to provide breakfast clubs in every primary school.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies reported last year that existing breakfast clubs in England have been “shown to raise attainment at age seven”. It said “even pupils who did not attend the clubs benefited from a better, calmer classroom environment”.

However, it reported clubs led a reduction in absences of only “around half a day” per pupil.

The roll-out of the clubs is intended to help “remove the stain of child poverty” .

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the clubs are designed to break the “link between background and success for families all over the country”.

She said: “Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn. Alongside our plans to roll-out school-based nurseries and get thousands more children school-ready, this Government is delivering the reforms needed to give every child, wherever they grow up, the best start in life.”

All schools will receive funding to cover food and staffing costs.

The department says breakfast clubs have been shown to “boost children’s reading, writing, and maths by an average of two months”.

Jackie Fitton, a headteacher at Kearsley West Primary School in Bolton, said: “For our school, the funding provided will be a real-life saver, ensuring we can provide a healthy breakfast and supportive start to the day for our pupils. Breakfast clubs have already made a massive difference to pupils’ wellbeing, providing them with time to settle in, socialise with friends and get ready to learn.”

The full list of the 750 participating schools will be announced on Monday.