Free primary school breakfast clubs to start next year & give parents extra childcare as headteachers sign up for pilot
FREE primary school breakfast clubs will start next year – giving parents extra childcare as headteachers sign up for the pilot scheme.
Schools will be able to sign up for the clubs from Wednesday – with 750 set to be picked for a year-long pilot starting in April.
Parents can get an extra half hour of childcare at the start of the day under the pilot.
And youngsters will get a healthy and filling breakfast to start the school day.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves tripled funding for the clubs to £33billion in last month’s Budget.
The extra cash covers equipment and staffing for schools trying out the scheme.
Free breakfast clubs will be rolled out at primary schools across the country after the pilot ends in 2026.
Once the clubs get started, more than 4.6million youngsters will be eligible for school breakfasts.
One in eight state schools currently offer free breakfast clubs in a scheme limited to disadvantaged areas.
Schools minister Stephen Morgan told the Mirror: “We’re committed to breaking the link between background and opportunity.
“The first step towards that, we believe, is investing in breakfast clubs in every primary school.
“Breakfast clubs make a huge difference in terms of behaviour, attainment and attendance.”
The scheme will only be introduced in England, as education is a devolved matter.
Youngsters at state primary schools in Wales can already get free breakfasts.
The Scottish government has also pledged to bring in free breakfast clubs in all primaries.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has also launched a scheme giving free school dinners to all primary pupils.