Families will soon be able to access 30 minutes of quality
childcare ahead of the start of the school day as the government
pushes ahead with free breakfast clubs across the country.
From today, schools can apply to become one of 750 early adopters
in the government's free breakfast club roll out, with clubs to
launch from April 2025.
Breakfast clubs in every primary school will make a huge
difference to children, families, and schools - removing barriers
to opportunity by helping children learn, making sure no child
starts school hungry, and helping families with the cost of
childcare around the school day, to help keep money in people's
pockets.
More than 2 in 5 non-working mothers say that they would prefer
to work if they could arrange good quality, convenient, reliable
and affordable childcare, and over half of parents say they have
problems finding formal childcare for their child that is
flexible enough to fit their needs.
The breakfast clubs form part of the government's mission to
break the unfair link between background and opportunity.
Delivering change that can be felt by working people, early
adopters will offer all children at their school access to a free
breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free before school
childcare, every day.
This action to kick-start the programme comes fast after the
Budget, which tripled investment in breakfast clubs to over £33
million for 2025-26, supporting the early adopter scheme as well
as the continuation of the National School Breakfast Club
Programme next year, so no child faces a cliff edge on current
provision.
Education Secretary said:
“This is a landmark opportunity for schools to be in the vanguard
of change, as we build back the foundations of an education
system that breaks the link between children's background, and
the opportunities they have in life.
“From helping with flexible working for families, to improving
behaviour and attendance, the supportive start to the day that
breakfast clubs provide will help drive high and rising standards
for every child. This government is delivering change that will
make a real difference to families up and down the
country.”
Sir David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action
said:
“Family Action is delighted to see this further investment by the
government in breakfast clubs. We know from our long experience
of delivering breakfast provision ourselves the difference that a
nutritious breakfast offered in a supportive and enriching
environment can make to children's readiness to learn.
“We will do all we can to share our experience with Early Adopter
schools in this crucial test and learn phase so that they can
maximise the impact of this significant new offer to children and
families at the start of the school day and inform its rollout to
many more schools in the future.”
Abigail Oldfield, Headteacher, Willow Bank Primary
School, says:
“Our breakfast club has made a massive difference to supporting
children and families from the very start of the school
day.
“We've seen a big impact on attendance and punctuality of
children, as many of our most vulnerable families now have
breakfast every day with us. By offering a healthy breakfast and
childcare, it ensures children are in school on time and have
energy to learn.”
Schools that become early adopters will have the unique
opportunity to shape the future of the national breakfast club
policy, contributing directly to its implementation.
Further details on the national roll out of the breakfast clubs
programme will follow in due course.
The wider paid-for wraparound childcare offer – for all primary
children to be able to access childcare between 8am-6pm –
continues to roll out across the country.
The government is also developing an ambitious strategy to reduce
child poverty and give children the best start in life, which
will be published in spring. The Taskforce led by the Work and
Pensions Secretary and Education Secretary are looking at all
available levers across government to drive forward short-term
and long-term actions to reduce child poverty.
~ ENDS ~
NOTES TO EDITORS
Schools interested in participating can find more information and
apply <<here>>.
The existing National Schools Breakfast Club programme will
continue Y25/26 to provide support to the most disadvantaged
children.
