During the April to July term, schoolchildren across the UK will receive free breakfasts and at least half an hour of free care before the start of the day.
The Government initiative will initially help around 180,000 pupils with free food and activities to get involved with before lessons start. Activities will include arts and crafts; and educational puzzles while children can choose to read a book before lessons start if they’d like.
The food on offer will be “healthy, varied and nutritious breakfasts” with schools encouraged to serve fresh fruit and yoghurt on the menu.
There are 754 schools signed up for the early adoption of the free breakfast club scheme ahead of an eventual national rollout.
As it stands there is no confirmed date for it to be introduced to every primary school in England.
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The support will save parents £450 a year, according to the Government with 67,000 pupils in the schools adopting the scheme living in deprived areas.
Schools signed up to the program are split across the nine regions of England. The full list of them is listed here.
Here is how the schools are split into regions.
- London – 80
- South East – 73
- South West – 93
- East Midlands – 84
- West Midlands – 82
- Yorkshire and Humber – 93
- North West – 105
- North East – 56
- East of England – 88
‘Transformative impact on lives of children’
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of our Plan for Change, breaking the link between background and success for families all over the country.
“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.”
The benefits of early breakfasts at schools boost children’s reading, writing and maths knowledge by two months at Key Stage One level, according to a study from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
David Holmes, chief executive of Family Action added: “We know that an effective breakfast provision delivered in a supportive and enriching environment can make the world of difference to a child. We look forward to sharing our long experience of delivering breakfast provision ourselves with early adopter schools.”
