Government pledges £11.8m boost to breakfast clubs

An additional investment of up to £11.8 million to support disadvantaged families will see thousands more children receive a healthy and nutritious breakfast to set them up for the school day.

Approximately 1,800 school breakfast clubs have been created or improved by the National School Breakfast Programme in disadvantaged areas. Thanks to the new investment, up to 650 more schools will benefit in the next year, with resources specifically targeted at the most disadvantaged areas to help make sure every child gets the best start in life.

Additionally, thousands more disadvantaged children will also be offered activities and free meals during the six week summer holiday in 2020, funded by £9 million from the Department for Education.

Schools Minister Lord Agnew said: “We want every child to lead a healthy, active and happy lifestyle regardless of their background. That’s why we are giving thousands more children in disadvantaged areas the opportunity to attend a breakfast club, which will help boost attendance, behaviour and attainment, helping them to achieve their best in school. Where I want children to succeed, I also want them to grow up happy and confident, ready to take on challenges. Investing in enriching, rewarding summer activities next year will help keep them active and encourage them to get involved in their communities.”

David Holmes, chief executive at Family Action, said: “Thanks to the successful National School Breakfast Programme, we are already providing a free, nutritious breakfast every school day to over 280,000 children in some of the most deprived areas of England. Family Action is delighted that the new funding announced today by the Department for Education ensures that the NSBP will now continue for an extra year.

“The new funding means that we can offer an additional term of support to more than 1,800 existing NSBP schools and support up to 650 new schools to kick start or improve their breakfast provision. Every single meal that is being provided through this programme is making an immediate difference to children across the country every day. It is literally fuelling learning.”