The Government has announced that an additional half a million children will benefit from free breakfast clubs starting next year. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson expressed that expanding the Labour project to 2,000 more schools will have a significant positive impact on families. Since its launch in April, over two million meals have been served in 750 schools.
Phillipson, who is a candidate for Labour’s next deputy leader, emphasized the policy’s success, citing her recent visit to a breakfast club in Kettering where 100 children were served. She highlighted the club’s role in easing the financial burden on families and providing children with a better start to the school day, enhancing their readiness to learn and socialize.
Schools will have the opportunity to apply to join the upcoming cohort, with the first schools expected to participate in April followed by additional schools in September. Over £80 million will be invested in expanding breakfast clubs, with the goal of implementing them in all schools by the end of the current Parliament.
Phillipson expressed pride in the swift rollout of free breakfast clubs, emphasizing the alignment with Labour’s values and the significant impact it will have on children’s opportunities. Additionally, starting from next September, all families receiving Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals.
The Government sees school breakfast clubs as a crucial commitment that will give parents back 95 hours annually and potentially save up to £450 in childcare expenses. Polling indicates that eight out of ten families believe breakfast clubs facilitate timely attendance at work and school drop-offs.
The initiative to expand free breakfast clubs, along with the forthcoming increase in free school meals, is expected to significantly benefit children’s well-being and educational outcomes.