Free school breakfast clubs will start next year with extra childcare for parents

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Some 750 schools in England will be picked for a year-long pilot starting in April, as part of a massive expansion of provision of free breakfast clubs across the country

Primary schools can sign up for the first rollout of free breakfast clubs from Wednesday as the Government pushes ahead with plans to feed millions of kids.

Some 750 schools in England will be picked for a year-long pilot starting in April, as part of a massive expansion of provision. Parents will be able to get 30 minutes of free childcare at the start of the day, while pupils will receive a nutritious breakfast so hunger doesn’t hold them back from learning.

It comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves tripled investment in the plan to £33million for 2025-26 in last month’s Budget, including extra cash for equipment and staffing to help early adopter schools trial the scheme. Free breakfast clubs will be introduced in every primary school in the country once the pilot ends in 2026, with hopes it could be in place later that year.

The full rollout would mean some 4.6million kids in England’s 16,764 primary schools would be eligible for a school breakfast. Some 12% of state schools currently offer taxpayer-subsidised breakfast clubs through the National School Breakfast Club Programme.

Only schools in disadvantaged areas are eligible for the programme at present, where heads get a 75% subsidy from the Government and make up the rest themselves.

Schools Minister Stephen Morgan said breakfast clubs could improve attainment by stopping children from being hungry and distracted in class, as well as driving down absence rates.

Speaking to the Mirror on a visit to Penwortham Primary School, in south London on Tuesday, Mr Morgan said: “We’re fully committed to breaking the link between background and opportunity – and the first step towards that, we believe, is investing in breakfast clubs in every primary school.”

He went on: “We know from the research that breakfast clubs make a huge difference in terms of behaviour, on attainment and on attendance. What I’ve seen today was enthusiastic staff, a committed headteacher who sees the value of investing in breakfast clubs and children that are happy and thriving and ready to start the school day as a result of having food in their bellies.”

Ministers see breakfast clubs as a key tool in solving the crisis in school attendance, which has deepened since the pandemic, with one in five pupils classified as persistently absent. It is also regarded as a way to help parents struggling with sky-high childcare costs.

Penwortham Primary has been running a breakfast club for nearly a decade, with support since 2023 by Magic Breakfast, one of several charities that support or deliver breakfast clubs. It also offers snacks like bagels and cereal that all children can pick up in class at the start of the day.

Deputy head Litsa Anderson said: “For parents it’s just one less thing for them to worry about.”

Mum-of-two Liz Frain said the breakfast club was a lifeline when her sons Jacob, 12, and Nate, 8, were both at the school. She said: “It was great because we could literally get them dressed, get them out of the house in the morning and drop them at the breakfast club.

“It was a nutritious meal as well. They loved it as they were with all their friends there.” Liz, 43, said: “You knew that they were fed and had that sustenance to set them up for the day. It was good, peace of mind.”

Abigail Oldfield, Headteacher of Willow Bank Primary School, in south London, said: “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.”

The pilot will include a variety of different schools so the Government can see what works in different settings. Lindsey MacDonald, Chief Executive of Magic Breakfast, hailed plans to test out the school breakfast policy ahead of the wider implementation.

“It’s vital that the free school breakfast policy set to be rolled out for all primary pupils in England is fit for purpose and will achieve its intended benefits,” she said. “This requires a variety of breakfast models, as one size does not fit all.”

The scheme will only apply in England as education is a devolved matter. Children at state primary schools can already get free breakfasts in Wales. In Scotland, the SNP Government has committed to free breakfast clubs in all primaries but it has not been fully implemented.

It comes as the Government faces pressure to expand free school meals provision after an independent report praised a pilot by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to give school dinners to all primary pupils, regardless of household income. The study by charity Impact on Urban Health recently found 84% of parents believe the rollout in the capital has helped or significantly improved their family budgets.

Mr Morgan said: “Free school meals are an important contribution to tackling disadvantage in communities and in schools. I’m always keen to learn from what’s happening across the country and I have met with Sadiq’s team and have looked at the research.

“Right now, in light of the fiscal inheritance that we have, our focus is on breakfast clubs and that’s because the research tells us it contributes to improving behaviour, attendance and attainment. But I’m always open to ideas, there’s always more I’m keen to do.”