The Government has announced that an additional half a million children will have access to free breakfast clubs starting next year. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that extending the Labour project to 2,000 more schools will have a significant impact on families. Over 2 million meals have already been served in 750 schools since the initial launch in April.
Phillipson, a candidate for the Labour Party’s deputy leader position, expressed pride in the positive outcomes of the policy. She shared her experience visiting a breakfast club in Kettering, where 100 children benefited from the program. According to her, the clubs not only alleviate financial burdens on families but also provide children with a better start to the school day, leading to improved learning outcomes.
Schools can apply to join the program’s next phase, with the first group expected to join in April and more to follow in September. An investment exceeding £80 million will be made to expand breakfast clubs, aiming to have them implemented in all schools by the end of the current Parliament.
Phillipson emphasized the rapid rollout of the free breakfast clubs and highlighted the alignment of the initiative with Labour’s values. She highlighted the significant impact this, along with the expansion of free school meals next year, will have on improving children’s opportunities in life.
Starting from next September, families receiving Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals. The Government views school breakfast clubs as a crucial commitment that will give parents back 95 hours annually and potentially save them up to £450 in childcare expenses.
Public opinion polls indicate that eight out of ten families believe breakfast clubs assist them in arriving at work punctually and dropping their children off at school more conveniently.
