Breakfast club applications open

As of yesterday (27th November 2024), schools can now apply to become one of 750 early adopters in the government’s free breakfast club, set to launch in April 2025. This will give parents access to 30 minutes of free childcare before the start of the school day.

They will make a huge difference to children, families, and schools by removing barriers to opportunity, and help children learn by making sure that no child starts school hungry, as well as helping families with the cost of childcare.

More than two in every five non-working mothers say that they would prefer to work if they could arrange convenient, reliable, and affordable childcare. Over half of parents said that they have problems finding childcare for their children that can fit their needs.

As part of the government’s mission to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, the breakfast clubs hope to deliver change that can be felt by working people.

The Budget, announced last month, tripled investment in breakfast clubs to over £33 million for 2025-26, supporting the early adopter scheme as well as the continuation of the National School Breakfast Club Programme next year.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “This is a landmark opportunity for schools to be in the vanguard of change, as we build back the foundations of an education system that breaks the link between children’s background, and the opportunities they have in life.

“From helping with flexible working for families, to improving behaviour and attendance, the supportive start to the day that breakfast clubs provide will help drive high and rising standards for every child. This government is delivering change that will make a real difference to families up and down the country.”

Sir David Holmes CBE, chief executive of Family Action, said: “Family Action is delighted to see this further investment by the government in breakfast clubs. We know from our long experience of delivering breakfast provision ourselves the difference that a nutritious breakfast offered in a supportive and enriching environment can make to children’s readiness to learn.”

Early adopter schools will have the opportunity to shape the future of the national breakfast club policy and be able to directly contribute to its implementation. This comes part of a wider national initiative to have all primary children to be able to access childcare between 8am-6pm that continues to roll out across the country, as well as the government’s strategy to reduce child poverty, which is to be published in spring. The Taskforce led by the Work and Pensions Secretary and Education Secretary are looking at all available levers to drive forward short-term and long-term actions to reduce child poverty.