First 750 schools named for free breakfast clubs includes one in Grantham

Sam Francis

The Government has announced the first 750 schools to provide free daily breakfast clubs as part of a pilot scheme ahead of a planned England-wide roll-out.

And it includes three from the Grantham area.

Starting in April, 180,000 pupils in England will be offered “healthy, varied and nutritious breakfasts” in schools before class, Labour said – with over a third of schools in the pilot scheme in deprived areas.

But one head-teachers’ union has raised concerns the funding is “far too low”, urging the government “to be more realistic about the costs involved”.

Labour campaigned on a promise of free breakfast clubs in every English primary school and later tripled funding to £30m.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson sees the free clubs in all primary schools as vital to breaking “the unfair link between background and success” for students.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Phillipson said the government had “massive demand” to take part in the pilot scheme, which will be used “to really test what works” ahead of a national roll-out.

Breakfast clubs “will make such a big difference to children’s life chances, to parents’ ability to work,” she said.

Parents will be able to drop off children 30 minutes before their usual school time, knowing they will be offered a free breakfast, the government says.

But Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio said head teachers were “really worried” the basic daily rate of just 60p per pupil was far too low.

“We strongly urge the government to be more realistic about the costs involved, before it attempts to roll out this policy nationally,” he said.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has welcomed the news but also voiced concern that funding could fall short.

“It will be crucial that these concerns are addressed before the programme is rolled out across the country, to ensure that it does not place further pressure on already strained school budgets,” said NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman.

Announcing the first 750 schools to join the pilot scheme, the Department for Education said breakfast clubs had “an important role to play in the government’s commitment to remove the stain of child poverty”.

Devon tops the list with 25 schools in the programme, followed by England’s largest local authority, Birmingham, with 24.

Both Wales and Scotland have programmes to provide free breakfasts to children in primary schools.

Guidance sent to schools taking part in the pilot scheme says they will receive a set-up payment to cover equipment and material.

Under the scheme, schools will then be reimbursed by the government based on attendance at the clubs – a school with 50% participation in the pilot scheme could get £23,000 a year, the Government said.

The three local schools listed are…

St Anne’s Church of England Primary School, Grantham;

Great Ponton Church of England School;

The Marston Thorold’s Charity Church of England School;