750 schools to pilot free breakfast clubs from Tuesday

FREE breakfast clubs will begin at 750 schools across England from Tuesday as part of a government trial running until July.
The programme will offer parents of primary school children half an hour of free morning childcare.

The Department for Education said breakfast clubs play a role in tackling child poverty and are part of its plan to reduce barriers to opportunity. Schools will receive a set-up payment and will be reimbursed based on attendance.

A school with 50 per cent participation could receive up to £23,000 annually, according to the government, BBC reported.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the plan is central to the government’s broader reforms.

"Free breakfast clubs are at the heart of our Plan for Change, making working parents' lives easier and more affordable, while breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child," she said.

The scheme is expected to save parents up to £450 per year and offer 95 additional hours of childcare.

Teaching unions have raised concerns that the funding may be insufficient. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, told BBC: "While we welcome the intentions behind the programme, the initial feedback we are hearing from many school leaders participating in the pilot is that the funding just isn't sufficient."

NASUWT said the scheme could help tackle child hunger but stressed the need to monitor funding closely.

Shadow education minister Neil O'Brien said the previous Conservative government supported over 2,000 schools with breakfast club funding and criticised Labour for halting child benefit reforms.

Devon has the highest number of schools in the trial with 25, followed by Birmingham with 24. Similar schemes exist in Wales and Scotland.