Free breakfast clubs boost attendance, say heads

Headteachers have said they have seen free breakfast clubs make a difference

Free breakfast clubs are boosting attendance and improving behaviour in schools, headteachers have said.

The clubs were introduced earlier this year by the government at some primary schools in disadvantaged communities to ensure children have a healthy breakfast before lessons.

Hudson Road Primary School in Sunderland is part of the first phase of the national roll-out of the pilot scheme.

Headteacher Cathy Westgate said it helped children have a "lovely, calm start to the day" .

She said children from bigger families, who had previously been late as it had been "really difficult" for parents to drop students off, had been "arriving first thing".

"It's really helping them once they start school…it's just brilliant."

Up to 70 pupils at the school have been having a free breakfast every morning during term time.

The children said they enjoyed having extra time to eat breakfast and socialise with friends, and it made them feel better in lessons.

For parents, the free breakfast clubs offer help to juggle childcare and work at no extra cost.

Parent Fortunate Airhunuoge, who works night shifts, said it helped her save time and money.

Netherhall School in Maryport is also running its own free breakfast club

It has not been just primary school pupils seeing the benefit of a good breakfast.

With 40% of students on free meals, Netherhall School in Maryport, a secondary school, has been running its own free breakfast club for the past three years thanks to support from an anonymous donor.

Headteacher David Tromans said the breakfast club had started with the aim of improving attendance, but was also "addressing some of the wider issues in terms of poverty associated with the area".

"Our attendance has shot through the roof because the students come in early," deputy headteacher Mark Bailey added.

"They get a great start to the day and they take it forward with them for the rest of the day."

Deputy headteacher Mark Bailey said attendance was "through the roof"

The government's Early Education Minister Stephen Morgan said it was "brilliant" to see the impact free breakfast clubs were having.

Morgan added over two million meals had already been served, benefiting up to 180,000 pupils.