Breakfast clubs do more than just provide a meal: they're the reason some kids go to school
3 min read
At this year’s Labour Party Conference, my colleague Bridget Phillipson MP addressed the hall, stating that “education is so much more than the classroom.”
The Secretary of State for Education was right. It really does transcend the classroom walls. Her comments anticipated the announcements of the Autumn Budget a month later when the Chancellor announced an increase in funding for education of £2.3 billion.
This will help ease the vast strain that has been put on the educational system after years of neglect.
Nearly half the increase will go to supporting and reforming the highly stretched Special Educational Needs Departments (SEND), and more will be dedicated to hiring 6,500 new teachers, with an additional £300 million going into further education.
But this government is true to its word in going further and looking beyond the immediate issues in the classroom and taking a more holistic approach to education.
Money has been earmarked for something dear to me - school breakfast clubs.
The Autumn Budget set out an increased investment of over £30 million, which will support an expansion of the Department for Education’s existing School Breakfast Programme, already used by around 2,700 schools.
Last week, I chaired the 2024 Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards and got to hear firsthand from teachers and students about the transformative way that these have changed schools for the better.
Especially in the fight against student absenteeism, which has unfortunately been on the rise. A survey of teachers conducted by Kellogg’s found that 70 per cent noticed an increase in absenteeism over the last 12 months.
Worryingly COVID seemed to be the catalyst for this, and the education system is still experiencing an unfortunate hangover from the pandemic.
How absenteeism trickles down to all aspects of the classroom is astounding.
The same survey found that it doesn’t just affect the absent child’s learning, but the majority of teachers think it takes a toll on the rest of the class too.
Helping absent students catch up with the work they have missed can often cause disruption in classrooms and ultimately lead to additional stress and worry for teachers.
But the way breakfast clubs help tackle absenteeism is so multifaceted according to teachers up and down the country. It’s not just about providing free food, but hones social skills, fosters equality, and helps children to build a sense of community.
It does have to be said that heartbreakingly some children are in positions where they are not provided with breakfast.
And a hungry student, is of course, one who will find it harder to concentrate than their peers.
Practically, breakfast clubs give parents who are struggling a further incentive to send their children to school – easing the financial burden of providing another meal.
From a child’s development standpoint, it also gives ample time for students to socialise with friends and catch up with any missed homework.
This type of social interaction is even more vital for those in early years.
And for me, ultimately a free school meals policy is a great equaliser. Empowering students from whatever background to have the same start to their school day as the child sat next to them.
That’s why I’m proud to be part of a Labour government that recognises the importance of breakfast clubs and is implementing the polices to back it up – drawing on the sort of best practice shared and celebrated at this last week’s Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards.
Education is more than the classroom, but we need to ensure pupils are in the classroom to engender the right habits and to receive all the boosts and benefits that learning brings.
Breakfast clubs help make that a reality, which in turn helps schools, teachers and most importantly pupils.
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