Hope for more government funds for breakfast clubs

A government minister has said he is "hopeful" there will be more funding for free breakfast clubs in next week's Budget on a visit to a Bournemouth school.

Early Years Minster Paul Waugh joined primary school pupils using the service at Jewell Academy in Townsend on Wednesday.

The Department of Education said its own research showed the clubs were helping children make friends and develop social skills, while saving their parents money.

But teaching unions have said they are an extra financial pressure that schools can ill afford, and are calling for them to be fully funded by the government.

Under the scheme, participating schools are given a grant of £1,000 towards start up costs, like equipment, bowls and cutlery.

They then get a flat daily rate of £25, plus £1 for every child that attends. The clubs are open to every child from Reception to Year 10.

The government has committed £33m to support the first 750 schools taking part in a pilot, and a further £80m for 2,000 more schools in 2026-27.

Asked if there would be something for the scheme in the Budget, Waugh said he had been pressing the Treasury for more funds.

"We're hopeful - the Chancellor obviously recognises the value of education, and I think you'll see that in the Budget," he said.

"We've already invested a lot in free breakfast clubs, we're putting our money where our mouth is, as a government in terms of early years, and making sure that every child, in every area, thrives."

Participating schools will receive a free box of Lego bricks, sports gear and equipment vouchers through a partnership with The Youth Sports Trust, Sports Directory and Lego.

Lucy Hambling has two children at the school, one of whom attends the breakfast club.

"It makes her more ready for school, she's more social, she's had a really good breakfast," she said.

"She's much more ready to get into class and get learning."

Rebecca Pearce is district secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) in Dorset and wants the government to fully fund the breakfast clubs.

"The NEU supports measures that help children access learning, but schools cannot be asked to deliver universal breakfast clubs without sufficient long-term funding", she said.

"Any shortfall will inevitably add further pressure to already stretched school budgets."

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, also said more funds were needs.

He said: "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."

Teaching union NASUWT said the scheme would make a "significant contribution" to tackling child hunger, but it needed to be monitored closely to ensure funding issues can be addressed.