Headteachers at schools across Salford have been urged to apply to join a scheme providing free daily breakfast clubs for students.
Pupils at three schools in Broughton, Worsley and Little Hulton currently benefit from the government’s free breakfast clubs programme, which is designed to tackle the impact of child poverty.
St Boniface RC Primary School, Westwood Park Community Primary School and Dukesgate Academy run healthy breakfast clubs each school morning for their students.
From today, Monday 2 February, Salford schools can apply to become one of the 1,500 education centres admitted onto the programme as part of a wider rollout in September.
680,000 students across the country are expected join the scheme when it expands in September.
The announcement that applications for the latest batch of admissions come ahead of April, when 500 more schools and 300,000 extra children will benefit from the rollout of breakfast clubs.
Westwood Park Primary School in Eccles will be one of the April additions to the programme.
Michael Wheeler, MP for Worsley and Eccles, said: “No child should start the day hungry, and I’ve seen firsthand the difference these breakfast clubs make for families in our community.
“After seeing the success of breakfast clubs at St Stephen’s in Astley, where children start the day happy, fed, and ready to learn, I’m very pleased that Westwood Park Primary will now be able to offer the same support.
“It makes a huge difference to both children and parents, giving families one less thing to worry about each morning.
“Of course, we still need to tackle child poverty more broadly. That’s why I will continue to support the Government’s efforts to make work pay and ease the cost of living for families across our area.”
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, praised the move to fund an increase in the number of schools providing breakfast clubs nationwide.
She said:”Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking the link between background and success for families all over the country.
“Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of millions of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn.
“Alongside our plans to roll out school-based nurseries and get thousands more children school-ready, this government is delivering the reforms needed to give every child, wherever they grow up, the best start in life.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “It is positive to see the Government’s breakfast club scheme rolling out to more schools.
“A good breakfast helps children to focus on their learning and has huge benefits for their health and wellbeing.
“We were supportive of the Government’s move to increase funding for the scheme in November, after some schools raised concerns that it was not enough to cover their costs.
“It’s important that as well as welcoming new schools to the scheme, ministers also seek to understand any barriers remaining for those which have so far chosen not to apply, be they around funding, staffing, space, or anything else, and look at what can be done to help overcome them.”
