Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Lizzy Buchan

Labour vows to offer EVERY primary child access to school breakfast club

Every primary school child in England would get access to a breakfast club if Labour wins the next election.

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out plans for fully funded school breakfasts for all youngsters as the "first step on the road to a modern childcare system".

In a speech on the final day conference, Labour's education chief is due to confirm the offer will be universal so that every child can start the day with a nutritious breakfast.

Only schools in disadvantaged areas are currently eligible for the national breakfast club programme, where heads get a 75% subsidy from the Government and make up the rest themselves.

Labour's universal plan, which will cost an estimated £365 million a year, will be funded by reinstating the 45p top income tax rate which the Tories slashed in last week's controversial mini Budget.

Teachers warn children are arriving at school hungry (Getty Images)

The party has also said it will use over half of the estimated £2 billion a year saved for a massive expansion of the NHS workforce.

It comes as a boost to the Mirror and the National Education Union's (NEU) joint bid to end child hunger by offering free school meals to all primary pupils in England.

Ms Phillipson, who was raised by a single mum and relied on free school meals, will say that “life should not come down to luck” and describe how growing under the Tory Government “classes were too big, books too few, money short and opportunities rare.”

She will say: "The evidence couldn’t be clearer: gaps in learning development, gaps in opportunities, open up early, so our solutions must start early too.

“We need a fresh vision of that education. One that looks to the future, not the past.

“Labour will build a modern childcare system. One that supports families from the end of parental leave through to the end of primary school.

“As the first step on that road, we will introduce breakfast clubs for every primary school child in England, driving up standards in maths, reading, and writing, and giving mams and dads choices."

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson visits a breakfast club in Liverpool (Getty Images)

Teachers have raised the alarm about numbers of kids arriving in class hungry and struggling to learn.

NAHT chief Paul Whiteman said: "Hunger is a real concern for school staff who regularly see children arriving in the morning without having eaten, and therefore not ready to learn.

"These concerns have only been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, which is pushing more families into poverty. We know that some children rely on school for their only certain meal of the day.

"A commitment to properly fund breakfast club provision and to expand it would be welcome."

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It is a disgrace that across the country children are going hungry.

"Fully funded breakfast clubs will ensure children have food in their bellies and families have access to more childcare."

Ms O'Grady said parents were being hammered by spiralling childcare costs and said breakfast clubs "must be part of a long-overdue overhaul of the childcare sector".

Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group Alison Garnham said: "Universal breakfast clubs in primary schools would be a breakthrough kids and parents need – boosting children’s learning and well-being and helping parents combine jobs with family life.

"With 4 million children already in poverty and millions of parents struggling to stay afloat, now is the time to make this happen for families.

"We hope there is more to come - universal before-and after-school activities for kids of all ages would make a crucial difference."

Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at Save the Children, said: "Free breakfast clubs in England will naturally help children have the best start to their school day by enabling them to concentrate and learn.

"They will also help parents who need to begin their working day earlier than the start of lessons.

"Labour's proposal is welcome and could be an important first step in creating a wrap-around childcare system that really works for families."

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said pupils "are not in a fit state to learn if they are hungry".

“Many schools already provide breakfast clubs through a variety of routes, including national and local government schemes, charities, businesses and school budgets," he said.

"But establishing this fully funded entitlement would simplify the situation and ensure this provision is deliverable in all primary schools."

He also called for eligibility for free lunch provision extended to include all families on Universal Credit.

Kevin Courtney, joint General Secretary of the NEU, said: "We welcome Labour’s recognition of the seriousness of child hunger and food poverty.

"There is no greater priority than tackling the effect of poverty on children's education, and breakfast clubs are a good step forward to ensure no child is left behind."

He called on the Government to act urgently on child hunger by providing free school meals for all primary school children.

The Mirror and the NEU have joined forces for the Free School Meals for All campaign, calling on Liz Truss to act as families struggle with the cost of living crisis.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.