Key Points:
- Three Hackney primaries start free breakfast clubs from today until July.
- Part of a national pilot involving 750 schools across England.
- Schools involved: Thomas Fairchild Community School, Grasmere Primary School, Nightingale Primary School.
- Breakfast clubs provide 30 minutes of free morning meals before lessons.
- Initiative tied to Labour Party’s education pledges made before their election victory.
- Hackney Mayor Caroline Woodley praised the move on X (formerly Twitter).
- Department for Education (DfE) says parents could save £8,000 through combined initiatives.
- Breakfast clubs aimed at improving child wellbeing, attendance, and social skills.
- Hackney Labour describes the move as part of efforts to tackle cost-of-living pressures and educational inequality.
Three Hackney schools begin free breakfast clubs under new pilot scheme. Three primary schools in Hackney began offering free breakfast clubs today as part of a government-backed pilot aimed at providing children with a healthy start to the school day.
Thomas Fairchild Community School, Grasmere Primary School, and Nightingale Primary School are participating in the scheme, which is part of a national programme involving 750 schools across England. The clubs will run until July, providing pupils with 30 minutes of free breakfast before lessons begin.
What prompted the breakfast club initiative?
Ahead of its election victory last year, the Labour Party pledged in its manifesto to introduce free breakfast clubs in “every primary school in England.” The initiative is being funded through measures targeting tax loopholes and cracking down on tax evasion.
The programme’s rollout marks a significant step in fulfilling Labour’s educational promises, aiming to support families grappling with the cost-of-living crisis while boosting children’s readiness for learning.
What has Hackney’s mayor said about the initiative?
Hackney’s mayor, Caroline Woodley, welcomed the launch of the breakfast clubs, highlighting them as an important addition to existing food support measures.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Woodley said:
“Maintained primary schools in Hackney not only offer free school meals thanks to the Mayor of London, but several host breakfast clubs as part of Labour’s new 30 min morning breakfast club trial – rolling out across 750 UK schools from today until July.”
How does the government describe the impact of the scheme?
A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson called the initiative a “watershed moment for families across England,” claiming it would offer children a healthy beginning to their day while giving parents “a little more breathing room before the school bell rings.”
According to the DfE’s new data, 30 per cent of surveyed parents cited wellbeing benefits and opportunities for children to socialise as motivations for supporting the free breakfast clubs.
The department also suggested that parents could save up to £8,000 through the combination of free breakfast provision, early years childcare offers, and caps on school uniform costs.
What is Hackney Labour’s stance on the breakfast clubs?
A Hackney Labour spokesperson stated:
“No child should be hungry when lessons start. This latest move means several more [schools] host breakfast clubs launched as part of the Labour Party’s continuing commitment to better education and to help families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis – and will help to close the disadvantage gap in schools by driving up improvements in attendance, attainment and behaviour.
“It is a good way for children to start their day.”
The breakfast clubs are intended not only to tackle child hunger but also to contribute towards better educational outcomes across Hackney’s schools.
