Crusaders want the Labour Party’s key education policy to offer meals for all children of primary schooling age instead of some selected schools.
Ministers are experiencing increasing pressure to extend free breakfast clubs in primary schools to cover kids in special schools and alternative provision to ensure they don’t miss out on Labour’s leading education policies.
The government intends to reveal the children’s well-being bill early next year, highlighting plans for free breakfast clubs in all primary schools across England. Ministers claim the project is one of the key pledges before the July 4 general elections. The project will help kids concentrate more in school and boost the fight against poverty by saving “hard-working parents” over £400 a year.
However, organisations, including charities working in special educational needs and disabilities schools (Send) and other organisations such as pupil referral units, are insisting that the bill must refer to all “primary-aged pupils” instead of just “primary schools” to ensure that many of those most in need are not left out.
One of the main issues is that parents of disabled children mostly face greater financial challenges than other parents and, therefore, are more disposed to hardship and falling into poverty.
Chief executive of Magic Breakfast, Lindsey MacDonald, stated, “crucial that the opportunities a free school breakfast provides are available to all, so that no child is too hungry to learn”. Magic Breakfast is a charity that offers food and arranges deliveries for more than 200,000 children across England and Scotland.
Campaign manager of the Disabled Children’s Partnership, Stephen Kingdom, disclosed a study showing the financial burdens on parents taking care of children with disabilities.
“When thinking about school breakfast, it’s vital that pupils in settings other than primary schools are offered the same support as their peers. To do otherwise would be unjustified.
“Research from Pro Bono Economics, commissioned by the Disabled Children’s Partnership, found that couples in work with disabled children earn an average of £274 less each week than couples with nondisabled children. The financial, practical and social benefits that school breakfast delivers are clearly needed to support children, families and communities in all schools.”
Theresa Allotey, the chief financial officer of the Agora Learning Partnership, which oversees ten primary schools in Hertfordshire and is planning to launch a new 60-place special in 2025, stated: “It is crucial that the forthcoming legislation is crafted to maximise its reach and positively influence as many children and young adults as possible within our educational community.”
Prior to chancellor Rachel Reeves’s initial budget on October 30, in which she pledges to begin filling a £22bn black hole left by the Tories, education secretary Bridget Phillipson was urged to widen the scope of the programme.
MacDonald is urging ministers to ensure schools provide a variety of ways to feed school children rather than just one session at the start of the day, which some might miss.
She says, “We want to see breakfast provision, not just breakfast clubs.” “This means, where viable, offering classroom provision, late provision and ‘grab’ n’ go’ offers, so no child is too hungry to learn.
“In turn, this will help school leaders to address challenges around attendance, class behaviour, learning, mental and physical health, and issues around job satisfaction and teaching staff retention in schools.”
The Department of Education spokesperson stated: “Breakfast clubs will ensure every child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared for school and can achieve their full potential by providing a supportive start to the day. We will work closely with the sector as we develop the breakfast club programme and will share the details in due course.”
