Families at Broadfield Primary School will soon benefit from a new free breakfast club, as part of the next wave of Labour’s Best Start programme being rolled out this April.
The new club will provide a free, nutritious breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare each morning, helping children start the school day ready to learn while supporting parents with the cost and logistics of getting to work.
The announcement means hundreds of children in Rochdale will be able to access a free breakfast at the start of the school day, putting money back in parents’ pockets and helping to improve attendance, behaviour and attainment in the classroom.
Nationally, Labour’s free breakfast clubs have already served more than six million breakfasts, with another 500 schools joining the scheme this spring. The programme is being targeted at communities with higher levels of disadvantage to help break the link between background and opportunity.
Paul Waugh, Member of Parliament for Rochdale, said:
“I’m really pleased that Broadfield Primary has been selected to receive a free breakfast club. This will make a real difference for local families, easing pressure on household budgets and helping parents manage work around the school day.
“Teachers know that children learn better when they’re settled, fed and ready for the day ahead. This is about giving every child in Rochdale the best possible start, no matter their background.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“Free breakfast clubs are revolutionising morning routines up and down the country, becoming an essential part of modern-day life for working families.
“From settling a child into the school day to helping parents get to work, free breakfast clubs are giving every child the best start in life – delivering on our plan for national renewal.
“I was raised by a single parent, so I know first-hand the struggles facing parents trying to make ends meet and how important it is to tackle outdated stigmas with practical support that people can feel every day.”
Research shows that breakfast clubs can help children make up to two additional months’ progress in reading, writing and maths, while also improving attendance and behaviour by giving pupils time to settle into the school day.
The rollout of free breakfast clubs sits alongside wider government action to cut the cost of living for families, including expanding free school meals, reducing the cost of school uniforms and delivering 30 hours of government-funded childcare.
The breakfast club at Broadfield Primary is expected to open in April.