Free breakfast club pilot launched at school

A school has welcomed a new government-funded breakfast club pilot, and said it could be positive for pupils' learning and wellbeing.

Oakway Academy in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, is one of 14 schools across the county trialling the free breakfast club scheme, with around 100 children attending on its first day.

The programme offers families an extra 30 minutes of free childcare and is set to run until July, ahead of a possible national rollout.

Oakway Academy catering manager, Zoe Walker, said the club was "Crucial to develop the kids' social skills, they get used to sitting round a table interacting with each other, friendships are formed, so it's a great way for them to start the day".

The trial, which launched on Tuesday, is part of a wider government initiative aimed at helping working parents and improving attendance and readiness to learn among primary school pupils.

Ministers said the scheme will offer families up to 95 additional hours of childcare and save them around £450 a year.

The Department for Education said breakfast clubs had "an important role to play in the government's commitment to remove the stain of child poverty".

The breakfast club was officially opened at 08:30 GMT by the MP for Wellingborough and Rushden, Gen Kitchen, and cabinet minister Heidi Alexander.

Under the scheme, schools will then be reimbursed by the government based on attendance at the clubs - a school with 50% participation in the pilot scheme could get £23,000 a year, the government said.

James Hollingsworth, one of the heads of school at Oakway Academy, said: "We hope to support the children to have a calm, orderly start to the day.

"We hope it provides them with a meal and supports our working families. We think it's a great start to the day and enables them to be ready to learn."

Children are offered cereals, toast, and fresh fruit as part of the breakfast selection.

Ms Walker added: "It's very important that children have a good start to the day – it helps them with their learning and their concentration and [the breakfast clubs] will make a huge difference."

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