A new breakfast scheme at Arnbrook Primary School in Arnold will ensure pupils have enough fuel to start their day.
The school on Bestwood Lodge Drive has signed up to the new National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), funded by the Department for Education and rolled out by the charities Family Action and Magic Breakfast.
The NSBP supports schools in disadvantaged areas of England that either had no pre-existing breakfast provision when they applied to the Programme, or breakfast provision with scope for improvement. The Government is making funds available, initially until March 2020, for the Programme to operate in over 1,770 schools – primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs).
Most eligible schools are receiving free, healthy breakfast food delivered direct to the door, support from a dedicated member of NSBP staff, a detailed resource pack, best practice events, and a £500 start-up grant to buy necessary equipment such as toasters or a freezer. In schools with existing breakfast provision, funding for additional free places is offered in order to be able to reach more disadvantaged children at risk of hunger.
Peter Fowlie, head teacher at Arnbrook Primary School, said: “We are already seeing the benefits of being able to offer everyone a healthy breakfast before lessons, with children settled and ready to learn in the first classes of the day. We are delighted to have signed up to the National School Breakfast Programme”.
David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action, said: “Breakfast provision plays a key role in ensuring children have a healthy start to their day. Family Action is delighted to be working with the Department for Education and Magic Breakfast on this ground-breaking programme – changing lives and life chances by preventing thousands of children from being too hungry to learn”.
Carmel McConnell MBE, Founder of Magic Breakfast, said: “Magic Breakfast is delighted to work alongside the Department for Education and Family Action to deliver this programme. Crucially it is ensuring a nutritious breakfast reaches many more thousands of hungry schoolchildren, unlocking up to four hours of learning each morning to support their education. This is an excellent investment in these children and in the future of this country”.
