Parents in Gedling borough could soon be able to access 30 minutes of free childcare at the start of the school day as the Government pushes ahead with its rollout of breakfast clubs in England.
Applications are now open for 750 state schools with primary aged-pupils to join the “early adopter scheme”, with the first breakfast clubs expected to be running from April.
The schools chosen for the trial will offer a free breakfast to all their pupils and at least 30 minutes of childcare before school, the Department for Education (DfE) said.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the Government will triple its investment in breakfast clubs to more than £30 million in 2025/26 in her Budget last month.
The Government said breakfast clubs in every primary school will make a huge difference to children, families, and schools – removing barriers to opportunity by helping children learn, making sure no child starts school hungry, and helping families with the cost of childcare around the school day, to help keep money in people’s pockets.
More than 2 in 5 non-working mothers say that they would prefer to work if they could arrange good quality, convenient, reliable and affordable childcare, and over half of parents say they have problems finding formal childcare for their child that is flexible enough to fit their needs.
Schools that become early adopters will have the opportunity to shape the future of the national breakfast club policy, contributing directly to its rollout.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “This is a landmark opportunity for schools to be in the vanguard of change, as we build back the foundations of an education system that breaks the link between children’sbackground, and the opportunities they have in life.
“From helping with flexible working for families, to improving behaviour and attendance, the supportive start to the day that breakfast clubs provide will help drive high and rising standards for every child. This government is delivering change that will make a real difference to families up and down the country.”
Sir David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action said: “We know from our long experience of delivering breakfast provision ourselves the difference that a nutritious breakfast offered in a supportive and enriching environment can make to children’s readiness to learn.
“We will do all we can to share our experience with Early Adopter schools in this crucial test and learn phase so that they can maximise the impact of this significant new offer to children and families at the start of the school day and inform its rollout to many more schools in the future.”
The wider paid-for wraparound childcare offer – for all primary children to be able to access childcare between 8am-6pm – continues to roll out across the country.
Further details on the national roll out of the breakfast clubs programme will follow in due course.
