Breakfast Clubs: Finance

(asked on 24th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on (a) the reach of additional funding for breakfast clubs announced in July 2021 as of 24 November 2021 and (b) improving that reach to more children.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 2nd December 2021

The government is committed to continuing support for school breakfast clubs and we are investing up to £24 million to continue our national programme for the next two years. This funding will support around 2,500 schools in disadvantaged areas meaning that thousands of children from low income families will be offered free nutritious breakfasts to better support their attainment, wellbeing and readiness to learn.

The focus of the programme is to target the most disadvantaged areas of the country, including the department's Opportunity Areas. Schools’ eligibility for the programme is based on the income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) deprivation scale, a nationally recognised indicator of need, to ensure provision is directed where it is most needed. Schools will be eligible for the programme if they have 50% or more pupils within bands A to F of the IDACI scale.

The enrolment process for schools joining the programme is currently ongoing, and we have seen a strong interest so far from eligible schools since we invited the expressions of interest. Throughout the current contract we will be working with our provider, Family Action, to monitor different aspects of the current programme, including the reach the programme is having in relation to pupil attendance at the breakfast provision in schools. We will consider the best opportunities to share information on the programme as it progresses.

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