Several Yorkshire Coast Schools Get Free Breakfast Club Funding

Scarborough and Whitby schools will be among the first to receive the government's new free breakfast club funding.

Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, has welcomed the roll out of free breakfast clubs to save working families up to £450 and set children up to start the day ready to learn.

Among the first 750 schools to offer clubs from April, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change are two in Whitby, Ruswarp Church of England Primary School and Fylingdales Church of England Primary School, together with another two in Scarborough, St Georges Roman Catholic Primary School and St Peters Roman Catholic Primary School.

From as soon as April, these schools will kick off the historic programme, with an early adopter phase set to inform Labour’s landmark national roll-out which will give all parents access to the scheme.

The clubs come alongside a raft of measures designed to cut the cost of living for families, including the commitment to significantly cut uniform costs through a cap on branded items and complement the government-funded childcare.

Delivering on promises made to working parents in Labour’s manifesto, all primary-aged children attending these schools will be able to access a free breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare every day, helping to support parents getting into work.

Universal free breakfast clubs are central to Labour’s Plan for Change, removing barriers to opportunity by making sure every child starts the school day ready to learn – with research showing the clubs have a lasting impact on children’s behaviour, attendance, and attainment.

The scheme also has an important role to play in Labour’s commitment to remove the stain of child poverty. Out of the 180,000 children who will benefit from the early adopter schools nationwide, around 67,000 attend schools in deprived areas. This will provide an essential meal to ensure every child starts the day ready to learn.

Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said: 

“I am absolutely delighted that four schools in the constituency have been selected as early adopters of Labour’s free breakfast clubs. It’s a testament to both the schools and the Labour government’s dedication to getting children school-ready so they are able to improve their attendance, attainment, and wellbeing, as well as improving the household finances of local families. Through our Plan for Change, this Labour government is boosting parents' work choices and children’s life chances.”

Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, said: 

"Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking the link between background and success for families all over the country. Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of millions of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn. Alongside our plans to roll out school-based nurseries and get thousands more children school-ready, this government is delivering the reforms needed to give every child, wherever they grow up, the best start in life."

Schools were chosen from across England to ensure the scheme tests and learns from a variety of schools. Each breakfast club must be universal, offer 30 minutes of free childcare, and include breakfast.

Government research shows most parents (87%) think breakfast clubs are a good chance for children to socialise, and two-thirds (66%) recognise the value of clubs providing educational activities. Breakfast clubs have been shown to boost children’s reading, writing, and maths by an average of two months.

The government says that "too many children’s life chances are being scarred by rising poverty", with 1 in 4 children in absolute poverty as of 2023. Labour says it is determined to change that, with the breakfast club rollout being driven alongside the wider work of the Child Poverty Taskforce, which is set to deliver an ambitious strategy to increase household income, bring down essential costs, and tackle the challenges felt by those living in poverty.