Play all audios:
IT'S BEING BILLED AS A LIFELINE FOR WORKING PARENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY 12:45, 21 Apr 2025 A big change is being introduced to hundreds of primary schools from this week. The
much-anticipated scheme to bring free breakfast clubs to primaries kicks off this week, with 750 'early adopter' schools offering them from Tuesday, April 22, when many pupils
return from the Easter break. As well as offering food and drink to little ones, the scheme will offer parents 30 minutes of free childcare each day, meaning families will save up to £450 a
year. Article continues below The scheme will eventually be rolled out at all primary schools, but for now is running at 105 across the North West, 31 of which are in Greater Manchester. We
shared a list of those included earlier. JOIN OUR FAMILY WHATSAPP GROUP HERE The government says the clubs will help parents get up to 95 hours back a year – giving them more support at a
crucial time in the morning as they balance busy lives of work and childcare. New government data shows that over half of parents would use this time to juggle parenting with working,
training or studying. Major employers including British Airways, Accenture and Rigby Group have backed the clubs to support parents to work more flexibly. Sean Doyle, chairman and chief
executive of British Airways, said: "We welcome the government’s new free breakfast club initiative and any effort to support children’s health and learning, while providing more
flexibility for working parents and reducing their childcare costs." The rollout delivers on the government’s manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all
pupils, while supporting its Plan for Change milestone to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "Free
breakfast clubs are at the heart of our Plan for Change, making working parents’ lives easier and more affordable, while breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child. "From
Tyneside to Truro, England is one of the first countries in Europe to open universal free breakfast clubs, saving parents up to £450 per year and making sure every child starts school ready
to learn. "This government is delivering on our promises to working parents, rolling out free breakfast clubs, school-based nurseries, and giving every child across the country the best
start in life." The government says that universal free breakfast clubs for primary school aged children will remove barriers to opportunity by making sure every child starts the
school day ready to learn – with research showing this can have a lasting impact on children’s behaviour, attendance and attainment. By making sure no child starts school hungry, it is also
hoped the scheme will help tackle child poverty. But not everyone is confident the clubs will be a success and school leaders have already shared concerns about potential budget shortfalls.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said: "While we welcome the intentions behind the programme, the initial feedback we are hearing from many school leaders participating in the
pilot is that the funding just isn’t sufficient. “At a time when school budgets are already stretched, most can ill-afford to subsidise this shortfall. “It’s absolutely crucial that this is
addressed before the scheme is rolled out nationally, and we have been encouraged to receive assurance from the Department for Education that funding will be looked at carefully when this
trial is being assessed.” Article continues below The government has previously insisted that the funding will be sufficient to deliver the programme. The trial was initially backed by
funding of £7 million, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves later announced in the autumn budget that more than £30 million would be allocated for clubs in 2025-26.