Headteachers’ leaders have welcomed calls for the government to inject millions more into free school breakfasts amid findings that some pupils are missing out owing to a “lottery” in provision.
Education charity Magic Breakfast said its new research has exposed a “patchwork” of provision leading some children to come to school too hungry to learn.
It has called for an urgent £75 million funding boost for school breakfasts in England and similar investments from the Scottish government.
The report says that Wales is the only UK nation with a country-wide centrally funded free breakfast provision.
The NAHT school leaders’ union general secretary, Paul Whiteman, has supported the charity’s call.
He said: “We agree that more funding is urgently needed to combat child hunger and that improving breakfast club provision for pupils could be an important part of that effort.
“Hunger is a real concern for school staff, who regularly see children arriving in the morning without having eaten, and therefore not ready to learn.
“These concerns have only been exacerbated by the pandemic and the financial impact it has had on many families. We know that some children rely on school for their only certain meal of the day.”
Mr Whiteman said that many schools already run breakfast clubs and often look to target support for pupils who need it most.
However, he added: “There are huge challenges facing schools in providing enough places. Capacity, staffing, availability of space and school transport are all issues, and the government needs to recognise that these all come at an additional cost.”
His comments come after concerns were raised last year about the reach of the government’s National School Breakfast Programme.
Last year, the government announced that Family Action would be a delivery partner for the National School Breakfast Programme over the next two academic years.
According to the programme’s website, there were places for 2,500 schools who meet the criteria for disadvantaged pupils. The programme runs from July 2021 to July 2023.
The offer is available to all schools that have 40 per cent or more children in IDACI (income deprivation affecting children index) bands A-F.
All participating schools receive a 100 per cent subsidy for breakfast club provision until the end of July 2022.
Schools will then be asked to contribute 25 per cent towards the supply and delivery of breakfast food from September 2022 to July 2023.
Now the Magic Breakfast charity is warning that access to school breakfasts varies across the country.
Its new report says 55 per cent of schools in England have barriers to disadvantaged children and young people accessing provision.
Key barriers include cost, staff costs and lack of perceived need.
It adds that “often, free places are capped below the levels of need in an area, in line with IDACI statistics”.
The report also says that 20 per cent of schools in the UK have no breakfast provision. This includes 18 per cent of schools in England, compared with 41 per cent of schools in Scotland, 27 per cent of schools in Northern Ireland and seven per cent of schools in Wales.
Lindsey MacDonald, chief executive of Magic Breakfast, said: “Our Hidden Hunger report exposes the lottery of school breakfast funding and provision in the UK and the impact that this has on children’s learning and life chances.
“As pupils struggle to catch up on lost learning and the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, Magic Breakfast is asking the Scottish and UK governments to implement meaningful funding for breakfast food, staffing and support.
“This has been proven to drastically improve long-term opportunities for future generations and increase the economic health of our nation.”
The report used data held by local authorities across the country, via a series of Freedom of Information requests, alongside survey data provided directly from schools.
Ruth Perry, head of school at Newall Green Primary School in Wythenshawe, Manchester, said: “There is a cost-of-living crisis affecting parents and if we didn’t have a Magic Breakfast in the morning, some children would be starting class hungry.
“Instead, pupils begin the day with a free, healthy breakfast and are better prepared to learn. My staff and I have seen the difference it can make.”
Alison Garnham, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “Parents tell us breakfast clubs can be an essential means of family support, and a lifeline in hard times, but the research is clear: far too many children in poverty simply can’t access and benefit from these clubs - with serious consequences for their school day.
“Schools, local authorities and governments must work together to ensure that breakfast provision is available freely to any child who needs it, wherever they go to school.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access nutritious school food.
“That’s why we are investing up to £24 million in the National School Breakfast Programme, which will reach up to 2,500 schools.
“We have recently expanded eligibility of the programme to reach more schools and children in disadvantaged areas, as well as expanding eligibility to free school meals - more than any other government in recent decades.”
