Nursery World - Breakfast clubs forced to close

As the new school year gets underway, a growing number of breakfast clubs in primary schools across England are having to shut their doors due to budget cuts. This is despite evidence of accelerating demand for the clubs.

Forty per cent of schools in 128 local authorities reported a decrease in the number of breakfast clubs, following a freedom of information request by Sharon Hodgson, Labour MP and shadow minister for children and families.

Essex county council said the county had 219 breakfast clubs in schools last year, but 169 this year. In Surrey, 2,870 children received breakfast last year compared to 1,200 in 2012.

Earlier this month, Magic Breakfast, a charity which provides free breakfasts to more than 6,000 children in 210 primary schools in England, reported a rise in the number of schools applying for food support. There have been cases of ‘desperate’ primary schools seeking help because local charities supporting their breakfast clubs have run out of funds.

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