Schools are spending more money on breakfast clubs

As reported by the BBC, there has been a rise in schools using Department for Education funding to pay for breakfast clubs due to increases in the cost of living

The figure was revealed in an Education Authority (EA) report into the Extended Schools Programme funding. It is provided to schools in relatively disadvantaged areas to pay for extra support for pupils and families.

During the 2022-2023 school year, a number of schools have decided to offer more pupils free meals in response to rises in the cost of living. In some cases, they fundraise to pay for the food or seek sponsorship from local businesses or charitable donations.

But the EA report, which analysed how about £9m in Extended Schools funding was spent in 2021-2022, said the rise in breakfast clubs began towards the end of the previous school year. It said there was a 16% increase in the number of schools using Extended Schools money to pay for breakfast clubs for pupils in 2021-2022.

About 173 schools used the funding to run breakfast clubs in 2021-2022 – 24 more than in the previous year and the EA report said the rise had continued in the current school year, but did not give exact figures.

‘The impact of the cost-of-living crisis has been more keenly reflected in the 2022-2023 Extended Schools programme,’ it said.

‘However, towards the end of the 2021-2022 financial year there were examples of schools and clusters switching the focus of their programmes ‘in year’ to assist families with support.

‘This includes an increase in the number of food related provision (e.g. breakfast clubs) and this trend has continued into the current financial year.’

The EA report also said that ‘health and well-being, and in particular mental health, has been one of the major emerging needs facing schools post Covid’.

As a result, schools had paid for things like relaxation classes for pupils or counselling for pupils and parents.