750 Schools Set to Launch Free Breakfast Clubs from April, Supporting Families Across England

Families across England will soon benefit from free, daily breakfast clubs as the government announces the first 750 schools to take part in the initiative. The move, part of the government’s broader Plan for Change, is expected to save parents up to £450 per year while ensuring children start their school day well-fed and ready to learn.

Early adopter schools set to lead the way

From April, schools across all nine regions of England will begin offering the free breakfast and childcare programme, with an early adopter phase informing the nationwide rollout. This landmark initiative will give all primary-aged children in participating schools access to a nutritious breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare every morning.

Designed to support working parents, the scheme allows them to drop their children off earlier, easing the morning rush and helping them get to work on time.

Healthy breakfasts & engaging activities

Schools will provide nutritious and varied breakfasts, including options like wheat bisks, porridge, fresh fruit, and yoghurt, ensuring children start their day with the fuel they need to focus and thrive. In addition to breakfast, schools will offer enriching morning activities, from arts and crafts to educational puzzles and reading sessions.

Tackling child poverty & improving learning outcomes

Universal free breakfast clubs are a key part of the government’s strategy to remove barriers to learning and close the attainment gap. Studies show that breakfast clubs can improve children’s behavior, attendance, and academic performance, boosting their reading, writing, and maths skills by an average of two months.

For many families, the programme is also a lifeline in the fight against child poverty. Among the 180,000 children set to benefit from the initial rollout, 67,000 are from schools in deprived areas, ensuring support reaches those who need it most.

This initiative is one of several government measures aimed at easing the cost of living for families. Other steps include capping uniform costs to reduce expenses and expanding government-funded childcare options.

Leaders welcome the initiative

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasized the programme’s potential to break the link between background and success:

“Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of our 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 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”.

Jackie Fitton, Headteacher at Kearsley West Primary School said: 

We are delighted to be one of the early adopter schools. For our school, the funding provided will be a real-life saver, ensuring we can provide a healthy breakfast and supportive start to the day for our pupils.   

Breakfast clubs have already made a massive difference to pupils’ wellbeing, providing them with time to settle in, socialise with friends and get ready to learn.

Sir David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action said: 

Family Action welcomes the government’s announcement of the 750 schools who have been selected to take part in the Early Adopters Scheme. These schools will have a vital test and learn role which will undoubtedly inform the national rollout of the government’s exciting universal breakfast policy.  

We know that an effective breakfast provision delivered in a supportive and enriching environment can make the world of difference to a child. We look forward to sharing our long experience of delivering breakfast provision ourselves with early adopter schools.

Next steps & national rollout

The early adopter schools will help fine-tune the programme before it expands nationwide. Further details on the full rollout of free breakfast clubs will be announced in the coming months. Meanwhile, the government continues to expand its wraparound childcare offer, ensuring all primary-aged children have access to childcare from 8am to 6pm.

This initiative marks a significant step toward giving every child, regardless of background, the best possible start to their school day—and their future. Photo by Vkem, Wikimedia commons.