North East and Teesside school breakfast clubs will have 'positive impact'
More than 50 schools are taking part in a pilot
Last updated 1st May 2025
We are hearing how free breakfast clubs at schools across the North East and Teesside is going to have a positive long-term impact on children.
Yesterday we told you more than 50 places are taking part in a pilot. from April this year until September 2026 when it is due to roll out nationally.
Andrew Park, headteacher of Esh CE Primary School in Durham, said: "It's a great way for children to get settled at the start of the day, to make sure everybody has the opportunity to have a good breakfast and children are coming in ready for the school day. It's also really helpful as I think parents need that flexibility now to be able to drop their children off a little bit earlier.
"I think what they need to do is have a look at how it works in different contexts and then see what issues occur and see what changes need to be made, but I think it probably does need that time because whilst it's a great offer, it's going to bring up some challenges for schools as well so I think it probably is right to go live in September 2026.
"It's going to help families from the point-of-view of making sure everybody gets fed on a morning and also supporting working parents, because there's quite a complex range of needs in schools now and I think having that opportunity to get children settled, some children do struggle with that first part of the school day and that's something else that I think this will help with.
"Having a good breakfast and having a settled start to the day does make children more equipped to learn in the classroom, making sure that they've had something that's healthy and nutritious, they've had time to relax which some children need on a morning when they come into school, it just sets them up for the day.
"We've currently got about a quarter of our school who use the breakfast club and I expect with this new offer that might increase to between 40-50 percent, so obviously there's a few logistics with staffing to arrange and that might be something that varies from school to school, particularly with the larger schools."
In Middlesbrough, a charity is hoping to tackle child poverty with its before and after school clubs.
Lee-Anne Rose is from Holy Trinity Church's Youth and Children's Project in North Ormesby and she said: "It's really sad that we're in a situation where schools are having to provide breakfast but at the same time for children to be able to thrive both academically and in health, the only way they're going to do that is if they've had a decent breakfast.
"If you think they've woke up at 6am and if they haven't had anything decent to eat until lunch time, that's quite a long time to go without food so it's sad but it's good that they've got that opportunity to do that.
"Even for lunch time to them going home, it's quite a long time and I think we've noticed a change in behaviour and improvement knowing that they can come and just help themselves to a bowl of cereal, to a yoghurt or whatever but for some children it may be the most decent thing that they'll eat that evening.
"For some areas where we think there may not be poverty I think there's hidden poverty. I think some people can go with 'oh, life's OK' but it may not be. I think for every school to provide some breakfast in the morning will just help a child to get through the door a little bit easier.
"You just don't know how they're going to have to wait for a meal so to be able to provide some sort of food whether it's a snack or a decent sized meal, I think it'll make a difference to behaviour. It can also prevent crime and it can prevent people thinking they have to go and potentially steal things.
"If they know that they're going to get some sort of food in an after school club whether it's in a school or a charity, I think it makes a massive difference to people and I think it prevents the worry for parents as well. I think parents relax knowing that they've got that opportunity for their child to have something to eat a little bit earlier."