Breakfast clubs could close over funding cuts, warn teachers
Nearly half of teachers have warned their breakfast club will have to close over the next three years due to a lack of funding, according to a new survey.
The report found 200,000 schoolchildren - mainly from the most deprived areas of the UK - are likely to lose access to a nutritional breakfast.
A third of teachers (34%) said the closures would lead to deterioration in pupil behaviour and worse attendance.
The future of school breakfast clubs: a funding crisis in the UK report, published by Kellogg’s, revealed that a quarter of schools have redirected funds from other parts of the school budget to help keep the breakfast club open.
John Coe from the National Association of Primary Education said: ‘Breakfast clubs are at a critical point in their work and the overriding reason is that cuts to school funding over the next three years threaten the closing down of clubs which serve children and young people. The impact upon disadvantaged communities will be particularly severe.
‘Teachers testify to the educational gains which stem from a healthy breakfast and the positive effect on school and family life has been confirmed by the Department for Education. Policy makers should listen and then take decisive action to provide financial support.’
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