More children to get free breakfast at school

More primary school pupils will be able to have a free breakfast as a government scheme expands.

Handale Primary School in Loftus is one of four across Teesside to receive the funding from April, which targets places with higher levels of disadvantage.

Headteacher Rio Lily Farrier said it would allow them to expand their current breakfast scheme and help more than 100 children.

The 34-year-old said having breakfast had a "massive positive impact" on learning as without it "the children become tired, not wanting to learn and not ready for the day".

The government is rolling out its free breakfast club scheme to a further 500 schools in England, with the aim of every primary school in the country having access to one.

Other Teesside schools included are Chaloner Primary School, in Guisborough, Lingdale Primary School, in Lingdale, and Whitecliffe Primary Academy, in Carlin.

Breakfast clubs see children dropped off early and given a "healthy, varied and nutritious breakfast" before the school day starts.

Farrier said private funding had helped her school run a breakfast club for more than 10 years, but with a rise in pupil numbers, government support would allow it to try and reach as many children as possible.

"It's also really helped with our attendance because we do find some parents who are up early, they can just bring their children to school and they know they're getting that breakfast," she said.

She said having access to the breakfast club also helped children socialise by getting them into school before the learning started.

More staff would be able to help out with the club thanks to the funding, she added.

The Department for Education estimated that free breakfast clubs could save working parents up to £450 a year.

It said schools taking part would receive increased funding, with an average boost of about £30,000 a year to help cover staffing and running costs.

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