REPORT REVEALS CHILDREN ACROSS THE UK TO LOSE ACCESS TO SCHOOL BREAKFAST AS FUTURE FUNDING CRISIS LOOMS

43 per cent of teachers say their breakfast club will have to close over the next three years.
Cuts in school funding cited as main reason. Schools forced to direct funds from school trips and other resources to keep clubs open.
Teachers believe closures will lead to deterioration in pupil behaviour and worse attendance.

A report released today uncovers a bleak future for school breakfast clubs across the UK. The study reveals that 43 per cent of teachers say their pre-school club will have to close over the next three years.

This means 200,000 schoolchildren* will lose access to a nutritious breakfast at school. A worrying finding when many breakfast clubs operate in the most deprived parts of the UK.

In the report commissioned by Kellogg’s titled ‘The future of school breakfast clubs: a funding crisis in the UK’ teachers were asked to list the reasons they fear their clubs will close: 86 per cent said school funding was the main reason followed by extra staff required (44 per cent) and breakfast club specific funding cuts (39 per cent).

Many schools are desperately trying to keep these clubs open. A quarter (26 per cent) of schools have redirected funds from other parts of the school budget such as school trips, making staff cuts and buying fewer pupil resources. Some schools have also had to rely on donations from private companies or charities.

John Coe from the National Association of Primary Education comments: “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.”

Teachers believe Breakfast Club closures will lead to deterioration in pupil behaviour (34 per cent) and worse attendance (33 per cent). Over a third (36 per cent) of teachers surveyed from schools with breakfast clubs that have already closed down said they have since noticed a decline in exam results following the closure.

Not only will schoolchildren be affected by these closures but working families will feel the impact also. Over a quarter (27 per cent) of parents say the absence of a breakfast club would mean at least one parent would be forced out of work.

Dave Lawlor, Kellogg’s managing director said: “Great progress has been made since the 1990s to increase the number of schools offering pupils a safe and fun environment that provides a nutritious breakfast. That’s why each year the Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards celebrate the fantastic people who make these clubs happen every day in schools up and down the country.

“But the future for these vital breakfast clubs is at risk. The challenge for schools, government and partners in private and third sectors is to ensure that we help to sustain as many pre-school clubs as possible. We will continue to offer grants to school breakfast clubs and during the back to school period will be partnering with charity FareShare to provide 1 million breakfasts for children who attend free pre-school clubs at their school.”

Kellogg’s has supported breakfast clubs for the last 19 years and offers funding, food and training to 3,000 clubs across the UK.

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For more information, please contact the Kellogg’s press office on 0161 869 5500 or email pressoffice@kellogg.com.

Notes to Editors:

‘The future of school breakfast clubs: a funding crisis in the UK’ is available on request. The report was produced by Kellogg’s in association with Cebr (Centre for Economics and Business Research) has combined survey results from a sample of teachers in the UK with national statistics on school populations to derive results presented in this report. The survey was carried out by YouGov between the 18th and 30th July 2017, reaching 750 respondents from both primary and secondary schools.

What can schools do?

If you already have a breakfast club, enter the Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards to win £1,000 for your club and a trip to Parliament – any club can enter, however they are funded. Enter here: www.breakfastclubawards.co.uk
Kellogg’s offers grants of £1000 to school breakfast clubs. You can apply here: www.kelloggs.co.uk/breakfastclubs
School breakfast clubs can access food donations from the food charity FareShare (eligibility pending). Kellogg’s and other food companies provide surplus food to them so it’s worth checking whether there’s a depot in your area by visiting www.fareshare.org.uk/contact-us/fareshare-depots/
Join the Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Network and receive regular e-newsletters which feature exclusive competitions, activities and practical ideas for running an effective Breakfast Club. To sign up email us at breakfastclubuk@kellogg.com and reference NETWORK in the subject.

*The 200,000 pupils breaks down as: 163,000 primary school pupils, 31,000 secondary school pupils and 6,000 special school pupils.