WHY KIDS NEED BREAKFAST TO BE DISHED UP IN SCHOOLS

From financially squeezed families struggling to provide food at home to boosting learning in disadvantaged areas research reveals the importance of serving up breakfast in pre-school clubs.

This International School Meals Day, Kellogg’s research shows many children across the UK need to rely on breakfast clubs to ensure they eat a filling breakfast before they start their education.

A report by Kellogg’s* showed nearly eight out of ten (78%) see children coming into school hungry at least once a week, while 36 per cent said they see children going hungry every day.

Last year results by the Institute of Fiscal Studies showed providing free breakfast clubs in primary schools in disadvantaged areas boosted maths and literacy results even among those pupils who didn’t attend.

Interestingly the findings suggest that government funding of universal free lunches for children in infant school in England may be more productive – and more cost-effective – if spent on breakfast clubs instead.

As well as educational results, Kellogg’s interim data** taken from teachers and club organisers in its 3,000 wide breakfast club network revealed more than half the children who attended a club saw a boost in socialisation.

Speaking about the clubs in 2016, staff also claimed to see a significant boost in concentration (48 per cent) throughout the school day and a 54 per cent rise in attendance.

Kellogg’s has pledged to feed 100,000 British children in food poverty by 2025, in a move that will see the breakfast giant give away 62 million servings of cereal across the country.

Dave Lawlor, Kellogg’s managing director, said: “In the UK one in seven children go to school without having any breakfast.

“Having the first meal of the day at school ensures kids benefit from extra learning, socialisation and a full stomach, providing them with the best possible start to the day.”

Kellogg’s has been supporting breakfast clubs in schools for 19 years providing funding, cereal donations and training to a network of 3,000 Breakfast Clubs across the UK.

As part of its national Breakfasts for Better Days campaign that supports youngsters’ school clubs and food banks, Kellogg’s has promised to donate up to 12,400 hours of employee time to help combat hunger in the UK.

-ENDS-

For images of school breakfast clubs or more information/stats, please contact the press office on 0161 869 5500 or email pressoffice@kellogg.com

Editors Notes:

Research results are taken from two studies.

*Kellogg’s teachers survey: 765 teachers across England and Wales (YouGov) 2016 Fieldwork was undertaken between 21 December 2015 - 6 January 2016. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of the England and Wales school population by school phase, location and teacher gender.

**Kellogg’s interim data: Breakfast club network. July 2016