Thousands more pupils will be given free breakfasts in £12m grant

Tens of thousands more pupils will be given free breakfasts in £12million grant to help poorer families

  • The number of school breakfast clubs will rise from around 1,800 to 2,450
  • Many pupils will get free breakfasts in an £11.8m push to help poorer families 
  •  A schools minister said it will ‘boost attendance, behaviour and attainment’
  • He wants children ‘grow up happy and confident, ready to take on challenges’
  • Some will also be offered free activities funded by another £9m this summer 

Tens of thousands more pupils will be given free breakfasts in an £11.8million push to help poorer families.

The number of school breakfast clubs will rise from around 1,800 to 2,450. ‘We want every child to lead a healthy, active and happy lifestyle regardless of their background,’ said schools minister Lord Agnew.

Thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds will be given free breakfasts (file image) in an £11.8m push to help poorer families

‘That’s why we are giving thousands more children in disadvantaged areas the opportunity to attend a breakfast club, which will help boost attendance, behaviour and attainment, helping them to achieve their best in school.

‘Where I want children to succeed, I also want them to grow up happy and confident, ready to take on challenges.’

Schools minister Lord Agnew said the free breakfasts will help improve ‘attendance, behaviour and attainment, helping [pupils] to achieve their best in school’

David Holmes of the Family Action charity said the funding would help the National School Breakfast Programme continue for another year. He said the scheme was already providing 280,000 free and nutritious breakfasts every school day.

Disadvantaged children will also be offered activities and free meals this summer, funded by another £9million from the Department for Education. Around 50,000 youngsters took part last year. 

Children (file image) will also be offered activities and free meals, funded by another £9million from the Department for Education, this summer 

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