Benefits of breakfast clubs
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-16)

How universal free breakfast clubs have helped give children a supportive start to the school day.

This case study is part of the breakfast clubs early adopter guidance for schools and trusts in England (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england).

Breakfast Bistro at Carr Mill Primary School

Carr Mill Primary School in St Helens has a breakfast bistro at the start of the school day. It offers a warm and welcoming start to the school day and provides a wide variety of healthy food such as low-fat cereal options, fresh fruit, yoghurts and bagels.

Year 5 and 6 pupils are invited to be bistro leaders, serving breakfast to their younger peers.

This popular breakfast club has transformed attendance and punctuality of children who would sometimes be reluctant to come to school.

A pupil at Carr Mill Primary School said:

I love being a bistro leader. I have learned how to take breakfast orders and carry food without spilling it.

A parent of a pupil at Carr Mill Primary School said:

Since attending the breakfast club my child is a lot more confident with children outside their friendship group; they get ready quicker, are keen to go in and they love seeing the older children have responsibilities and want to do the same when they are older.

In-class breakfast stations at Arboretum Primary School

For the past year Arboretum Primary School, in a deprived area of Derby, has offered a no questions asked breakfast policy, ensuring that all pupils can eat without fear of judgment, making breakfast an essential part of the school’s support for its students.

The school’s breakfast provision includes a breakfast club and in-class breakfast stations.

Breakfast club

The breakfast club is open to all pupils from 8:00am. After eating, pupils can participate in indoor activities or play sports outdoors, led by a sports coach. Over 60 children per week access this provision.

In-class breakfast stations

Every classroom has a breakfast station set up each morning where students can access bagels and cereal. Students spread their own bagels, encouraging independence.

Mrs Ferguson, Assistant Headteacher of Arboretum Primary School, said:

Every child can access breakfast from the minute they enter the classroom. This means no child ever has to be hungry in silence or feel embarrassed to say they haven’t eaten this morning.

KOOSA Kids Breakfast Club at Hook Infant School

KOOSA Kids, a private provider based in Hampshire, have been running wraparound and school holiday childcare on behalf of Hook Infant and Junior Schools since 2018. The breakfast club is open from 7:45am each morning to all pupils who attend either school.

Staff and resources

KOOSA Kids worked closely with the schools to recruit suitable members of staff to work in the breakfast club, with some members of the team also working as teaching assistants during the school day. This partnership approach to recruitment provides the employees with much needed additional hours whilst ensuring there is seamless consistency in the quality of care from breakfast club to the classroom.

Ongoing staff CPD is provided by KOOSA Kids internal training and development arm. Staff regularly receive the latest safeguarding, behaviour management and inclusion training, equipping staff with the necessary skills to be child focused.

Children are provided the freedom to choose from the vast array of safe, stimulating and age appropriate resources and activities on offer. This focus on quality was reflected in the clubs most recent Ofsted inspection, with the inspector paying particular reference to the interactions between staff and children, and the variety of different equipment and activities the club has on offer.

The breakfast club has consequently expanded at regular intervals to cater for increasing demand.

Melanie Walker, Headteacher of Hook Infant School, said:

We are delighted with our ongoing partnership with KOOSA Kids who provide our children with an engaging, safe and stimulating environment each morning. The benefits of such high quality breakfast club provision are best seen in the classroom with children arriving into class calm, focused and ready to learn.

PVI partnership at Paxton Primary School

Paxton Primary School is a large school in South East London with a busy enrichment programme for children before and after school. The school has worked with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) provider Junior Adventures Group (JAG) for over 10 years to provide the wraparound care.

The Rise then Shine breakfast club and Stay and Play after school clubs provide children with a nutritious breakfast and dinner, with an Adventure programme also providing a wide range of activities, from sports to creative arts and wellbeing.

The breakfast club focuses on giving children the best start to the school day and helping them to build friendships. Communication skills have improved by interacting with other children across year groups.

The general manager for JAG attends regular meetings with the school leadership team and SENCO to ensure JAG provides additional support for SEND children.

There is a clear agreement to ensure all administration and Ofsted registration requirements are adhered to. JAG has specialist management support, including:

a compliance/safeguarding team

an internal SENCO

efficient systems and processes with a sustainable revenue share for cleaning costs and utilities

The Extended Services Manager at Paxton Primary School said:

The school have an excellent relationship with the delivery team who have integrated seamlessly. The school have chosen to work with a PVI provider to provide the expertise specific to Ofsted registration, bookings administration, marketing/awareness, reliability, quality assurance and programming.