Responding to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Comprehensive Spending Review announcement, Magic Breakfast Chief Executive Dr Lindsey MacDonald said:
“Magic Breakfast welcomes the Government’s continued commitment to their flagship policy to introduce free breakfasts for all primary-aged children in England. The Chancellor set out that this policy aims to ensure that “no child goes hungry, and every child can have the best chance to thrive and succeed”. Today’s spending review announcement, however, does not clarify when the Government’s free school breakfast policy will roll out, and how much money they will commit to this nationally.
“It is now essential that the Government sets out how and when they intend to go ahead with rollout of the national scheme, to give schools as much notice as possible. This is a test and learn period so, ahead of the national rollout, the 750 schools delivering breakfast on the Early Adopter Scheme must be listened to alongside sector experts, children and young people, and parents and carers. It is through this approach that the Government can ensure the national rollout achieves the impact they desire and is done in a way that works for children, families, and their schools.
“At Magic Breakfast, we believe this means ensuring that the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill:
- Encourages a place-based approach which allows schools to identify local barriers for children most at-risk of morning hunger and gives the flexibility to adapt their breakfast provision to ensure that take up is high, particularly in those groups.
- Has clear accountability and is continually monitored and evaluated to make best use of public funds.
“The commitment to provide breakfast for every primary-aged pupil is vital but leaves gaps that mean many older pupils will remain hungry each school morning. It is disappointing to see that the Government has not provided detail of how they will address some significant gaps in their proposed breakfast policy. We ask that the Government looks again at including secondary-aged pupils in special schools and how they prevent a cliff edge for the 700 secondary schools who will lose National School Breakfast Programme funding from April 2026.”
“A universal, hunger-focussed and stigma-free school breakfast policy promises far-reaching benefits for all children and young people. This includes improved educational attainment, social mobility, health and wellbeing, and long-term economic benefits. While the spending review contains some measures aimed at tackling child poverty in England – including an extension to free school meals – Magic Breakfast is deeply concerned about the impact of the continued two-child benefit cap and joins others in the sector calling on the Government to make this change.”
“The mission continues, and Magic Breakfast remains committed to a future where students are hungry to learn, not just hungry. Through the current pilot with 750 schools in England and with a Child Poverty Strategy for England expected later this year, our team continues to engage with all political parties, and the Government in Westminster, to ensure that no child or young person starts the school day too hungry to learn.”
