EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

An estimated 1.8 million school age children are at risk of hunger each morning [i]. Hunger prevents children from learning and from reaching their full potential, with knock on effects for the UK’s economic productivity and prosperity.

Since 2001, Magic Breakfast has formed partnerships with schools, working to ensure the most vulnerable children have access to a healthy meal, without barrier or stigma, at the start of the school day.

Our mission has been the same from day one; no child should start their school day too hungry to learn. To achieve this mission, we believe Government action is needed. We are calling on the Government to build on its existing leadership on school breakfasts, demonstrated by its investment in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), and make a permanently funded legislative commitment to school breakfasts.

We present the following recommendations as a roadmap for Government to work towards ending morning classroom hunger for good. Our proposals will boost educational attainment, the skill of our workforce and the growth of our economy.

Our Recommendations

One

The Government is currently carrying out a one year Comprehensive Spending Review. An immediate priority for the Government must be to commit to renewing funding for the NSBP and its supported schools for an additional £12m a year.

Two

To reach all schoolchildren at risk of hunger, the Government should introduce primary legislation requiring schools to provide children with access to a healthy school breakfast.

Three

The Government should provide additional funding to schools to enable them to provide a free school breakfast to pupils at risk of hunger.

Four

The National Funding Formula for schools should be amended to include extra funding for schools calculated based on the number of pupils on roll in Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) Bands A-F (a robust proxy for estimating the number of children at risk of hunger).

Five

The Government should establish a guidance framework for schools that sets standards for school breakfast provision and should explore, in consultation with schools and children, what further support is needed.

Six

Funding received by schools should be ringfenced for breakfast provision and schools should be required to sign a partnership agreement setting out the terms and conditions of the funding, and report annually.

Seven

Revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) should continue to be allocated to school breakfasts. Any unspent additional revenue from the SDIL should be put towards the expansion of free school breakfast provision.

You can download the full report: "Making the Case for School Breakfasts: Improved Educational and Health Outcomes for Children" by clicking HERE.

You can download the Executive Summary by clicking HERE.