Responding to the King’s Speech during the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 17th July 2024 the Chief Executive of Magic Breakfast, Dr Lindsey MacDonald said:
“We are very pleased to see that the government’s Children’s Wellbeing Bill will include a requirement for free school breakfast clubs in every primary school. The bill was announced in the King’s Speech this morning to break down barriers to opportunity and raise educational standards. The bill will require free breakfast clubs in every primary school to ensure that every child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared for the school day and can achieve their full potential.
I get upset [when hungry]. And it disturbs my learning.”
Primary age pupil, West Midlands
”As one of the UK’s largest providers of school breakfasts and with an evidence base built over the past two decades, Magic Breakfast fully appreciates the key role this government commitment will have in powering opportunity for children by ensuring that they get the very best start to each school day.
“However, to maximise reach to children most at risk of morning hunger and make it possible for schools to deliver, the bill must legislate for a mixed approach, beyond traditional breakfast clubs. The legislation needs to also encompass other delivery models, such as classroom breakfast, grab and go, and nurture groups. This mixed model approach not only increases uptake and reach, but it also best meets the context of each school and costs less than breakfast clubs alone. School leaders have an overwhelming list of priorities and expectations to meet. It is critical that Labour’s policy covers the cost of engagement support staff to advise and support schools, which has been shown to maximise pupil uptake at scale, particularly for the most disadvantaged pupils.
“We were very pleased to see that Labour’s manifesto committed to making breakfast accessible to all children. To achieve this the government’s school breakfast commitment must cover all primary aged pupils, not just primary schools (i.e. encompassing Pupil Referral Units, Specialist Schools, Alternative Provision, and SEND schools).
“We also hope that funding for the new bill will support governments in Scotland, Wales, and the Executive in Northern Ireland to go further to effectively deliver better breakfast policies.
“I’m grateful to the Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Stephen Morgan for the conversations we’ve had both in the last week and the last few months. Evidence-based policy making informed by the experience and expertise of organisations like Magic Breakfast, the teachers we work with, the parents and carers we support, and most importantly the children and young people we deliver to, is the right approach to delivering change and better outcomes.
The children grab and go in the morning on their way up to class and for children who have been rushed into school, not eaten or have travelled far, this breakfast helps to prepare them for a morning of learning.”
Magic Breakfast Partner School, Westminster
“Funding for the National School Breakfast Programme will run out in 12 months time. Schools need stability and security and that is why it is vital that school breakfast provisions within this bill are prioritised in what will be a busy parliamentary session. Magic Breakfast is committed to supporting the government to get this legislation right and get it through parliament.
“Across the UK, the world’s 6th largest economy, 1 in 5 children are living at risk of hunger. That’s why today’s announcement is something to celebrate, it will bring hope. We know that breakfast powers opportunity, we’re glad the government agree. We can’t wait to see them act on it. “
