Setting up a barrier free breakfast

Key points to consider that will be different for every school:

Logistics

Think about where, when and how you will provide breakfast.

• Is it at the start of the school day?
• Breakfast doesn’t have to be in the hall – could it be in the playground or in classrooms?
• What equipment will you need and do you have the access that you need?
• Does your breakfast meet School Food Standards?

Take a look at our page on nutrition for hints and tips.Think carefully about how you’ll make sure there’s no stigma to accessing breakfast and there are no barriers in place for a hungry child. Aim for your breakfast to be a completely normal, embedded part of the school day for everyone.

Staffing

It’s very important for breakfast to be championed at SLT level so the whole school is aware of the signs of hunger and promotes breakfast to all. Some of the most impactful school breakfasts we see have children in charge of preparing food for all – older children can take orders, make breakfast on mass, serve and clear up, and relish this role.

Activities

A nurturing breakfast club is the perfect opportunity to add in enrichment activities, from training children as librarians to running sports sessions, and creative activities can boost wellbeing. The family feel of a breakfast club helps children feel a purposeful sense of belonging to their school community.

Promotion

Everybody needs to know that breakfast is available free of charge to all at the start of the school day. Be creative around promotion and ensure the message is repeated multiple times. You can use social media, texts, website, newsletters, posters, parents’ evenings and other events, indeed consider all the ways in which you communicate with parents and carers.

Assemblies are a great way to create excitement around introducing new types of food, and breakfast staff need to be aware of how they display and talk about food. For example, children won’t ask for the high-fibre cereal that is hiding in the cupboard when a less nutritional product is in front of them. Children like to try new foods before they actively choose them.