Mayor launches free school breakfasts for London children

Launched by London’s mayor Boris Johnson, the £650,000 three-year plan will reach 50 primary schools where 50 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

The seven most deprived London boroughs will be the first to benefit from the scheme, which organisers hope will improve pupils’ attendance levels, punctuality, concentration and behaviour.

“We absolutely believe this programme will give kids a better opportunity to do better in their lessons in school,” said Matthew Patten, chief executive of the Mayor’s Fund for London, which has financed the scheme.

“That’s an essential ingredient in terms of them growing up to get a decent job, and getting a decent job is the best route out of poverty.”

Research published last year by the London Assembly showed 97 per cent of teachers in London believed going to school hungry had a negative impact on pupils’ concentration. 

Patten said data collected during the free breakfast project would build on evidence and make the case for tackling food poverty.

“There’s a growing bulk of evidence which says that hungry children struggle at school, and a big part of this programme is trying to provide, or grow, the facts and figures that show well-fed children perform better,” he said.

His comments were backed by Carmel McConnell, founder of Magic Breakfast, the charity that will deliver the free meals to schools.

She said the project’s success not only depends on children eating before school, but also on changes to parental attitudes and school management.

“You need healthy food for these kids so they can access their lessons, but you also need parent education and a plan to help the schools to be able to fund the breakfast clubs without external resources – that’s the tough bit,” she said.

Speaking at the launch, Boris Johnson said: “This brilliant scheme will be a catalyst for helping fuel the energy of thousands of pupils and enable them to reach their full potential.”