In a letter to Jeremy Hunt, coordinated by charity Magic Breakfast, 150 headteachers and school leaders have asked for “up to £18m over the next 18 months” to fund another 2,500 schools across England to deliver the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP).
They warn that the NSBP, which is funded by the government until 2024, currently “only reaches a quarter” of the 10,000 schools across England that experience high levels of disadvantage.
The “urgent request” comes as teachers express the “difficulties” they face teaching hungry pupils who become “unsettled and disruptive”, impacting the whole class.
The letter - sent in the run up to the spring Budget, due on 15 March - states: “All of us have seen the impact that morning hunger can have in the classroom – and it is steadily getting worse. The Food Foundation reported that four million children lived in food insecure households in September 2022; a sharp increase from the 2.6 million reported just six months earlier. Behind this figure are thousands of children who are missing out on breakfast every school day.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
