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Sun, 19 Apr 2026

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 'My school cannot afford free breakfast club'

Barbara Middleton says she cannot afford to staff the government's free breakfast clubs.
A primary school head teacher has criticized the government's free breakfast club scheme, citing its financial and logistical challenges as major concerns. Barbara Middleton, from Shiremoor Primary School in Newcastle, said her school declined to participate due to costs involved. She stated that the £25 per day plus £1 per pupil funding does not cover staffing needs for a 30-minute mandatory breakfast session before lessons begin. Middleton argued that schools should be given flexibility with the scheme, rather than being forced to implement it in a specific way. "Give us the funding to offer the breakfast club but give us flexibility," she said. However, some schools are participating in the program, including Dean Bank Primary and Nursery School, which is expected to receive around £10,000 from the government for the scheme over the next academic year. Craig Brown, head teacher of Dean Bank Primary and Nursery School, defended the mandatory 30-minute breakfast sessions, citing benefits such as creating a social environment for children. The Department for Education responded by stating that many schools have found the scheme "fair and workable", with an average primary school receiving nearly £30,000 per year with 50% take-up.