Meet the Breakfast Club: The school where a new scheme offering children a free breakfast has been a big hit

St Agnes Primary in Lees is one of eight schools in Oldham now offering a free healthy breakfast with 30 minutes of childcare to all children every morning.

The new breakfast club has already proven popular, with 85 children from the school of 110 now enjoying fruit, toast, and cereal together before the school day begins.

After being introduced last month headteacher Sarah Butterworth says the new club is already making a real difference, helping to improve attendance and reduce lateness thanks to its warm welcome and nutritious start to the day.

The breakfast club has been a big hit

“It has been running really smoothly and it has reduced lateness,” she said. “Since Easter we have had no lates and we have had 98-per-cent attendance for the whole school, and this has really helped.

“The children have loved it and the uptake has been really good. And the response from parents has been brilliant

“They can get their child to school and get to work knowing they are having a good breakfast without eating on the hoof.

“It gives us chance to chat to the children before they start school and it’s a calm time for them.”

Pastoral lead Suzanne Pilling, who runs the breakfast club, said: “What we are seeing here are children coming in and enjoying spending that time together and with us before classes. We have got a couple of reception class children mixing with older pupils.”

After the Easter holidays, the first 750 schools opened breakfast clubs as part of the first phase of a national roll-out with the aim of helping pupils start every day ready to learn and improving behaviour, attendance and attainment. 

Breakfast clubs have also launched at Alt Academy, Northmoor Academy, Greenhill Academy, Greenfield St Mary’s, Richmond Academy, Westwood Academy and Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School.

Pupils enjoy calm time together before school

Cllr Mohon Ali, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills at Oldham Council, visited St Agnes to see the breakfast club in action.

He said: “A healthy breakfast sets the tone for a child’s day, but a school breakfast club does even more. It fuels young minds, helps to build friendships and strengthen bonds and creates a community where every child starts the day feeling valued and enthusiastic about learning.

“It’s truly heartwarming to see the success of this school breakfast club, knowing that these students are starting their day nourished and keen to learn.”