MP Sees Breakfast Club Scheme in Action at Fylingdales School

Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, has visited Fylingdales Church of England Primary School to witness first-hand the popularity of its breakfast club.

An early adopter of the scheme, which boosts children’s life chances and parent’s work choices, Fylingdales is among 750 schools across the country now providing the free-to-access sessions.

After discovering how pupils and staff are benefiting from the government-funded initiative, which is designed to break down the barriers to opportunity and give kids the best possible start to the day, Ms Hume was given a tour of the premises by head teacher Helen Thompson.

Along with three other early-adopters in Ms Hume’s constituency, Fylingdales’ experiences will help shape breakfast clubs ahead of their scheduled England-wide roll-out later this year.

The other schools to sign-up are Ruswarp Church of England Primary School, St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School and St George’s Roman Catholic Primary School.

Ms Hume said: 

“I was delighted to be able to attend the breakfast club at Fylingdales School and see for myself how much the children are enjoying and benefitting from it.

“As well as making sure they enjoy the best possible start to the day, the club also helps their parents too.

“It’s a fantastic school and it was genuinely rewarding and helpful to hear what the children and teachers had to say.

“Schools like Fylingdales, who have become early-adopters, have the chance to shape the future of the national breakfast club policy.

“The new club proves that Labour’s Plan for Change is putting children first, supporting working families and breaking down barriers to opportunity.”

Ms Hume added: 

“If you think the breakfasts on offer are just milk and cereal then think again.

“I loved trying one of the fruit kebabs and could tell they are proving to be very popular.”

Made possible by a tripling of investment during the Budget, Labour say that the breakfast club launch has seen it deliver on its manifesto promise and is a key pillar of its Plan for Change.

Studies show that breakfast clubs enhance learning, school attendance and can help children make an additional two months of progress in core reading, writing and maths skills.

Importantly, they also help working parents save money on childcare costs and work the jobs and hours they choose rather than be restricted by school drop-offs.

Labour says it will make fully-funded breakfast clubs available to all primary school children, ensuring they are given the best start in life and says that under the Tories, the clubs were available at just one in ten primary schools.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

“Free breakfast clubs are a central part of our Plan for Change.

“At a time when there is so much pressure on families, they provide real help with the cost of living and ensure children start the day with a nutritious meal.

“On top of the hectic school run, parents should not have to worry about how to balance work and getting their children fed and ready for school.

“These clubs will break down barriers and help children settle in, focus and get the most out of their learning.

“We are delivering on our promises and giving every child the best start in life while making sure families get the support they need, wherever they live.”

After attending the breakfast club, Ms Hume also took part in a session of Fylingdales’ ‘Pupil Parliament’.

As well as voicing their thoughts on the breakfast club itself, the youngsters posed questions on a range of subjects including her life before entering politics, how Westminster works and even sport.

One of the parliament’s members also revealed he had previously written to Ms Hume about the issue of plastic recycling and thanked her for replying.

Ms Hume said: 

“I was fascinated to learn how the Pupil’s Parliament works, especially how the children vote in the representatives themselves.

“It contributes ideas for everyone at the school and all the questions they asked were excellent and well-informed – there were some really searching ones too.

“The members of the parliament gave me their thoughts on the breakfast clubs.

“That was invaluable feedback.”