Two Salford primary schools have launched free breakfast clubs
St Joseph’s Worker RC and New Park Academy are part of a national pilot scheme to ensure every child starts the day ready to learn.
For many families, a proper breakfast has become a luxury they can’t always provide and hungry children’s education suffers.
Sarah Whitehead, director of the local social enterprise Community Pride and leader of the Salford Poverty Truth Commission, said food insecurity is one of the most pressing issues raised by families in the city.
“Our Families and Parents Task Group spoke directly to Salford parents, and what came through loud and clear was how difficult it is to afford healthy meals
“When children come to school hungry, it affects their concentration, their energy, their ability to learn. A hungry child is a child who cannot reach their full potential,” Sarah said.
Teachers have reported noticeable improvements in focus and classroom engagement when students receive a healthy breakfast.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, launching the national pilot scheme, said: “No child should go to school hungry. Free breakfast clubs are a lifeline for families and a vital investment in our children’s future.
“It’s time we prioritised children’s health and education as a basic right, not a privilege.”
Sarah also shared a personal reflection, recalling her own experiences as a child in a low-income family.
She said: “Sometimes I went to school with just a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps.
“By lunchtime, I’d be starving and unable to focus. It’s an experience many children today still live through—and it shouldn’t be this way.”
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