More children across Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland will be able to start the school day with a free breakfast from September, as three more local schools join Labour’s flagship breakfast club programme.
Sunnyside Academy in Coulby Newham, St Joseph’s Primary School in Loftus and St Thomas More RC Primary School in Easterside have all been confirmed in the latest national rollout.
They will be joined by Chaloner Primary School in Guisborough, whose planned April launch was delayed and will now begin in September. The announcement builds on 7 schools already benefiting from the programme:
- Handale Primary School in Loftus,
- Lingdale Primary School in Lingdale,
- Lockwood Primary School in Boosbeck,
- Pennyman Primary School in Netherfields,
- Skelton Primary School in Skelton,
- St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School in Nunthorpe,
- and Whitecliffe Primary in Carlin How.
The clubs provide a free breakfast alongside at least 30 minutes of childcare before the school day, helping parents with work and family life while ensuring children arrive in class ready to learn. The Government says families using the clubs every day could save up to £450 a year, while schools already taking part have reported calmer classrooms and pupils arriving settled and ready to learn.
Luke Myer MP welcomed the expansion, saying:
“Every child deserves the best possible start to the school day, whatever their background. These breakfast clubs mean children can begin the morning with a nutritious meal and ready to learn, while also giving working parents valuable extra childcare and helping families with the cost of living.
“It’s fantastic to see even more schools across our area joining the programme. This is another step towards Labour’s commitment to make free breakfast clubs available in every primary school, breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best possible start in life.”