BREAKFAST CLUBS EARLY ADOPTER SCHEME
The information below was published on 23.09.24. Breakfast clubs early adopters scheme – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Across the country Local Authorities already have government funding to set up wraparound childcare (breakfast and after school clubs) between 8:00 and 6:00. In Devon 29 different providers have already been funded to set up, expand and grow their provision as part of the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.
Uniting two existing programmes?
The new Early Adopter Breakfast Club scheme “will build on the national wraparound childcare programme and national school breakfast programme”. The former is specifically for working families that need childcare to enable them to work and the latter focuses on “Schools in disadvantaged areas … if they have 40% or more pupils in bands A-F of the income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI). This includes state-funded primary, secondary, special schools and alternative provision.”
One is a service to enable parents to work and the other a service to improve attendance and learning through the provision of food.
Cost of a place
This new scheme looks like it will bring together the needs of all families within one service. How places will be funded is unknown.
Working parents pay for childcare and the national school breakfast programme “participating schools receive a 75% subsidy for the food and delivery costs of breakfast club provision until the end of July 2025. Schools will contribute 25% of costs. All pupils in participating schools are to be offered breakfast supplies at no cost to them or their parents.”
We do not have any further information at this time but are encouraging and supporting schools and childcare providers to set up new wraparound provision where none exists and to expand and increase provision where it is already operating and there is a need.
Information on the breakfast club’s early adopter scheme for schools
The government is committed to offering a free breakfast club in every primary school in England.
The DFE will be inviting schools to take part in an early adopter scheme. The scheme will seek to test and learn what works ahead of national rollout.
The early adopter scheme:
The programme will invite up to 750 state-funded schools in England with primary aged-pupils to work with the Department for Education (DfE). It will focus on how breakfast clubs can be delivered in a way that:
- builds on what is already happening in schools.
- meets the needs of parents.
- ensures children start the day ready to learn.
DfE will also work with the sector, including local authorities and childcare providers, businesses, and charities to consider the best approaches to delivering breakfast clubs in schools.
Further information on how schools can take part in the scheme, and the model the scheme will follow, will be shared in the second half of the autumn. Early adopter schools will be confirmed by early 2025 and the scheme will launch in the summer term (April 2025).
Register your interest.
Schools that wish to find out more about becoming an early adopter can sign up using the early adopter breakfast clubs expression of interest form to be notified as further information becomes available.