A school has introduced free breakfasts for its pupils amid the cost of living crisis.
Smithills School is offering the complimentary morning meals for students as families struggle to cope with rising costs.
The scheme, which started on Monday, January 30, gives each student a bagel, a choice of cereal and a hot chocolate.
It comes as part of a Department for Education initiative called the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), which will pay 75 per cent of breakfast club foods at schools until July 2024.
Assistant vice principal of the Smithills Dean Road school, Justine Holman, said: “The principal, Mr Sidebottom, and I talked around December time, as we both had concerns about the cost of living crisis and the impact it was having on families and students.”
After learning about the NSBP scheme, Ms Holman discussed it with the finance team and the school decided to implement it.
She said: “We have children in at 8am, it was 8.15am at first but that wasn’t early enough. You can see how important it is for a lot of children.
Read more: Young legal eagles swap the drama of the lecture room for the courtroom
“We want our families to realise we appreciate people may be finding things harder than usual.
“This is something we can do, it may not be much but it’s something we can do.”
She added: “One of the things which is particularly pleasing is to see children sitting down and having breakfast and chatting to each other.
“Those social skills I think we often miss, they’re important parts of school.
"It’s good to see children across the year groups sitting together and chatting.
“It also means that we have children sitting in lessons, ready to learn because they’re not hungry.”
Ms Holman welcomes other schools getting involved in the scheme too.
She said: “For schools thinking about doing it, it’s something you can do to help, it’s powerful and I think really strongly that this is the right thing to do for young people, if you can offer it.”
Primary schools are going to visit Smithills School to learn about the breakfast club too.
Year 11 student Oliver Taylor said: “I think it’s good that everyone can get food in the morning in school, as some kids don’t get that – it’s an important thing.
Read more: Pupils look to their future as school invites in inspirational guests
“I can come in and sit down with my girlfriend.”
Sadia, a Year 7 pupil, said: “I like the bagels, they’re nice. It’s nice to come and be with my friends because they make me laugh.
“The food is nice, and it’s good that it’s free.”
The dinner ladies who serve the food, Lisa Cullen, Pauline Durkin and Jodie Meadowcroft, spoke about the initiative.
Lisa said: “It’s been brilliant. We always had free toast in the morning, but it’s nice to give them something else.
Read more: How one businessman is weathering the cost-of-living storm to ensure his pubs thrive
“It makes a big difference. I think if any other schools are thinking of doing it, they should.”
Pauline added: “You can see they really appreciate it. The kids really like it.”
Jodie said: “Some don’t get breakfast at home, so it’s great they can come here."
Other schools which are interested in running a breakfast club are welcome to contact Smithills. Call 01204 842382 and ask for Ms Holman.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel