Free Breakfast Clubs
Free Breakfast Clubs

Louise Haigh MP demands ‘best start in life’ for children in Sheffield Heeley

Families in Sheffield Heeley will soon be able to access quality before-school childcare as the government pushes ahead with the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill to roll out free breakfast clubs across the country.

Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield Heeley has demanded that children in her constituency get the ‘best start in life’. It comes as new research reveals that more than 45,000 children in Sheffield could benefit from free breakfast clubs, boosting their attendance, attainment, readiness to learn, wellbeing and behaviour. In addition, the clubs are set to support parents to work the jobs and hours they choose, ensuring they are less restricted by school drop-offs and saving them money on childcare.

Louise’s vocal support follows the Second Reading of the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill, which is new legislation to ensure children and families have access to a free breakfast club at their local primary school. Ministers have kick-started the programme through an early adopter scheme, with applications having opened in November 2024 and rollout being delivered from April 2025.

The breakfast clubs form part of the government’s mission to break the unfair link between background and opportunity. To set tangible targets that make a difference to the lives of working people, the Prime Minister recently unveiled his Plan for Change,

The government has pledged to get a record proportion of children school-ready – hitting key targets on personal, social and physical development as well as communication, literacy and maths.

The government’s wider funded wraparound childcare offer – for all primary children to be able to access childcare between 8am-6pm – continues to roll out across the country.

The government is also developing an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty and give children the best start in life, which will be published in Spring 2025. The Taskforce led by the Work and Pensions Secretary and Education Secretary are looking at all available levers across government to drive forward short-term and long-term actions to reduce child poverty.

Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield Heeley, said:

“For years I have visited Primary Schools throughout my community, and I have seen first hand just how valuable breakfast clubs will be for families in Sheffield. They’re not just about a healthy start to the day – they help kids arrive at school ready to learn, improve attendance and attainment, and ease the financial pressures on families.

“It’s heartbreaking that under the Conservatives, only one in ten schools offered this essential support. But the government is changing that. We’re determined to give every child in Sheffield Heeley – and across the country – the best start in life.”

 

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