Parents could save up to £450 a year from a new government initiative to curb child poverty, improve school attendance and increase educational attainment.

Primary school-aged children will be entitled to a free breakfast and their parents will have daily access to at least 30 minutes of free childcare anytime between 8am and 6pm which will alleviate their stress about getting to work.

The schools selected for this scheme were High Green Primary School, Carfield Primary School, and Totley All Saints CE Primary School.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, said: “Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn.”

The Department for Education announced this initiative as part of the greater plan to better support parents and tackle the issues children may face as a result of poverty which is on the rise. As of 2023, one in four children suffer from absolute poverty.

Government research have shown that breakfast clubs can bolster children’s reading and writing skills and maths by an average of two months.

The 750 schools chosen across all nine regions could launch the scheme as early as this April. It is unclear how schools were picked as smaller neighbouring cities such as Doncaster and Bradford had more schools participating in the scheme.

However, schools were chosen from all across England to test and learn from a variety of locations including those that do not have an existing breakfast club. Of the 180,000 children in this phase, around 67,000 of them attend schools in deprived areas.

Schools will be provided the funding to cover food and staffing costs. They must provide nutritious breakfasts that adhere to government standards such as wheat bisks, porridge, fresh fruit, and yogurt. They will also host activities like arts and crafts, reading, and educational games.

Sir David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action said: “We know that an effective breakfast provision delivered in a supportive and enriching environment can make the world of difference to a child.”

The clubs come as part of a greater plan to reduce the cost of living for families. The government also aims to lower uniform costs through a cap on branded items and generate more government-funded care.

Kearsley West Primary School is one of the schools participating in the first phase. The Headteacher, Jackie Fitton, said: “For our school, the funding provided will be a real-life saver, ensuring we can provide a healthy breakfast and supportive start to the day for our pupils.”

More information on the breakfast club policy will be given after the first phase has been tested appropriately while the access to childcare offer will continue to roll out across the country.