Hey readers,
Free breakfast clubs are being rolled out so every primary-aged child in England can start the day with a free, healthy breakfast and 30 calm minutes in school before lessons begin.
Here’s everything you need to know, whether you’re a parent, carer, or working in a school.
What is the free breakfast club scheme?
The new scheme funds schools to offer a universal breakfast club: at least 30 minutes before the start of the school day, with a free breakfast for every pupil who attends.
Unlike older schemes that only targeted certain year groups or subsidised part of the cost, this programme is designed so families pay nothing for the food or the club itself.
The core aim is simple: children arrive fed, settled and ready to learn, which in turn supports better behaviour, attendance and attainment over time.
It also helps parents juggle work and childcare, especially where drop‑off and commute times clash.
How the rollout works.
The rollout is happening in phases, starting with an early adopter group and then expanding to thousands more schools.
Around 750 schools across nine regions in England formed the first phase from Easter 2025, funded to provide a universal free breakfast club to all pupils on roll.
From April 2026, the programme begins a national rollout, with a further 2,000 schools joining the scheme, supported by around £80 million of government investment.
As these new clubs open, the number of children able to access a free breakfast at school is expected to rise from around 180,000 in the earliest phase to more than 300,000 and then on to universal coverage for state primary schools in England in due course.
Who is eligible?
The long‑term commitment is that all state‑funded primary schools in England will offer a free breakfast club, making the offer universal at primary level.
However, during the rollout, not every school joins at once, and there are eligibility criteria for the earlier phases.
For phase 1 of the national rollout, schools can be invited to apply if they are among the most disadvantaged, typically where at least 40% of pupils are eligible for free school meals or the school is the most disadvantaged in its local area.
The Department for Education also considers factors like existing participation in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) and geographical spread when selecting schools.
If your school is part of the scheme, they will contact families directly to explain how to join the club.
What will breakfast look like?
Breakfast clubs must follow the existing School Food Standards, so food is expected to be healthy, balanced and age‑appropriate.
Typically, that means a mix of starchy carbohydrates (like wholegrain cereal and toast), fruit or vegetables, and a dairy item such as milk or yoghurt, with limited sugar and salt.
Schools on the NSBP already order food through a central supplier, with items like cereal, bagels, toast and fruit delivered directly to the school for use in breakfast provision.
As the free breakfast club programme replaces or absorbs this support for primary‑aged pupils, families can expect similar kinds of simple, familiar breakfasts that children recognise and enjoy.
Many schools will also use the time for quiet activities reading, drawing or gentle play so that children ease into the school day rather than going straight from the gate into lessons.
How schools are funded.
The funding model is designed to cover both daily running costs and the initial set‑up.
Every school that joins the free breakfast club programme receives a £1,000 start‑up grant to buy equipment and materials, such as toasters, bowls, storage and basic furniture.
After that, mainstream schools receive two types of daily payment: a fixed amount of £25 per day to cover core costs like staffing, plus £1 per pupil per day for every child who attends the club.
Special schools and alternative provision settings receive higher per‑pupil funding £3.23 per pupil per day alongside an £18.95 daily fixed payment, to reflect their additional needs and costs.
These amounts are also adjusted for local area costs, so schools in higher‑cost regions receive slightly more.
How this links to the National School Breakfast Programme?
The new free breakfast club rollout sits alongside, and then replaces for primary schools, the existing National School Breakfast Programme.
The NSBP provides a 75% subsidy towards food and delivery, with schools covering the remaining 25%, and is targeted at schools in disadvantaged areas with high levels of deprivation.
The NSBP will continue for participating schools through the 2025–26 academic year, with applications now closed and the subsidy guaranteed until the end of July 2026.
From the start of the 2026–27 academic year, NSBP schools with primary‑aged pupils will be offered places on the free breakfast club programme so that their breakfast provision becomes fully funded and free at the point of use for families.
Secondary schools currently on NSBP will continue to receive support equivalent to their existing offer, with further details promised closer to the time.
What this means for families.
For families, the biggest shift is that breakfast clubs in participating primary schools should be free, stigma‑free and open to all pupils rather than only those on certain benefits or income levels.
That makes it easier for parents and carers to plan childcare around work, safe in the knowledge that children can arrive early, eat a proper breakfast and be supervised on site.
If your child’s school is already part of the scheme, you’ll usually receive information via letters, emails or the school app explaining how to register, what time the club opens, and where children should go on arrival.
If your school is not yet involved, the government has been clear that this is a national rollout and more schools will be added over time; in the meantime, many schools continue to run their own paid or subsidised breakfast clubs or take part in the NSBP.
What this means for schools.
For schools, the programme offers stable, ring‑fenced funding to run or expand breakfast provision, alongside clear guidance on how to set up clubs, manage staffing and track attendance.
Many early adopter schools report that breakfast clubs have helped improve punctuality and reduced the number of pupils arriving late, hungry or distressed, which in turn supports smoother starts to lessons.
Schools that meet the eligibility criteria are contacted directly by the Department for Education and invited to complete an online expression of interest form by published deadlines.
Those already part of the early adopter scheme will transfer automatically into the national rollout, avoiding any gap in provision.
If you’re a parent, the simplest next step is to check your child’s school website, newsletters or app for updates on breakfast clubs, and ask the office if they’re part of the free scheme yet.
If you work in a school, keep an eye on official DfE bulletins and the free breakfast clubs programme website for guidance, timelines and application windows as the rollout continues.
Cheers for reading X
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