Getty ImagesThe free breakfast club will be open in 750 schools in England next week, but teachers have expressed concern that the government’s funding for the scheme will not meet the costs.
Starting Tuesday, thousands of parents can enter a half-hour free morning childcare service, part of the trial, which will be held in July, before the expected state launch.
But teaching unions have caused concerns, and the funds are too low.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the move would help “break down barriers to opportunity.”
Labor has a promise of a free breakfast club in every British primary school, and later raised the funding to £30 million.
Ministers said the scheme will provide up to 95 hours for parents of primary school students and save £450 a year in childcare costs.
The principal’s union welcomes the expansion of breakfast clubs that some schools already operate but says the school shows that the funding is not enough.
Paul Whiteman, secretary general of the National Association of Principals, said: “While we welcome the intention behind the program, our initial feedback from many of the school leaders involved in the pilots was that the funding was not enough.
“At a time when the school budget has been extended, most people may subsidize this gap.”
He added that this is “absolutely crucial” and that funds have been resolved before the program is launched nationwide and will be carefully studied during the trial.
Professor Nasuwt union said the program would make a “significant contribution” to addressing child hunger, but would require close monitoring to ensure that funding can be addressed without affecting other regulations within the school.
Announced the first batch of 750 schools to join the pilot program, the Ministry of Education said breakfast clubs “play an important role in the government’s commitment to eradicating the stains of child poverty”.
“The free breakfast club is at the heart of our change of plans to make life easier and more affordable for working parents while breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child,” said Education Secretary Phillipson.
Devon has 25 schools in the scheme, followed by Birmingham, the largest local authority in England, with 24.
There are plans to provide free breakfast for primary school children in Wales and Scotland.
Guides sent to schools participating in the pilot program say they will receive payments for setups covering equipment and materials.
Under the scheme, the government will reimburse schools based on attendance rates for clubs – a 50% school participating in the pilot scheme can receive £23,000 per year.
