[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

Read the link - this IS a trial!

There is no mention of "elsewhere" .....

I am aware of that.
Salman mentioned his school also offered a free breakfast for those who required one...
Therefore this 'trial' may not be the first in the UK?

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19951590

Parents without the "time or inclination" to make breakfast for their children are blamed by teachers for more pupils going to school hungry.

A survey from Kellogg's found that four out of five teachers in England have seen examples of pupils starting school without having eaten any breakfast.

"Parental apathy" was identified as the biggest single cause - followed by a shortage of money.

Almost a third of teachers have brought in their own food to feed pupils.

According to the survey, about one in six primary teachers are spending £24.99 per month of their own money on food for their pupils.

Last month, teachers at a primary school in Bristol took over the funding of breakfasts for 130 pupils after a charity providing the meals went bust.

Breakfast club

Kellogg's is best known for its cereal brands - but a spokeswoman emphasised that this was not about promoting its own goods, but was a response to its own grassroots work in schools.

The firm's charitable trust has been funding school breakfast clubs, where pupils can get subsidised meals, since 1998.

At present it is supporting more than 500 breakfast clubs across England - but says it is receiving a rising number of requests from other schools worried that pressure on budgets will force the closure of their breakfast clubs.

More than half of teachers believed that the problem of children arriving hungry at school was getting worse.

They believed that a lack of money is a major problem for some families - but a bigger problem was the failure or inability of parents to provide a breakfast for their children.

"This means that, in many families, parents are leaving children to fend for themselves in the morning. This is because some parents simply don't have the time or inclination to prepare breakfast, let alone supervise their children or encourage them to eat it," says the report.

This problem is worse among primary pupils, says the Kellogg's report, because they find it harder than secondary pupils to "fend for themselves".

It seems that the "breakfast clubs" are funded by teachers or charity and NOT by local authorities .....

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

I am aware of that.
Salman mentioned his school also offered a free breakfast for those who required one...
Therefore this 'trial' may not be the first in the UK?

Speculation .....

All free breakfasts are NOT the same (see extract and link in my previous post)

If you have a link to a local authority "free breakfast for kiddies" scheme then let me have it .....

[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/...-clubs-schools

While breakfast clubs struggle for cash in England, the Welsh government has made them a priority

Almost 75% of primary schools across Wales have breakfast clubs.

Wales has a higher rate of child poverty than any of the other countries in the UK, according to Save the Children. One of the ways the Welsh government has been tackling the problem is breakfast clubs.

It began in 2004, with the piloting of the primary school free breakfast initiative, which targeted the most disadvantaged areas of the country. The programme was then introduced across the country three years later, allowing any maintained primary school to take part.

Five years on, almost 75% of primary schools across Wales have breakfast clubs.

"Because of the devolved education services in Wales there is the opportunity for the Welsh government to prioritise things in a different way than in other parts of the UK," says Pam Boyd, director of education charity ContinYou Cymru. "The Welsh government still promotes the idea of schools being community-focused in a way that is now different to schools elsewhere, particularly in England."

Breakfast clubs have been made a priority because they are seen as a necessary part of education, helping to improve learning and attendance.

"The minister for education in Wales has stated that addressing the impact of poverty on education is one of the priorities of the government," explains Boyd. Despite proposed legislation in the Assembly to transfer funding for clubs to local authorities, there was a commitment at the last election to continue with the scheme. It continues to grow, with the budget for 2012-13 rising to £12.7m.

So central government funds the initiative in Wales .....

[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...ool-breakfasts

A few minutes spent leafing through the forms sent to charities by schools hoping to get funding to provide pupils with free breakfasts builds up a vivid picture of how teachers all over the country are struggling to help ill-fed children who come into school hungry.

Charities that fund breakfast clubs in schools report a dramatic increase in applications from teachers across the UK, for financial support to help them set up or expand existing provision of subsidised breakfast. They believe the rise is at least in part the result of the financial crisis and of the government's austerity drive, which has seen benefits payments frozen or cut.

Carmel McConnell is founder and director of the charity Magic Breakfast, which already funds pre-school clubs in 210 schools, selected because all have more than 50% of pupils receiving free school meals. It helps feed 6,000 pupils. She said there had been a sharp rise in demand since the recession; at the beginning of 2009, the charity was working in just 149 schools and had a waiting list of 20-30 schools who wanted help. Over the past year the waiting list has grown to over 100.

McConnell thinks the charity will be helping at least 250 schools by the end of the year.

Her experience is echoed by other charities working in this area. Ken McMeikan, chief executive of Greggs, the bakers, which also helps provide breakfasts for pupils in deprived areas, says: "When I joined in 2008, we did 120 breakfast clubs. We are running to stand still."

He said the company was already sponsoring 191 clubs, helping to feed 9,000 children and had a waiting list of another 100 clubs. "I can remember when that was probably nearer to 30 or 40. My impression is that the numbers are rising. Inevitably one of the things that gets cut back in family budgets when times are tough is food." Kellogg's, which runs similar services through the charity Continyou, said they had also seen an increase in the numbers of schools asking for support.

Blimey, I was joking about Greggs free breakfast earlier on .....

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

Speculation .....

All free breakfasts are NOT the same (see extract and link in my previous post)

If you have a link to a local authority "free breakfast for kiddies" scheme then let me have it .....

It's not the only trial, the University of Cardiff conducted one too.
Toast is toast omah...
Well they are predicting costs of 2.1 mill....
How would I know who they are paying to provide this service?

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/...-clubs-schools



So central government funds the initiative in Wales .....

Well then... Blackpool are spending 2.1 mill of central government funding on 'magic breakfasts'...
So what?

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

It's not the only trial, the University of Cardiff conducted one too.

Is the University of Cardiff a local authority?

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

Well they are predicting costs of 2.1 mill....
How would I know who they are paying to provide this service?

That's my point re the OP - nobody knows much of anything yet .....

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

Well then... Blackpool are spending 2.1 mill of central government funding on 'magic breakfasts'...
So what?

NO .....

Blackpool are spending £2.1 of LOCAL government funding on 'magic breakfasts' .....

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

Is the University of Cardiff a local authority?

Thats irrelevant, you suggested I was speculating, there were other trials.... there were, conducted by the university in schools in Cardiff.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

NO .....

Blackpool are spending £2.1 of LOCAL government funding on 'magic breakfasts' .....

Great.. they can claim it back from central government then!
Everyones a winner.

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

Thats irrelevant, you suggested I was speculating, there were other trials.... there were, conducted by the university in schools in Cardiff.

There have been loads of "trials" and implementations (see my links) but NONE, AFAIK, funded by a local authority, as outlined in the OP.

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

Great.. they can claim it back from central government then!

No.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

There have been loads of "trials" and implementations (see my links) but NONE, AFAIK, funded by a local authority, as outlined in the OP.

Does it state specifically the trials are funded by the LA in the OP?

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

No.

Why not?....If central government are funding schemes elsewhere it's only fair they fund sunny Blackpools free breakfast club.....

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

Does it state specifically the trials are funded by the LA in the OP?

Yes.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

Yes.

Thats not true omah,
had a little dig around...
Funding from the department for education funds those eligable for free school meals, or those in local authority care via the 'pupil premium'.
For instance my sons school has over 230 eligable children, their funding for 2012/13 is over £137,000.
Schools who can apply for the'magic breakfast' funding must have 50% of all pupils eligable for free school meals.
Nationwide there is 1.25 billion available to support 'pupil premium' eligable students.
If some schools want to spend their allocated funds on toast then thats up to them.... There are NO regulations, the money can be spent however the school wishes....

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

Thats not true omah,
had a little dig around...
Funding from the department for education funds those eligable for free school meals, or those in local authority care via the 'pupil premium'.
For instance my sons school has over 230 eligable children, their funding for 2012/13 is over £137,000.
Schools who can apply for the'magic breakfast' funding must have 50% of all pupils eligable for free school meals.
Nationwide there is 1.25 billion available to support 'pupil premium' eligable students.
If some schools want to spend their allocated funds on toast then thats up to them.... There are NO regulations, the money can be spent however the school wishes....

BUT ..... AFAIK, Blackpool are not restricting the plan to "those eligible for free school meals, or those in local authority care via the 'pupil premium'" ..... again, you are speculating based on an initial news report .....

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

BUT ..... AFAIK, Blackpool are not restricting the plan to "those eligible for free school meals, or those in local authority care via the 'pupil premium'" ..... again, you are speculating based on an initial news report .....

How is my statement speculation?
I said schools get funding for those on free school meals, I did not say this is what is funding the free school breakfasts in Blackpool did I?
I couldn't say that because we don't know do we?...

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

How is my statement speculation?
I said schools get funding for those on free school meals, I did not say this is what is funding the free school breakfasts in Blackpool did I?
I couldn't say that because we don't know do we?...

You have been suggesting all sorts of things, including denying that Blackpool Council is paying for the free school breakfast - I have have now lost track and interest - if I carry on in this thread I think I will lose the will to live .....

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Omah

You have been suggesting all sorts of things, including denying that Blackpool Council is paying for the free school breakfast - I have have now lost track and interest - if I carry on in this thread I think I will lose the will to live .....

I have made a contribution to this thread omah, thats why we are here I thought?
I may be speculating though...

As I said I don't know how Blackpool council is paying for this service, the link you posted doesn't make that very clear.

[Omah]

Originally Posted by kizzy

As I said I don't know how Blackpool council is paying for this service, the link you posted doesn't make that very clear.

http://cllrsimonblackburn.com/

As as of January 2013, all children attending Blackpool Primary schools will be offered a free breakfast and free milk at mid-morning break.

This is a bold and ambitious move, but one which is founded entirely in fact, and one which research clearly demonstrates will be of huge benefit to children across the Borough.

At the moment, some schools run breakfast clubs, which are paid for by parents – usually those in work – as a consequence, the uptake is nowhere near as good as we would like. We now plan to make this service universally available, and hope that all schools and the majority of parents will take advantage of it.

Despite our superb schools, excellent teachers and committed support and catering staff, and the best efforts of the majority of parents – Blackpool still has a big problem with attendance, attainment and behaviour in the classroom.

Daily we see and hear of children attending school who quite clearly haven’t had breakfast, and are not therefore able to learn. Under-nourishment is a real problem here in Blackpool, as one would expect in an area beset by high levels of child poverty.

A recent survey of schoolchildren suggests that some of our older pupils are more likely to have used alcohol or tobacco in the last week than they are to have eaten breakfast or had 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.

For years, we have complained about this – but now is the time to actually do something about it.

All of the evidence points towards the provision of school breakfasts improving attendance, attainment and behaviour – in some cases quite dramatically. It will ensure children start the day in the right way, it will encourage them to continue the good habit of eating a balanced breakfast for the rest of their lives, it will provide an extra reason to be at school on time, and in 10 years time, we will see dramatically improved educational outcomes as a consequence.

Those parents in work who are currently struggling to find £10 or £15 a week to pay for Breakfast Clubs, will now be able to spend that money in other ways – further stimulating the local economy. The same goes for those low-paid parents who are currently spending £10 a week on cereals, bread and fruit for breakfast.

Whilst those on benefits usually receive free milk at break times already, I want to see working parents, and people just above the benefit cut-off point, released from the burden of the £10-£15 per term, per child, they are currently charged for milk.

Although the obvious beneficiaries of this scheme are those children whose parents are not currently feeding them properly, it will also create jobs, and pour the money that would otherwise be spent on breakfasts directly into the local economy – this is what fairness is all about – a policy which protects the worst off in society, whilst also putting money back in the pockets of those who work hard and do the right thing.

Although this is a pilot scheme in primary schools only, I hope and believe that it will soon become part of a joined-up strategy on school meals and nutrition, which we have been working on for some time, which will benefit all of the school-children in Blackpool, schools, teachers, parents, and the wider local economy.

By robustly prioritising our budget, and setting out prudent financial plans for the next 3 years, we are able to offer this scheme without placing any additional burden on the Council Tax fund or the Council Tax payer.

In addition to resources already allocated, we shall also be working with potential sponsors to deliver the scheme as efficiently as possible.


Cllr Simon Blackburn

Leader of Blackpool Council

So ..... funded from the current budget, at the expense of other services, with the assistance of potential sponsors (Greggs, it could be you ..... )

If you know more about the plan than Simon, please let him know .....

[Kazanne]

We have a breakfast club at our school,which is great for working parents who have to get to work early,they can drop their kids off at 7.30 knowing they will start their day with a healthy breakfast.

[Marcus.]

Originally Posted by kazanne

We have a breakfast club at our school,which is great for working parents who have to get to work early,they can drop their kids off at 7.30 knowing they will start their day with a healthy breakfast.

so did we i whet they 3 times