Labour is delivering on its promises, and last week brings fantastic news for families in our region. Two local primary schools – Northborough Primary School and St John Henry Newman Catholic Primary School – have been selected as part of the first wave of schools to offer free breakfast clubs under the government’s landmark programme.
This scheme is a key part of our Plan for Change, ensuring that children start their school day ready to learn while also saving parents up to £450 a year in childcare costs. The first 750 schools across England will launch breakfast clubs from April, forming the early adopter phase of a programme that will eventually be rolled out nationwide.
The importance of these clubs cannot be overstated. Research shows that breakfast clubs help improve attendance, boost academic attainment, and support children’s wellbeing. By providing a healthy meal at the start of the day – whether that’s porridge, fruit, or wholegrain cereals – children are better equipped to focus in the classroom. Beyond that, these clubs also give working parents greater flexibility, easing the financial and logistical pressures of the school run.
For too long, families in Peterborough and across the country have struggled to access affordable childcare before and after school. Under the previousgovernment, breakfast club provision was patchy at best, with only one in ten primary schools offering a scheme like this. That’s why Labour’s plan is so transformative – it ensures that every child, regardless of background, gets the best possible start to their school day.
This initiative is just one part of our broader work to ease the cost of living for families. Alongside breakfast clubs, the government is introducing measures to cut the cost of school uniforms by capping branded items, expanding wraparound childcare, and driving up education standards. These policies are designed to remove barriers to opportunity, so that no child’s future is determined by their background.
Locally, I’ll be working closely with our early adopter schools to ensure they have the resources they need to make this programme a success. I’ll also keep pushing to make sure that all our local schools can benefit from the scheme as soon as possible. Peterborough is growing fast, and with that growth must come investment in the services that families rely on – whether it’s education, healthcare, or public transport.
Labour’s commitment to tackling child poverty is also central to this policy. Many of the 180,000 children who will benefit from these early adopter schools are in disadvantaged areas where we know some children are likely to be going without enough food as things stand. No child should have to start their school day hungry, and these breakfast clubs are a key step towards ensuring that every child, no matter where they live, has the same opportunity to thrive.
I’m incredibly pleased that schools in our area are among the first to benefit from this initiative. This is a government that is serious about delivering for working families – and this is just the start.