Nine pupils in every classroom of 30 in the UK are living in poverty, the highest number in a decade, putting more pressure on families and teachers to ensure children arrive at school well fed and ready to learn.

School breakfast clubs are a vital provision for children that might otherwise start their day hungry. They also provide reliable and affordable childcare in the mornings, helping to alleviate the stress and logistical challenges faced by many families.

From today, (Feb 18) primary and secondary schools across the UK can apply for a £1,000 grant from Kellogg’s to boost their school breakfast club, which they can spend on any aspect of their club, from equipment and food, to staffing costs. Applications are now open here: https://forevermanchester.com/fund/kelloggs-breakfast-club-programme/.

The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club grants are eligible for schools with 35% or more children receiving Pupil Premium or if they’re within the 10% most deprived postcodes in the UK. Kellogg’s has been supporting school breakfast clubs since 1998 and has so far invested £6m it this programme.

Nicola Gorman, Breakfast Club Leader at Orchard Mead Academy in Leicester, said: “Our breakfast club is a vibrant community hub where students can find solace, companionship, and guidance. The £1000 grant we received last year as part of Kellogg’s Breakfast Club programme has been transformative for many aspects of our breakfast club. It has meant we can buy extra activities and games for the students, including new table tennis equipment and table football.”

As well as ensuring children start the day well fed, over a half of teachers in Wales (57 per cent) believe that offering a breakfast club in school can reduce absenteeism, a growing issue across schools in the UK. The proportion of persistently and severely absent pupils has doubled since pre-pandemic.

Through applying for a breakfast club grant, schools can continue to provide this safe space for children in the morning, giving them a reason to attend school and go into the classroom with a full tummy, ready to learn.

Andrew Ridge, Social Impact and Sustainability Manager at Kellogg’s, said: "It’s a sad fact that children are still going to school hungry – and the problem only continues get worse. That’s why we provide breakfast club grants to the schools who need it the most and we’re providing even more grants this year. Kellogg’s has been at breakfast tables for over 100 years – we know the value of breakfast as a meal and social occasion. We’re committed to being part of the positive impact Breakfast Clubs offer to families, schools and communities.”

Throughout 2025, Kellogg’s will provide a total of 1,000 grants, with its second round of grants opening in September 2025, for both Primary and Secondary schools to apply.

From April 2025, the Department for Education will work with up to 750 ‘early adopter’ schools to learn how best to implement a free breakfast club scheme in Primary Schools.