A LEES primary school is eating into the effects of not starting the day in the right way with a free healthy breakfast.
And the pilot scheme at St Agnes’ has already spread through Saddleworth as it has also been adopted by St Mary’s in Greenfield.
Eight schools across Oldham are now offering a meal with 30 minutes of childcare to all children every morning.
The new breakfast club has already proven popular at St Agnes’, with 85 pupils from the roll of 110 now enjoying fruit, toast, and cereal together before the school day begins.
Attendance has already since its introduction in April and headteacher at the Knolls Lane establishment, Sarah Butterworth, says the new club is already making a real difference.
She said: “It has been running really smoothly and it has reduced lateness.
“Since Easter we have had no lates and we have had 98 per cent attendance for the whole school, and this has really helped.
“The children have loved it and the uptake has been really good. The response from parents has been brilliant
“They can get their child to school and get to work knowing they are having a good breakfast without eating on the hoof.
“It gives us chance to chat to the children before they start school and it’s a calm time for them.”
Pastoral lead Suzanne Pilling, who runs the breakfast club, added: “What we are seeing here are children coming in and enjoying spending that time together and with us before classes.
“We have got a couple of reception class children mixing with older pupils.”
Greenfield St Mary’s, on Manchester Road, has also launched a breakfast club, along with Alt Academy, Northmoor Academy, Greenhill Academy, Richmond Academy, Westwood Academy and Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School.
Cllr Mohon Ali, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills at Oldham Council, visited St Agnes to see the breakfast club in action.
He said: “A healthy breakfast sets the tone for a child’s day, but a school breakfast club does even more.
“It fuels young minds, helps to build friendships and strengthen bonds and creates a community where every child starts the day feeling valued and enthusiastic about learning.
“It’s truly heartwarming to see the success of this school breakfast club, knowing that these students are starting their day nourished and keen to learn.”
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