The School Breakfast Bill, Lets Get Behind it Say Campaigners

MAJIC BREAKFAST -The School Breakfast Bill was presented to Parliament by Emma Lewell-Buck MP on 13th October, and successfully passed its first reading. The second reading of the Bill is currently scheduled for 5^th February, 2021.

Six children in every class of thirty are at risk of starting the day too hungry to learn. The School Breakfast Bill will give state funded primary and secondary schools the support they require to provide a free breakfast to pupils, where there is evidence of need, or where a specific request is made. This will ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit fully from the education system and have the chance to reach their full potential, levelling up opportunities for young people across the country.

The Bill is now supported by over 70 MPs from all parties and campaigners want to continue to grow this number.

While there are many reasons schools attributed to the perceived increase in child hunger and poverty, some of the most common include:

• Universal credit roll-out. This has resulted in many families receiving delayed benefit payments causing increased strain on resources for periods of time and requiring families to take a new approach to budgeting.
• Zero-hour contracts remain a problem in some communities meaning families are reliant on food parcels, for example, between periods of work.
• Schools are increasingly referring families to food banks and/or providing food parcels for families.
• Increased number of children eligible for Free School Meals or Pupil Premium on roll, and/or pupils arriving at school hungry.

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“We did have a couple of children who really did cry with the hunger. They didn't know what was wrong with them. They would say that their tummy was sore. But when you asked them 'When did you last eat?' or asked if they'd had anything that morning, you found they hadn't.” Patricia McGowan, the head of Abercorn Secondary, Glasgow, interviewed by the i newspaper.    

“At about 11:30 children start going to the classroom door because they can smell the school lunch and are hungry.  They can’t wait to get into the main hall to eat.  We have to ask them to sit down and wait. It’s heartbreaking.”

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