Background
Springwater Special School in Harrogate now offers a free breakfast club available to all pupils through the Department for Education’s free breakfast club early adopters scheme.
Early adopter schools are funded to deliver a 30 minute breakfast club, free and available to all pupils, which includes food. Schools have the flexibility to deliver the free breakfast club in a way that best meets the needs of their school, pupils and families.
How they staff the breakfast club
The free breakfast club is delivered by the school’s support team using a weekly rota.
The facilities and equipment used
School staff set up tables and chairs at one end of the school hall and in the rest of the space they have engaging activities for the children using resources from physical education.
The school also provides pupils with access to an occupational therapy and a sensory space to support regulation in readiness for learning.
The food offering
Each day the pupils get a variety of cereal and fruit to choose from.
Feedback and impact
The school has observed that the free breakfast club has supported pupils to engage more positively with the start of the school day.
The quieter, less crowded entry to school has benefited many pupils with the transition into school.
One pupil has really struggled with the transition in and out of school, this early start has seen her enter and engage with much fewer barriers experienced by her.
An autistic young person with obsessive and compulsive tendencies can find transition between activities, events and key points in the day a real challenge. Previously, the transition from transport into school has been difficult for her but the extension of the day to include breakfast club has supported a more gradual transition.
The club also delivers further incentive to enter school, with both food and motivating activity awaiting. The impact has been incredibly positive.
Parents report that they have seen a positive impact on their child and the free breakfast club has helped them extend their working hours.
