Free Breakfast Club-Early Adopters Scheme
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Early Adopters Breakfast Club
We are excited to be part of the Government’s Free Breakfast Club early adopter scheme, which is funding universal Free Breakfast Clubs in up to 750 primary schools. From Summer Term 2025, Free Breakfast Clubs will be available in early adopter schools, as part of a test and learn phase, so that the government can plan for a full national roll-out of universal Free Breakfast Clubs in primary schools.
As part of the offer, Hartford Infant and Preschool and Hartford Junior School will offer 30 minutes of free childcare alongside a free breakfast. The club is open to all pupils from Year R to Year 6. The club will be situated in the Infant School Hall. Children will enter via the brown door next to the whit kitchen pod on the front playground.
Why is the government doing this?
Free Breakfast Clubs will ensure every child, no matter their circumstances, can achieve their full potential by providing a supportive start to the day. Free Breakfast Clubs offer much more than just food; they can serve as a welcoming space for children, providing valuable opportunities for them to play, learn, and socialise at the beginning of the school day.
How long will this last for?
The scheme will run from Summer Term 2025 [for Hartford this is Wednesday 23rd April 2025] until at least the end of Spring Term 2026. The government is still making decisions about the timing of a full national rollout.
Will the new Free Breakfast Clubs be in every primary school from Summer Term 2025?
No, only schools that have been selected to be part of the early adopter scheme will be funded by the Government from April. The Government has announced its intention for every state-funded primary school to offer a Free Breakfast Club and will announce further details on that later.
Is the club free for my child to attend?
Yes – the Free Breakfast Club is free to attend for 30 mins from 8.15am - 8.45am.
What can my child expect from the Free Breakfast Club?
Your child will be offered breakfast and will be supervised whilst they eat during the Free Breakfast Club. There will be activities such as homework, crafting, low impact physical activities e.g yoga, and ‘Ready to Learn’ sessions.
What food will you serve to my child at the Free Breakfast Club?
Your child will be offered a nutritious breakfast during the Free Breakfast Club. This will include a variety of fruit, cereals and toast and bagels. Please note: If your child arrives for Free Breakfast Club after 8.40am the main breakfast provisions may have been cleared away to prepare the children for transfer to classrooms. They will be offered bagel or fresh fruit. All food offered will be compliant with School Food Standards.
My child has an allergy or dietary requirement, how will you ensure that this is accommodated?
The safety of food allergies, food intolerance or coeliac disease attending breakfast clubs is a priority. If your child has an allergy or dietary requirement you must make us aware of this so it can be managed safely. We will provide parents and carers with the allergenic ingredients used in the foods available.
If your child/children have an individual healthcare plan, this should clearly define what constitutes an emergency and explain what to do, including ensuring that all relevant staff are aware of emergency symptoms and procedures
What time will the club start?
The Free Breakfast Club will begin at 8.15am.
What time will the club end?
The Free Breakfast Club will end at 8.45am, as the school day begins. Your child will be taken to their classroom for the start of the school day. Please note KS2 children in Hartford Junior School will be escorted to class to be on time for 8.40am at the start of the day.
What will happen to the longer breakfast club that I’m paying for now?
We are continuing our full morning Treehouse Breakfast Club from 7.45am until 8.15am. The charge for this is now £3.50. Parents can continue to use Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit to support the cost of attending the club from 7.45am.
Do I need to book a place for my child?
The club is open to all children from Year R to Year 6. However, we need prior notice of attendance to ensure the club can be run with the right number of staff.
Parents/Carers must sign to agree to the Terms and Conditions and Safeguarding Children documents and complete a Registration Form. We will then send a unique code for you to sign up to the SCOPAY app where you can book any required sessions for your child.
All sessions need to be booked by parents via the SCOPAY app. Sessions can be booked from 2 days in advance, so for example, on a Monday the earliest session you could book would be for a Wednesday.
We are not able to book sessions in school so you will need to ensure that you book your child in for the required sessions. If your child is not booked into Treehouse Breakfast Club, there is a possibility they can be turned away due to staffing numbers before 8.15am.
We are excited about being selected for both schools to participate in this scheme and hope that you are too. We know that there may be a few hiccups at the start but hope that everyone will be able to support this new venture for all our children.
Please don’t hesitate to contact with any specific questions not answered.
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