King’s Lander go the “extra mile”, offering a full hour of free childcare as part of a new government initiative

King’s Lander Primary Academy is one of a small number of ‘early adopter’ primary schools in England now offering a free breakfast club for their pupils as part of a “game-changing” government scheme launched this week.

The primary school on Pennington Road in Litherland, is the only school in the borough of Sefton to have been included in the government-funded scheme’s initial rollout which sees primary schools offer 30 minutes of free childcare to help working families and allow parents to get to work on time or run errands at the start of the day. 

However, Principal at King’s Lander Primary Academy, Mrs Yvonne Dineley has taken the initiative further by increasing the allocated time from 30 minute to a full hour of free childcare at the start of the school day. This means that children can arrive at school from as early as 7.45am as the free breakfast club goes the “extra mile” to support families. 

In addition to a healthy, nutritional breakfast, children attending the breakfast club at King’s Lander Primary Academy will have access to a number of indoor and outdoor activities such as reading, writing, maths, sports and arts and crafts, with additional SEND provision also on offer.

Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer said “The rollout of free breakfast clubs is a truly game-changing moment for families in this country.

“They mean parents will no longer be hamstrung by rigid school hours and have the breathing space they need to beat the morning rush, attend work meetings and doctors’ appointments, or run errands. And crucially, it means better life chances for children.”

Open to all children from nursery through to Year 6 it is estimated that parents are set to save an as much as £450 a year through the use of free breakfast clubs, as well as 190 additional hours if their child attends every day.

King’s Lander Primary Academy also offers a low-cost after school club, which extends their wraparound care offer from 7.45am through to 6.00pm to allow working families the opportunity to tailor their childcare around their work schedules.

Mrs Dineley said that this initiative won’t just ensure that no child starts school hungry, but could also significantly improve both performance and behaviour in the classroom. “We’re all taught from a young age that breakfast is the most important meal of the day - it boosts energy, memory, and concentration,” she said.

“When a child regularly misses out on breakfast, it affects their brain function and ability to learn effectively. With the rollout of free breakfast clubs, this initiative has the potential to enhance student well-being, support cognitive development, and contribute to better academic outcomes over time,” she continued.

The scheme was launched at King’s Lander Primary Academy on the first day of the summer term, Tuesday 22nd April and saw over 40 children attend for the first session. Attendance has continued to grow as the week has progressed, with numbers expected to continue to rise as more parents utilise this valuable service offered by their children’s primary school.

If you would like to find out more about the King’s Lander Primary Academy free breakfast club, please contact the school to register your child - www.kingslanderprimary.com.