Responding to the government's announcement of the roll-out of a free breakfast clubs to more than 500 additional schools from April, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“It is positive to see the government’s breakfast club scheme rolling out to more schools.

“A good breakfast helps children to focus on their learning and has huge benefits for their health and wellbeing.

“We were supportive of the government’s move to increase funding for the scheme in November, after some schools raised concerns that it was not enough to cover their costs.

“It’s important that as well as welcoming new schools to the scheme, ministers also seek to understand any barriers remaining for those which have so far chosen not to apply – be they around funding, staffing, space, or anything else – and look at what can be done to help overcome them.”