Responding to the milestone being reached of 10 million free breakfasts being served to children across England through the government's free breakfast club programme, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Breakfast clubs can have a very positive impact on primary aged children. That’s why many schools up and down the country have been running them in different forms for years.

"The government’s ambition of every primary age child having access to a breakfast club is laudable and we know many schools have already joined this new scheme.

"As it moves into the next phase of this scheme, it’s vitally important that the government recognises that each school is unique and some will face significant challenges in setting up and adapting existing breakfast clubs.

"We know for some school leaders there are real concerns about their ability to staff the clubs, as well as the costs involved. Many are also concerned about not disrupting existing wraparound provision, as well as the additional demands it could place on school staff.

"We welcomed the government’s decision to increase funding levels and hope it will continue to listen carefully to feedback from the sector about how best to implement the policy.”