Responding as the Department for Education sets out how its plans to continue the roll-out of school breakfast clubs, expand eligibility to free school meals, and publish new school uniform guidance will help parents from September, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“School leaders see every day how families’ financial struggles can impact children’s ability to focus and flourish in the classroom, so this extra help is extremely welcome.

“Breakfast clubs can have real benefits and while many schools have been running them in different forms for years, the ambition of making them available to all primary age children is laudable.

"As the roll-out of clubs continues, it’s crucial that the government recognises that each school is unique and some will face significant challenges in setting up new clubs and and adapting existing ones, with concerns including their ability to staff the clubs, the impact on workload, and the costs involved.

"We welcomed the government’s decision to increase funding levels and hope it will continue to listen carefully to feedback from schools.”