Free breakfasts at York's Burton Green Primary a 'big hit'

The healthy morning nosh-ups at Burton Green Primary are being paid for thanks to donations to the York Hungry Minds Appeal.

They started last week - and head teacher Ash McGann said they’re already having an impact, with attendance levels at the school boosted.

The free breakfasts are being piloted for every child at the school for a year, thanks to big donations to the York Hungry Minds Appeal totalling £40,000 from the Persimmon Charitable Foundation and the Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust.

Karen Forrester of the Hope Sentamu Trust, Tracey Davison of the Persimmon Foundation, council leader Claire Douglas and Burton Green Primary kitchen staff Jo Piercy and Michelle Kelly (Image: Stephen Lewis)

The Burton Green breakfasts are running alongside a similar pilot at Westfield Primary School, where children are being given a free lunch every day.

City of York Council set side £100,000 to pilot the Westfield lunches for a year. But the York Hungry Minds Appeal aims to raise enough money for both pilots to be extended – and for more schools to be included.

The council launched the Hungry Minds Appeal following a Labour election pledge to look at ways of providing free school meals in primary schools.

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The authority says all the evidence suggests that universal free school meals improve children’s learning, and also reduce health inequalities between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their better-off classmates.

Cllr Bob Webb, York’s executive member for education, said: “We know that these measures can make a difference to young people, in terms of attendance, attention to learning and in terms of physical and mental wellbeing.

“And while there is more to do to make this happen in all of our schools, the start of the second free school meal pilot in York is a significant step in the right direction.”

Children at Westfield Primary School in York queueing for their free lunches (Image: Stephen Lewis)

Tracy Davison of the Persimmon Charitable Foundation, said: "As a York-based company, we’re thrilled to have been able to support the York Hungry Minds Appeal with a £20,000 donation.

"Nutrition plays a vital role in children’s ability to learn and their overall development and it is fantastic to see the free school meals project rolled out to pupils at Burton Green Primary. We hope that the free school meals project makes a real difference to the lives of children in York.”

A spokesperson for the Sylvia and Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust added: “We are delighted to support such a worthwhile initiative that can make a real difference in the education of our young children in the city.”

York education chief Cllr Bob Webb (Image: Stephen Lewis)

Karen Forrester, of the Hope Sentamu Learning Trust, to which Burton Green belongs, said she was delighted the school had been chosen to take part in the pilot.

“There are real benefits in starting the day with a healthy breakfast in terms of attendance and maintaining concentration and energy levels,” she said.

Throughout the course of this year, the two pilots – at Burton Green and Westfield – will be evaluated to see what impact the free breakfasts and lunches have on things like children’s ability to learn and their school attendance.

Ultimately, the hope is to raise enough money through the York Hungry Minds Appeal to extend the scheme to other primary schools.

The appeal is being run on behalf of City of York Council by the Two Ridings Community Foundation.

Foundation chief executive Celia McKeon said the appeal had made an ‘excellent’ start.

“We hope (this) will also inspire other donors in the city to contribute and enable the scheme to be extended and support more children,” she said.

To donate to the York Hungry Minds Appeal, visit www.tworidingscf.org.uk/appeal/york-hungry-minds/