Some children are starting class too hungry to learn, a charity has warned as it calls on the Government to urgently pour in more money for school breakfasts.
Education charity Magic Breakfast said its research had exposed a "patchwork" of school breakfast provision, and the impact was "significant", with studies showing morning hunger leading to increased absence, lower levels of attainment and poor behaviour in class, according to its new report.
Staff and food costs were said to be the biggest barrier to school efforts to end hunger in the classroom. Magic Breakfast has now called for a £75m funding boost for school breakfasts in England, and similar investments from the Scottish Government to level up education and reach those children and young people at risk of hunger. Wales is the only UK nation with centrally funded free breakfast provision, said the report.
