– Oakfield School educates children with additional needs
– Kellogg’s Awards judges bowled over by pupil involvement
A school in Cardiff has won the title of the Best Breakfast Club in Wales.
Judges of the Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards gave Oakfield Primary School a £1,500 prize after being impressed by how the Club helped better its students’ concentration in class.
Oakfield’s Breakfast Club, which feeds 130 pupil every week, was set up ten years ago after teachers noticed kids complaining they were hungry, or entering the classroom eating a packet of crisps.
Now, however, staff ensure that children have a healthy and calm start to the day.
Kellogg’s Alison Last said: “There’s a real family atmosphere at Oakfield Breakfast Club, and it’s a place where children and their families can feel safe and happy. It was great to hear that the Breakfast Club helps improve school attendance, with children pushing their parents to get them to school early as they love the Club so much.”
At Oakfield School, more than four out of ten pupils are entitled to free school meals, and the free Breakfast Club helps relieve the financial burden of buying breakfast.
Headteacher David Harris said: “We’re so happy to win this award. The Breakfast Club has a number of benefits for the children: it puts them in a great position to concentrate on their classes, and they’re less tired after a good meal.”
Lindsay Graham, School Food and Health Advisor, said: “The contribution of Breakfast Clubs to children’s education is tremendous. They support working parents, feed hungry children and offer opportunities to extend informal learning with activities and socialisation.”
Teachers and pupils have been invited to an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in December. The £1,500 prize money will be used towards outdoor games, Lego and perhaps even an iPad.
Kellogg’s, whose breakfast club programme started 17 years ago, supports 2,500 breakfast clubs across the UK with training, cereal donations and funding so that schools can run a sustainable pre-school club.
