Deliver a free breakfast club with flexible staffing and supportive systems
Example
School details
School name: Hillview Primary School
Location: Runcorn, Cheshire
Phase: Primary
Number of pupils: 176
Contact details: Headteacher – Richard Jackson - Head.hillview@haltonlearning.net
Key impacts and outcomes
The breakfast club has had a positive impact on our school. Our attendance is now back to pre-pandemic levels, our punctuality has improved and the friendly, family atmosphere we hope to promote has been enhanced.
For teachers, the routine has become normal now. In fact, many of the teachers are enjoying a ‘softer’ start to the day with the children and finding time to chat before the routine of the school day begins.
The children thoroughly enjoy the slower start to their day, eating, mixing and playing with their friends and not just those from their own class. Friendships between the different age groups have flourished.
Background from Richard Jackson, Headteacher
The free breakfast club at Hillview has brought a new dimension to our school life and numbers have grown steadily. We were able to use some teaching assistants that already worked at the school. They understood the benefits of the free breakfast club and were enthusiastic to make it work. Our teaching assistants really enjoy the earlier start and earlier finish.
The new club has been extremely well received by parents. They love the more flexible school opening time and the fact it has eased congestion around school at the beginning of the day. Feedback from parents has been consistently positive.
Flexing staff working hours
We built on what already worked for our paid-for club. Two of our teaching assistants were already on earlier contracts (7:30–2:30 instead of 8:30–3:30), and this structure continued to work well. At the same time, a new teaching assistant joined us and specifically wanted earlier hours, so the new arrangements suited them too.
For the staff involved, the earlier finish is a real benefit. For some, it means they can collect their own children from school, which has been particularly helpful.
We also welcomed an additional staff member from our kitchen team who wanted to help. Her kitchen shift doesn’t start until 10am, so supporting the free breakfast club works well for her schedule. Her knowledge of the kitchen makes food preparation and cleaning efficient. She is paid for an hour to cover preparation, 30 minutes of service and childcare, and time for cleaning down afterwards.
Putting supportive systems in place
Training staff
All staff working in the free breakfast club completed level 3 food hygiene training through our online health and safety system. Everyone has also undertaken paediatric first aid training. Certificates are available and are displayed in the free breakfast club area.
We found a competent paediatric first aid training provider through our local authority. For food hygiene, we went through the training platform we use for continuing professional development.
Supporting transitions to the school day
We recognised that going straight from running free breakfast club to leading classroom learning can be demanding.
We built in a small break between the club and the start of the school day so they can transition effectively. We also adjusted our timetable slightly, for example, starting our small group phonics session later. Teaching assistants are not required to move straight from free breakfast club into leading learning groups.
We’ve also made other timetable changes across school to accommodate earlier finishes for some teaching assistants. We work closely with class teachers to ensure pupils continue receiving the support they need, for example moving key interventions earlier in the day.
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